The holiday season has arrived! Well, strictly speaking the holiday season arrived at midnight on November 1st, when we relaunched the ever-jolly Jingle Jams stream for 2022. Alongside perennial musical chestnuts from Darlene, Nat, and Mariah, you’ll hear a flurry of brand new releases in this year’s mix. From longtime XPN favorites to up-and-coming indie rockers to professional football players, our stockings are stuffed with a Quality Street of new holiday music releases. Let’s PRESS PLAY…
One of the most talked about (and sought-after) holiday albums of the year is A Philly Special Christmas, a collaborative effort between several regional institutions: Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, and Jordan Mailata of the Philadelphia Eagles are aided by members of The War on Drugs, Sun Ra Arkestra, and the Hooters for a spirited lap through a classic-packed setlist.
The latest in what’s become a traditional holiday single release, Phoebe Bridgers offers a warm take on the Handsome Family’s “So Much Wine.” For those who prefer their holiday soundtracks on the reverb-heavy side, don’t miss Chris Isaak’s stylish Everybody Knows it’s Christmas and Toronto guitar quartet The Surfrajettes’ instrumental take on “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
Frenetic, ‘last shopping day’ energy courses through “Groovy Xmas” by punk upstarts The Linda Lindas. New Jersey rockers Titus Andronicus give “Piano Man” a peppermint twist on “Drummer Boy.” Smooth and soulful electronic textures grace offerings from Stars, Molly Burch, and Rosie Thomas (who’s joined by the indie world’s holiday music patron, Sufjan Stevens).
PRESS PLAY on these new releases (and more from Alicia Keys, Lunar Vacation, Christian Lee Hutson, The No Ones, and Eugene Mirman + Lucy Wainwright Roche) below. Listen for these and more new and classic holiday sounds on the 30th annual edition of The Night Before with Robert Drake, coming later this month.