Bells will be Ringing: It’s Spotify Christmas Singles Time
It’s holiday season – don’t fight it! – and we’re once again unwrapping a playlist of festive covers. Spotify Singles: Christmas Collection features 15 new tracks recorded by an eclectic mix of artists in our studios in Nashville, London and New York City.
Included in the mix is John Legend, singing the Jackson 5 song “Give Love On Christmas Day.” Nina Nesbitt croons “Oh Holy Night,” while the classic “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” gets a jazz spin from Tony Bennett and Diana Krall. Meghan Trainor performs “White Christmas,” a song she says takes her back in time.
“‘White Christmas’ has always held a special place in my heart because I sang it with my high school jazz band back in Cape Cod,” says Trainor. “It was nerve-wracking to perform for my peers, but when everyone reacted so loudly I realised I would remember that moment for the rest of my life. I will also always remember seeing this little green light in the audience and it was actually my mom recording the whole thing. She’s the best.”
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts deliver a punk rock version of “Drummer Boy,” which Jett says was inspired by The Who’s Keith Moon. “Hopefully we captured the rock and roll flavour of Keith’s amazing style, while still maintaining the poignant nature of the great lyric and the song,” Jett says.
The playlist also features two Spanish-language songs, “Feliz Navidad” performed by Why Don’t We, and “El Burrito Sabanero,” performed by Aloe Blacc.
“Living in a cosmopolitan city like Los Angeles, I experience a lot of different cultures,” Blacc told Spotify. “I discovered ‘El Burrito Sabanero’ through my daughter who was learning Christmas carols from Dr. Martha Gonzales, lead vocalist of the Grammy-winning band Quetzal. It has become a favourite in our family and I am excited to share it with yours.”
Meanwhile, country singer Devin Dawson drew inspiration from his go-to movie at Christmas. “When everybody else was watching ‘A Christmas Story’ & ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ I was growing up watching ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’” he says. “So I’ve always wanted to do my own interpretation of ‘Christmas Time Is Here.’ It’s a song that’s in my bones, and from a music geek perspective it’s got some pretty ambitious chord changes.”
For those still hooked on our holiday singles from 2017 (hello DMX singing “Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer”), they’re all still available in the updated playlist.
Here’s the complete track listing for Spotify Singles: Christmas Collection (the top 15 tracks are new for 2018):
- Feliz Navidad – Why Don’t We
- Oh Holy Night – Nina Nesbitt
- Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town – Tony Bennett and Diana Krall
- White Christmas – Meghan Trainor
- Christmas Time Is Here – Devin Dawson
- Give Love On Christmas Day – John Legend
- Linus and Lucy (A Charlie Brown Christmas) – Anderson.Paak
- Christmas Must Be Tonight – Amy Helm & The Wood Brothers
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Jon Batiste & Danielle Brooks
- In the Bleak Midwinter – Fenne Lily
- Baby It’s Cold Outside – Paloma Faith
- Little Drummer Boy – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
- El Burrito Sabanero – Aloe Blacc
- Oh My Christmas Tree – Jim James
- Last Christmas – Pale Waves
- I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Demi Lovato
- Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer – DMX
- Can You See – Fifth Harmony
- White Christmas – George Ezra
- In The Morning – Jack Johnson
- Silent Night – Janelle Kroll
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – Josh Groban
- Christmas Eve – Kelly Clarkson
- This Christmas – Lalah Hathaway
- Sleigh Ride – MIley Cyrus
- Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – MIley Cyrus
- It’s Not Christmas ‘Til You Come Home – Norah Jones
- Fairytale of New York – Rostam
- River – Sam Smith
- Santa Baby – Wolf Alice
- The Christmas Song – Wyclef Jean
- Jingle Bells – Wynton Marsalis
- Wonderful Christmastime – Xavier Omär and Sango
- Last Christmas – Yoke Lore
Listen to the Spotify Singles: Christmas Collection here.
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