Best New Christmas Albums of 2025
It’s… beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Welcome to my ninth annual Best NEW Christmas Albums review. Yes, NINE years I’ve been doing this. I had no idea that when a coworker once asked, “Hey Casey, are there any good new Christmas albums this year?” it would lead to this absolutely insane tradition.
There’s a lot of new Christmas music released every year. The problem is that a lot of it is crap. So how do you know what to listen to? Most people, I assume, would just go to Spotify and type in “2025 Christmas albums” or “new Christmas albums.” You’d think that would work, but it doesn’t. Those playlists exist, but they’re not accurate, and they’re definitely not complete. You might also think to Google “2025 Christmas albums” or “new Christmas albums this year.” If you do, you’ll find lists and reviews, but they’re still not complete, or accurate, or honest. It’s just a handful of big names, and that’s it. Just because Cher is a huge name and marketed last year’s album like crazy doesn’t automatically make it a good album.
I’ve always said that the day I find someone else doing this better than me, I’ll quit. And honestly, I kind of wish there was, but here we are, nine years later, and there’s still no one doing this better than I am. So…here we go!
As of writing this, I have listened to 95 albums (not including singles), totaling almost a thousand songs. That’s over 57 hours of new Christmas music! I’ve listened to it all. Every single one. I’ve done the work so you can skip the bad stuff and go straight to the good stuff. But first, let’s review what in my opinion, makes a “good” Christmas album. In order for any new Christmas song or album to be worthy it must meet at least 1 of the following 3 criteria:
1. It’s fun
2. It’s Sentimental
3. It’s Nostalgic
Quick note for new readers: Everything below is clickable. The album cover will take you to the full album on Spotify. Song titles will take you to the individual song on YouTube. Then the Spotify and Apple Music Playlists are at the end.
Before we unwrap the good stuff, let’s quickly touch on a few things you might stumble across, but definitely don’t need to spend much time with.
Jake Shimabukuro – ’Tis the Season
Jake is the ukulele guy, and he’s undeniably talented. I’ve seen him live, and he’s very impressive. The issue with this album is he’s not a singer. Half the album is instrumental ukulele, and the rest features a perfectly average vocalist who never really grabs you. The lone bright spot for me was Mele Kalikimaka with Jimmy Buffett. That’s a clever pairing. You can skip the rest.
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie
This is apparently the soundtrack to their new holiday movie, which I haven’t watched yet. Maybe seeing the movie will make some of this make more sense, because right now the album is just… confusing. Some songs are Christmas, some aren’t. Some are good, some aren’t. There are a few tracks worth hearing, though. Like It’s Christmas (track 10, not track 1) is a pretty solid original pop Christmas song. As is Coming Home This Christmas with Kenny G. But the standout is definitely Home Alone, a ridiculous, cheesy, intentionally terrible tribute to the movie. It took me a moment to realize it’s a big joke, but once you’re in on it, it’s good for a mild chuckle. Otherwise, you can skip the rest of the album.
Natalie Grant – Christmas
This isn’t a bad album. If you like Natalie Grant, you’ll probably like this too. There are some nice arrangements. Jingle Bells is a fun jazz blend of several well-known versions (a little busy, but fine), and Hark the Herald Angels Sing starts traditional and then goes full Gospel. It’s cool. But overall… it’s just kind of cool. You can check it out or you can skip it; your life will be exactly the same either way.
Trisha Yearwood – Christmastime
Welp, we can pretty much copy and paste everything I just said about Natalie Grant. This isn’t a bad album at all, but not a single song grabbed me. I held out hope for Merry Christmas, Valentine, because it’s a duet with Garth, and surely that one would be good. But…sigh. He only shows up for some background harmonies. Again, it’s not bad, but as the kids say, it’s all just pretty mid.
Fall Out Boy – Feel’s Like Christmas
No, it doesn’t. Skip.
Alright, enough of the duds. Let’s get this Christmas party started and talk about the good stuff!
Mirriam K Musonda-Salati – Christmas Grace
I’ve never heard of this girl before, but her voice is phenomenal. Imagine if Celine Dion had a baby with Beyoncé. It’s like THAT. This isn’t really my kind of Christmas album since I prefer more traditional and well-known songs, but if you’re a fan of more religious Christmas music, this one might be for you. It’s a very thoughtful and intentional album. And honestly, even if religious Christmas music isn’t your thing, at least check out Christmas A Silent Night and The Gift Was You. SO GOOD.
Deck the Hallmark – A Bit of Christmas
Imagine a group of everyday blue-collar Joes sitting around in a garage drinking beer, and one of them says, “Dude, you know what would be hilarious? If we recorded a Christmas album.” I feel like that’s exactly how this album was born. I guess I’m calling this a comedy album? I honestly don’t know what else to call it, but it’s amazing, and definitely the biggest WTF Christmas album I’ve ever heard, in the best way. If funny Christmas music isn’t your thing, and you don’t want to hear a Christmas song badly sung to the tune of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” or a group of drunk guys at karaoke trying to sing “Christmas Shoes” as earnestly as possible… well, then at least check out my favorite track, A Silent Night with Tracy. “Shout out to virgins.” *facepalm*
Andrew DeLong – Christmas in Full Swing
Every year there’s at least one swingin’ Christmas album with a classic crooner, and this year it’s Andrew DeLong. This is a solid album. I’m not familiar with this guy, but he has a great voice for Christmas music, and the big band he’s using is top-notch. Check out his original duet Snow Angel, a fun, swinging big-band arrangement of Jingle Bells, and a lovely rendition of O Christmas Tree with a full string orchestra.
Chris Blue – Every Day is Christmas
Chris Blue was the Season 12 winner of The Voice, and he’s put together a very nice R&B Christmas album. It has a good mix of songs with fun arrangements. If you like some soul with your Christmas, this might be the album for you. There’s a lot of good stuff here, but if you want to cherry-pick, start with Away in a Manger, which is usually a pretty repetitive song, but he changes the melody just enough to keep it interesting. Then check out Go Tell It on the Mountain, which might just give you some Prince vibes!
LeAnn Rimes – Greatest Hits Christmas
I don’t normally put compilation albums on my list, but this one is sneaking its way in, mainly because there are some new songs that haven’t been released before, and also because I totally forgot how good her voice is. I think the last time I listened to LeAnn Rimes I was wearing hoop earrings and JNCO jeans. She’s still got it. You can definitely tell this is a compilation, though, because the flow is all over the place. For instance, my two favorite songs are a lovely version of Happy Xmas and a unique electronica take on Carol of the Bells. Such an odd pairing. But I guess so was wearing black nail polish and gothic eyeliner on the basketball court. Oh, I miss the 90s.
Pentatonix – Christmas In the City
Out of the 10 albums Pentatonix has released, 8 of them are Christmas albums. That’s impressive. You’d think at some point they’d run out of Christmas songs, right? Nope. These guys keep coming up with new arrangements, new originals, and new ways to sing about their favorite holiday. After a string of pop albums, they went ethnic in 2022 with Christmas Around the World, but this year they’re bringing it back home with some nice jazz throwbacks. Like the blend of the 40s big-band classic “In the Mood” with “Run Run Rudolph,” aptly titled Moody Rudy. Clever. I’m a Christmas classics guy, though, so of course my favorite track is their Christmas Classics Medley.
Alright, now that we’ve got some notables out of the way, let’s get to the top three Christmas albums of the year.
#3
Lady A – On This Winter’s Night: Volume 2
Back in 2020, Lady A released their On This Winter’s Night album, and it scored pretty high on my list. When I saw they were releasing Volume 2, I expected it to perform well again. I was right…however, this album could have scored way higher if they hadn’t cheated. They included four songs from the first album. Not new versions…the same exact ones… Come on, guys, put some effort into it. That being said, it’s still a very good album.
Favorite Tracks
O Holy Night – You don’t need to reinvent the wheel here. Just sing it and let the song speak for itself. They do exactly that, and it works.
Winter Wonderland – A cool groove with their classic Lady A three-part harmony.
Why We Sing Noel – A very nice original. Simple melody, but catchy and perfectly Christmassy.
#2
Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas
Every year there’s an album that totally surprises me. One I assume will be terrible, and then I end up scratching my head. Here it is. For those who don’t know, Taylor Momsen played the adorable Cindy Lou Who in the Jim Carrey Grinch movie in 2000. Since then she’s…changed. She’s now an edgy punk rocker with a band called The Pretty Reckless. And her usual music… well, it’s not for me. But I guess I can be wrong once a year. This is such a smart, perfectly executed album. The first track starts with audio from The Grinch, with her singing her famous song in her little-kid voice. As the song talks about “changing,” the audio blends into adult Taylor, and the song goes HARD. It’s clever, and…it somehow works. It’s Taylor telling us she’s not Cindy Lou anymore. Then we get a naughty little song about a Christmas tree to further hammer home the whole “she’s not a kid anymore” thing. We got it, Taylor. Loud and clear. Then there’s a fun anti-Christmas song, a few others, and the album closes with her singing her trademark song again, this time with the original arrangement from the movie, in her grown-up voice. And the ending… well, I won’t spoil it. But from beginning to end, this album is perfectly thought out. I can’t believe how much I enjoyed it.
Favorite Tracks
Where Are You Christmas – Cindy Lou isn’t Cindy Lou anymore.
I Wanna Be Your Christmas Tree – This one took me a minute to figure out where it was going… and ooooh man, it’s a naughty little song with a pretty scandalous ending.
Christmas Is Killing Me – The perfect Christmas rock song for people who hate Christmas.
Christmas, Why Can’t I Find You? – I’m not crying. You’re crying.
She’s grown up, but she’s still Cindy Lou at heart. Love that.
#1
Brad Paisley – Snow Globe Town
Oh thank God. I listened to 492 new Christmas songs BEFORE I got to this album, and let me tell you, it was such a relief. This is a near perfect Christmas album, and it’s the only one this year that hits all three of my requirements: it’s fun, it’s sentimental, and it’s nostalgic. And then it’s fun again. One thing I say every year is that I’m not a country guy…still true…but man, these country artists really know how to do Christmas. There are SO many good songs here, both classics and originals. Never would have thought Brad Paisley would take my #1 spot, but it’s well deserved.
Favorite Tracks
That Crazy Elf – A fun original. Elf on the Shelf finally gets a song. Catchy chorus, fun verses, tasty solos.
My Favorite Things – I’ve never liked this song… ever. But he does it in a bluesy almost sexy groove. I can dig it. And in case you forgot (I sure did), this dude can PLAY the guitar.
Jingle Bell Rock – A fun, straight-ahead country-rock arrangement. There’s so much energy here.
Falling Just Like the Snow – A beautiful original ballad, and one of my favorite Christmas originals of the year.
O Holy Night – A solo acoustic intro before the vocals and harmonies come in. Classic and tasteful.
Lit – A fun original about a guy dealing with his crazy family. If you have a few wild relatives, you might relate to this one. “There’s nothing quite like the smell of pumpkin pie and cigarettes.”
Just because an album didn’t make my list doesn’t mean there weren’t some very good things on it. There are quite a few singles and EPs released this year, too. There were some great moments from Michael Bolton, Scotty McCreery, Matthew West, We Are Messengers, Peter Cincotti, Blessings Offor, and many more. This is what the playlists are for.
New Christmas albums and singles will continue to trickle in every week until Christmas. Even though the review is done, my work isn’t. As new releases drop, I’ll be filtering them into my designated playlists.
And yes, if you’re not using my playlists, you’re really missing out. I have one for everyone, no matter what your tastes are.
Note: All playlists are best enjoyed in SHUFFLE MODE.
The Full Master List of New Christmas Songs
This is every single song I’ve listened to this year. All the new stuff in one place. There isn’t another playlist like this anywhere online. Trust me. You can find playlists that claim to be the new Christmas songs of 2025, but they’re not. They’re either incomplete, or they’re inaccurate and include songs from other years. If you want 57+ hours of new Christmas music—whether it’s good or bad—this is the one. You’ll have to click the link and open it in Spotify to access the entire list. Apple Music users click here.
Best of 2025 Christmas
If you only want the best of the new Christmas songs this year, then this is the playlist for you. It contains all the good songs mentioned above, plus all the one-off gems we haven’t even talked about. You’ll have to click the link and open it in Spotify to access the entire list. Apple Music users click here.
2025 Original Christmas
If you’re sick of hearing the same damn Christmas songs every year, then this might be your playlist. But beware, not all original Christmas songs are good. Here’s every original Christmas song released this year. You’ll have to click the link and open it in Spotify to access the entire list. Apple Music users click here.
2025 Best Original Christmas Songs
If the playlist above is a little too scary for you (I don’t blame you), here are only the best original songs from this year. There’s a lot of really good stuff in here this year. I don’t normally come back to my original playlists, but this one I might. You’ll have to click the link and open it in Spotify to access the entire list. Apple Music users click here.
2025 Instrumental Christmas
If you’re more of an instrumental-music lover, or you just want some nice festive background music, I’ve got you covered. Here are all the new instrumental Christmas songs for this year. You’ll have to click the link and open it in Spotify to access the entire list. Apple Music users click here.
But wait! There’s more! I also have ongoing playlists that I add to year after year.
Christmas by the Fireplace
This is the relaxing, sentimental playlist. The kids are in bed, you’re winding down with a glass of wine, and you want something cozy. There weren’t a lot of additions to this one this year, because it takes a special kind of song to earn a spot, but there’s still about 3 hours of music in here. Plenty for a couple bottles of wine. You’ll have to click the link and open it in Spotify to access the entire list. Apple Music users click here.
Christmas Groove
This is the fun playlist for when you want to shake your butt a little. It’s funky, groovy, fresh takes on Christmas songs. Perfect for a Christmas party, or just adding some festive funk while you clean the house. You’ll have to click the link and open it in Spotify to access the entire list. Apple Music users click here.
Ultimate Christmas Playlist
This is the one. The mack daddy of Christmas playlists. It’s the ULTIMATE collection that includes all the classics you know and love from your childhood, plus all the modern favorites from the last five decades, including my picks from this year and every other year, without any of the crap. I’m so selective on this that not even all of the “best of” songs from each year make it in here. Only the BEST of the BEST go in this one. “Alexa, play my Ultimate Christmas Playlist on shuffle” is something that’s said a LOT in our house. You’ll have to click the link and open it in Spotify to access the entire list. Apple Music users click here.
And if for some insane reason you need MORE Christmas music, you can find my reviews of the previous years along with their still active playlists here. 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
Little full. Lotta sap. Merry Christmas, all. See you next year.
