Do you have a go-to holiday tunes playlist? Maybe you’re a classic Barbara Lee “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” type of gal, or maybe you’re more of a Justin Bieber “Mistletoe” kind of lady. Either way, there is no shortage of holiday music out there. You know a celebrity musician has made it big when they drop a holiday track, or better yet, a whole album! Think of Michael Bublé’s Christmas album (which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year) — iconic. But if you’re sick of listening to the same 15 songs on repeat and looking to branch out, here’s a playlist of holiday music sung by some of my favourite artists.
- Givēon
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If you’ve never heard this man’s beautiful voice, you are seriously missing out. If you’re like me, and fell in love with the low, buttery smoothness of Givēon’s voice in his hit track “Heartbreak Anniversary,” then you will be so stoked to hear that he released his rendition of “O Christmas Tree” exclusively on Apple Music (sorry to all the Spotify users). This melody is perfect for a chill night of holiday decorating.
- Coldplay
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This iconic band has repeatedly lit our hearts on fire with tracks like “Fix You” and “The Scientist,” leaving us sobbing into our pillows for the past 20 years. It’s not surprising that they have a Christmas single that is equally as depressing as their usual stuff, called “Christmas Lights.” But don’t let the name fool you — there’s absolutely nothing “light” about this song. If the holiday rush starts to get to you and you’re in need of a good cry, listening to this melancholy tune will do the trick.
- kacey musgraves
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This country singer can write songs like the wind. Her classic tunes like “Golden Hour” and “Follow Your Arrow” are just so damn catchy. Kacey Musgraves has released 5 studio albums, her newest addition being “Star-Crossed” which has literally been playing in my car on repeat since it came out in September (I love you @spaceykacey). Little did I know that she has not one, but two holiday albums! “A Very Kacey Christmas” has covers of the classics and even a couple originals, while her more recent “The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show” has collaborations with stars like Lana Del Ray and Leon Bridges.
- Tyler, the creator
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I don’t know about you, but I love the Grinch; any version, whether it’s Jim Carrey in a fuzzy green costume, or the cartoon Grinch himself. Tyler, The Creator does a smashing rendition of “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” with a modern, swaggy spin on the soundtrack of the 2018 animated film The Grinch, which you can watch on Netflix. In fact, the rapper released an entire EP with music that was inspired by the movie. Go off and get Grinchy.
- Khalid
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This year, R&B singer Khalid released a holiday single with the artist who brought us arguably the most popular Christmas song, like, ever, “All I Want For Christmas Is You”: the one and only Mariah Carey. You can listen to Khalid’s uniquely soulful voice mingle with the powerhouse vocals of Mariah Carey and a heavenly gospel choir led by Kirk Franklin in their new song “Fall in Love at Christmas”. Trust me when I say that all of your holiday wishes will come true when you watch the music video.
- Taylor swift
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Okay, if you’re even remotely aware of Taylor Swift’s existence, you’ve probably heard her catchy 2019 holiday single “Christmas Tree Farm” (stay tuned for [Taylor’s Version]!) which promptly became stuck in my head for the entirety of the festive season. But perhaps you haven’t heard her throwback 2007 holiday album “Sounds of the Season: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection.” Enjoy classic Taylor’s country twang twist on classic tunes like “Last Christmas.”
There you have it! A holiday playlist with a festive flavour for everyone. You can get happy with energetic hits from Kacey Musgraves, or have a “Blue Christmas” with moody melodies by Coldplay. My hope is that once you’ve discovered some new music after reading this article, you’ll go have a holiday dance party with your friends and cookie bake the night away. Whether you’re reveling in your comfort-classic holiday music or experimenting with new sounds this season, I hope you get all the festive feels!