PRESS PLAY Holiday 2021 Special – Merry PRESSmas!

To coincide with the launch of our Jingle Jams stream (and the general holiday season), please enjoy this special edition of PRESS PLAY, highlighting some of 2021’s most notable seasonal music releases.

XPN favorites like Norah Jones and Amanda Shires offer collections of beloved standards and new originals, each in their own trademark styles. Hiss Golden Messenger go for quality and quantity, not only presenting a new spirited set but a companion release of dubbed-out alternate mixes. If it’s a retro-minded holiday record you’re searching for, don’t miss the releases by Kat Edmonson and José James. And for true holiday obscura, the venerable Numero Group has assembled an anthology of forgotten country Christmas tunes. PRESS PLAY on these new holiday releases (and more) below…

Norah Jones – I Dream of Christmas
CHECK OUT: “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)” “Christmas Glow”

Hiss Golden Messenger – O Come All Ye Faithful + The Sounding Joy: Hiss Golden Messenger Meets Revelators on South Robinson Street
CHECK OUT: “Grace” “Joy to the World”

Kat Edmonson – Holiday Swingin! A Kat Edmonson Christmas Vol. 1
CHECK OUT: “Jingle Bell Rock” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”

José James – Merry Christmas from José James
CHECK OUT: “Christmas in New York” “My Favorite Things (feat. Marcus Strickland)”

Amanda Shires – For Christmas
CHECK OUT: “Gone for Christmas (feat. The McCrary Sisters)” “Blame It on the Mistletoe”

Various Artists – Christmas Dreamers: Yuletide Country (1960-1972)
CHECK OUT: Charlie Stewart – “Santa Claus Won’t Come This Year” Joyce Street – “What I Really Want for Christmas”

EXTENDED PLAYS:
She & Him – A Very She & Him Christmas (10th Anniversary Edition), Manchester Orchestra – Christmas Songs Vol. 1 (Deluxe Edition), Pistol Annies – Hell of a Holiday, Rob Thomas – Something About Christmas Time, Kelly Clarkson – When Christmas Comes Around…, Kristin Chenoweth – Happiness is Christmas, Darren Criss – A Very Darren Crissmas, Steve Perry – The Season, Nat “King” Cole –  A Sentimental Christmas with Nat “King” Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Re-imagined, Tony Bennett – Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album (Reissue), Blondie – Yuletide Throwdown (Reissue), Billy Idol – Happy Holidays (Deluxe Edition), Shaggy – Christmas in the Islands (Deluxe Edition)