If you're looking for new R&B/Soul Christmas music to enjoy during the 2012 holiday season, you're in luck. This list gives you all the info on the noteworthy Christmas albums released in the weeks and months leading up to the holidays. So if you've been wondering whether those holiday songs you recently heard by Kem or Cee-Lo Green are new, or if that Luther Vandross holiday that CD you recently saw while shopping just came out, the answers to these questions and more -- such as how to get the music -- are below. Have a look. And Happy Holidays!
1. 'Cee-Lo's Magic Moment,' Cee-Lo Green
Cee-Lo Green's first-ever holiday album, which was released Aug. 30 via Elektra/Asylum Records, gives a soulful twist to some holiday classics.
Tracklisting:
- What Christmas Means To Me
- Baby It's Cold Outside (feat. Christina Aguilera)
- This Christmas
- The Christmas Song
- White Christmas
- All I Need is Love (feat. Disney's The Muppets)
- You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (feat. Straight No Chaser)
- Please Come Home For Christmas
- Run Rudolph Run
- All I Want for Christmas
- Mary, Did You Know?
- River
- Merry Christmas, Baby (feat. Rod Stewart and Trombone Shorty)
- Silent Night
2. 'What Christmas Means,' Kem
The first holiday album by Detroit singer Kem consists of five covers of traditional Christmas songs and five original tunes. It dropped Oct. 16 via the Motown label.
Tracklisting:
- Glorify the King
- What Christmas Means
- A Christmas Song for You
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Christmas Time is Here
- The Christmas Song
- Be Mine for Christmas
- Merry Christmas Baby
- We Three Kings
- Doo Wop Christmas (That's What Christmas is All About)
3. 'The Classic Christmas Album,' Luther Vandross
This collection is a compilation of the best holiday-themed songs that the late, great Luther Vandross recorded during his lifetime. It was released Oct. 22 by Sony Legacy.
Tracklisting:
- The Christmas Song
- My Favorite Things
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)
- With a Christmas Heart
- I Listen To The Bells (Duet with Darlene Love)
- A Kiss For Christmas
- Every Year, Every Christmas
- This Is Christmas
- Please Come Home For Christmas
- O' Come All Ye Faithful
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Live)
- May Christmas Bring You Happiness
- At Christmas Time
4. 'Christmas Vol. 1,' John Michael
Up-and-coming singer-songwriter John Michael released a five-song digital Christmas-themed EP online in September. The songs can all be streamed or downloaded as a set at his Soundcloud page.
Tracklisting:
- Christmas Eve
- On the Sofa
- Decembers with You
- Christmas Stepper
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Acapella)
5. 'When You're in Love at Christmas Time,' Bunny Sigler
R&B/Soul legend Bunny Sigler's latest project is a 12-song collection of newly-recorded versions of holiday classics. It's available now through Mile High Productions.
Tracklisting:
- When You're in Love at Christmas Time
- Little Drummer Boy
- The Christmas Song
- O Holy Night
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- White Christmas
- Winter Wonderland
- Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday
- Ave Maria
- Auld Lang Syne
- A Christmas Dream
- O Come All Ye Faithful
6. '10 Great R&B Christmas Songs,' Various Artists
This holiday compilation was released Sept. 25 by Capitol Records.
Tracklisting:
- The Christmas Song (performed by Faith Evans)
- Jingle Bells (BeBe and CeCe Winans)
- Merry Christmas, Baby (Charles Brown)
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (The Whispers)
- Silver Bells (Lou Rawls)
- White Christmas (The O'Jays)
- Every Heart Is Home At Christmas (The Five Keys)
- Do You Hear What I Hear (Deniece Williams)
- Christmas Forever (Freddie Jackson)
- I'll Be Home for Christmas (Dianne Reeves)
7. 'R&B Christmas,' Various Artists
This shining collection of holiday songs by under-the-radar R&B artists came out June 12 via Goldenlane Records.
Tracklisting:
- Last Christmas (performed by Soul Made feat. Lynn & Burney)
- White Christmas (Pulse In Corperate)
- First Noel (Soul Made)
- Thank God It's Christmas (Peter Sanders)
- Driving Home for Christmas (Earl Ray Michaels)
- Do You Hear What I Hear (Mack Full, Anna Gramm)
- When a Child is Born (Twinkle B.)
- The Power of Love (Duke of Music)
- Lonely This Christmas (Joshua)
- I Still Believe in Santa Claus (Jay 'S' Mitchel)
- Mary's Boy Child (Cindy R. Alla)
- Silent Night (Deli Kate)
- Please Come Home For Christmas (Mary White)
- Jingle Bells (Richard Flint)
- The Christmas Song (Chestnuts) [Natha Lee]
- My Gift To You (Leroy King)
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Eve Stanley)
- Happy Christmas (War Is Over) [Julian McNeal]