Dominic Beck
With the festive season vastly approaching, it seems an appropriate time to curate your Christmas playlist once again. If you’re looking to add more music to your festive playlist, here are Five Christmas Albums you need to hear this Festive Season
Sia – ‘Everyday Is Christmas’
In May 2017, after departing from RCA and making the move to Atlantic Records, it was announced that Sia would be releasing an original Christmas album later that year. ‘Everyday Is Christmas’ was instantly deemed as ‘the Christmas album of 2017′ upon its release in November 2018 and was well received critically worldwide. Although, with the run of a standard Christmas album being two months maximum, it didn’t give Sia much time to promote the album. Sure, committed fans and critics listened to the album in all its glory but it is yet to be appreciated by the general public.
The lead single, ‘Santa’s Coming For Us’, however, received moderate airplay which you may have stumbled upon last Christmas. ‘Everyday Is Christmas’ consists of original tracks written by Sia and Greg Kurstin with production also coming from Kurstin, who has worked with the likes of Adele, Pink and Lily Allen amongst others. Some of the album’s highlights include the melancholy ballad ‘Snowman’, ‘Candy Cane Lane’ and ‘Puppies Are Forever’. There was also a claymation short-film in the form of music videos released by Sia to promote the album. She has also released a Target exclusive deluxe edition of the album this year with three additional tracks.
Jessie J – ‘This Christmas Day’
It comes as a surprise to us why it’s taken Jessie J so long to release a Christmas album. Well, the wait is over as Jessie J’s first Christmas album, ‘This Christmas Day’ was released in October 2018. It features both original music as well as covers including her rendition of ‘Man With The Bag’, which became prominent after it was used in the 2015 Boots UK Christmas advert.
On ‘This Christmas Day’, Jessie J has collaborated with the likes of Boyz II Men to re-imagine the Christmas classic, ‘Winter Wonderland’ and Babyface on the title track, ‘This Christmas Day’. She has also got the classics covered with ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’, ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ and ‘Let It Snow’ to name a few. ‘This Christmas Day’ is yet to impact commercially but as the festive season gets underway, we’re sure Jessie J has a few tricks under her sleigh.
Kacey Musgraves – ‘A Very Kacey Christmas’
American country singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves gained worldwide acclaim earlier this year with her fourth studio album, ‘Golden Hour’. Up until this year, she was a national treasure with little acclaim in other countries. With Golden Hour receiving Grammy Award buzz upon all of its other acclaims, those days of national fame are long gone for Musgraves. That’s why this year, you need to listen to her 2016 Christmas album, ‘A Very Kacey Christmas’.
As said before, Kacey Musgraves has only started to receive worldwide success this year, therefore, new fans of Musgraves may not know of the 2016 Christmas album, which would be a perfect addition to your Christmas albums this year. Musgraves offers both traditional and original tracks with a Country twist on ‘A Very Kacey Christmas’ including, ‘Christmas Don’t Be Late’, ‘I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas’, ‘Ribbons and Bows’, ‘Christmas Makes Me Cry’ amongst others. Musgraves also collaborated with Leon Bridges on ‘Present Without a Bow’ and The Quebe Sisters on ‘Let It Snow’ and ‘Mele Kalikimaka’.
John Legend – ‘A Legendary Christmas’
Everyone’s favourite soul singer and Arthur look-a-like, John Legend also follows Jessie J in releasing his first Christmas album this year. On 26th October 2018, John Legend released ‘A Legendary Christmas’ which also follows the re-occurring tracklist pattern of traditional and original songs, with the ratio being 8:6. ‘Bring Me Love’ was released as the album’s lead single simultaneously with Legend’s rendition of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’.
A Christmas album is something John Legend has wanted to do for a long while now, it’s also something fans have longed for. Legend doesn’t appear alone on the album, however, with Stevie Wonder featuring on the album’s opening track, ‘What Christmas Means to Me’ playing the harmonica. We couldn’t think of a better way to introduce a Christmas album.
Gwen Stefani – ‘You Make It Feel Like Christmas’
Wrapping up our list of Christmas Albums you need to hear this Festive Season, is Gwen Stefani with her 2017 Christmas album, ‘You Make It Feel Like Christmas’. Stefani was eager to get in the festive spirit last year with an early release of the album’s lead single in September 2017, shortly after the album was released in early October 2017. ‘You Make It Feel Like Christmas’ features a sweet duet of the same title with Stefani’s boyfriend, Blake Shelton.
The album also features a mixture of, yep you guessed it, Christmas classics upon original tracks from Gwen Stefani. The album was also re-released this year with the deluxe edition containing five more tracks. It’s an all rounder, with production from busbee and Eric Valentine, ‘You Make It Feel Like Christmas’ is definitely one of those Christmas albums which will get you in the festive spirit.
