Need help getting your festive cheer on this Christmas season? This year has been more naughty than nice for most of us, but among the few highlights are the new Christian Christmas songs and albums you can enjoy during the winter holiday. Starting with the albums and EPs, here are a few of our favorites you can add to your list.
Christmas records are nothing new for this popular band, as for KING & COUNTRY put out a live holiday album in 2017 and an EP the year before that. For 2020, you can take in the group’s first full-length studio album focused on the Christmas season. Including on the record are some of your seasonal favorites like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (featuring NEEDTOBREATHE) and “Silent Night.” You also get some spoken word pieces and two original songs from the group, a nice balance for all fans.
Another Christian artist who’s had some success with Christmas albums is Chris Tomlin. The worship leader struck gold with the 2015 record, “Adore.” Now he’s back for the yuletide season with a short album of seven songs you’ll love. If you often get tired of the classics this time of year, you’ll be happy to know this album only has one such song ( “Little Drummer Boy”). In addition to songs which feel undeniably festive, but also appropriate for worship, you can hear a live recording of Tomlin’s well-known collaboration with Lauren Daigle, “Noel.”
If you want a little pep in your step this Christmas, check out the new work from Rend Collective. “A Jolly Irish Christmas, Vol. 2” has plenty of hit songs we all know and enough flair on each to make them feel distinct. After setting things up with a stripped down version of “The First Noel,” we get pulled into the excitement of the season with the upbeat “Christmas in Killarney.” You may not be Irish by heritage, but you’ll get a little taste of the homeland in this record.
Next up on our list of new Christian Christmas songs and albums is the latest from Francesca Battistelli. You may remember the singer’s well-known holiday album from 2012 simply titled “Christmas.” The 2020 album features a wonderful lineup of 14 Christmas tracks ranging from the religious (“Silent Night,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”) to more secular favorites like “This Christmas,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “Sleigh Ride.” One song you won’t want to miss is the inspiring, worshipful track “Behold Him,” which has a special significance after the year we’ve all had.
Unspoken ventured into the Christmas waters this year, releasing the group’s first holiday recording since 2016’s “Christmas Everyday.” The “Good News” EP released this October is a three-track set featuring that four-year-old song plus two more. “Feliz Navidad” is a new take on the old song that incorporates a timely message for both this year and the Christmas season. Wrapping up the EP is its title track, “Good News,” a chill tune remembering the reason for our favorite holiday.
Many listeners have been picking up on the singing talent of Tori Kelly these last few years. Now you can hear her taking on a dozen of the biggest Christmas songs, including “O Holy Night,” “Let It Snow,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” “A Tori Kelly Christmas” is a mix of pop, gospel, and R&B that will get you ready for the big day and give you plenty of opportunities to sing into your hairbrush while standing in front of the bathroom mirror.
Our list of new Christian Christmas songs and albums continues with Phil Wickham and his acoustic rendition of his 2019 record, “Christmas.” The new release does have a few differences from last year’s album, adding a few songs for an even number of 12 tracks. If you like your Christmas music to be soothing, peaceful and ideal for listening next to a big fire late at night, this one is hard to top.
The final collection of songs on our list of new Christian Christmas songs and albums of 2020 belongs to Building 429. The band is doubling down on hope during the Christmas season by following up its 2019 EP, “A Thrill of Hope,” with “Hope is Here” in 2020. The three-song EP kicks off with its title track, a song of celebration which features the singer Terrian in a supporting role. Along with “Infinite Glory” and “Mary Sweet Mary,” the EP is all about the birth of Jesus and what it means for humanity.
While there are many great Christian albums to choose from this Christmas, we can’t forget the artists who have released festive singles as well.
In addition to appearing on the Chris Tomlin album mentioned above, We the Kingdom released its own Christmas single in “Light of the World (Sing Hallelujah).” It’s a song focused on the eternal wonder of God and the amazing sacrifice of His Son in coming down to earth. What feels like a match made in heaven this holiday season is Zach Williams and the beloved song “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” The singer combines Southern rock and gospel for a fun rendition you can’t help but feel in your bones.
26-year-old singer Austin French also put out a timely single in “Peace on Earth.” Christmas is always a reminder of where to find peace in a chaotic world, but given the events of 2020, this message is all the more important. As much as we all love the more traditional songs of Christmas, some energetic new songs can be great as well. Micah Tyler’s “Feels Like Joy” is the kind of song you need to mix things up on your holiday playlist. When you want to bring things back down and meditate on the reason why we celebrate this holiday, though, be sure to give “O Come Emmanuel” by Kerrie Roberts a listen. Any time a great vocalist takes on this hymn, you have to soak in all of the emotion behind mankind’s anticipation of Christ’s coming.
NEEDTOBREATHE got in on the new Christian Christmas songs list with its performance of “Silent Night” released in November. Though the band has never done a proper holiday album, this is a nice example of what the group can do with old favorites. Hear it for yourself on the window below.
Whether you choose to binge on these new Christian Christmas songs and albums or opt for your favorites of years past, we hope you have an amazing celebration with those closest to you. In a year when we haven’t been able to spend as much time together as usual, the importance of good music cannot be overstated.
As we look forward to the future, we hope you’ll join us for the 2021 K-LOVE Fan Awards. Bringing together the biggest names in Christian music for an unforgettable time of worship and fun, you won’t want to miss it. Find out how you can enjoy the ultimate fan experience by clicking on the link below.
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