The holiday season is here, and with that comes frantic sale shopping, the annual decking of the halls, visits with friends and reconnection withfamily, and of course, the soundtrack that ties it all together – Christmas songs.
Whether you’re a fan of more modern Christmas classics or a holiday traditionalist, our list of the definitive Black seasonal albums is sure to have at least one of your personal staples of making the season bright listed – from the somewhat lesser known to the unmissably obvious.
Take a look at our list of classic Christmas albums by Black artists below. Where does your favorite rank?
01
Mariah Carey – Merry Christmas (1994)
Mariah isn’t known as the reigning Queen of Christmas for no reason! Aside from her eternal earworm/definitive Christmas classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” this album features staple renditions of “Joy To The World” (complete with gospel choir accompaniment) and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” that no holiday sat around the tree with a cup of eggnog in hand is complete without. Is it any surprise that this nearly 30-year-old album still hits number one almost every year?
02
The Temptations – Christmas Card (1970)
The sole reason that the Black community has a different set of opening lyrics to “Silent Night” than the rest of the population, this Christmastime classic features The Temptations’ equally iconic rendition of “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” and a soulful version of “White Christmas” that carolers have been trying to replicate since the 70s.
03
Stevie Wonder – Someday At Christmas (1967)
Stevie’s addition to the Christmas canon not only features the titular song lovingly reimagined just three years later by the Jackson 5, but also the soulful upbeat holiday classic “What Christmas Means to Me” that has been reimagined time and time again by today’s artists, from Cee-Lo Green to John Legend.
04
The Jackson 5 – Christmas Album (1970)
The album that features the quintessential versions of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” this one is perhaps most famed for their original recording of the holiday staple, “Give Love on Christmas Day.”
05
Various Artists – A LaFace Family Christmas (1993)
A highly slept-on Christmastime classic, this one is a compilation of original songs and Christmas renditions by artists from the star-factory label that was LaFace Records. Not only does it feature a hip-hop reimagining of “Sleigh Ride” from TLC, a bass-heavy, soulful rendition of “This Christmas” from a young Usher, and a rare version of “The Christmas Song” by Toni Braxton, it also includes the introduction of Outkast to the public consciousness, with their first-ever recording “Player’s Ball.”
06
Boyz II Men – Christmas Interpretation (1993)
1993 was clearly a big year for the birth of Christmas classics! Boyz II Men’s legendary vocals gave a neo-Motown R&B spin the classic “Silent Night,” but their entry was solidified with the introduction of “Let It Snow” into the Black Christmas music lexicon.
07
Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (1963)
The album that featured the OG and still most popular recording of its titular track, this classic album features the soothing sound of Nat King Cole’s voice delivering Christmas staples like “Silent Night,” “O, Little Town Of Bethlehem,” and “I Saw Three Ships” that remind you why they became holiday necessities in the first place.
08
Luther Vandross – The Classic Christmas Album (1995)
There isn’t much that isn’t improved by Luther Vandross’ signature vocals, and Christmas essentials like “My Favorite Things” and “O, Come All Ye Faithful” are no different. But it’s his soulful rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and his original holiday song “Every Year, Every Christmas” that solidifies this album as the absolute classic it already claimed to be in its title.
09
Destiny’s Child – 8 Days of Christmas (2001)
While the R&B supergroup’s nod to the holidays is perhaps best known for its R&B/Pop, 106th & Park favorite titular track, their closing track “Opera of the Bells” reminds you why DC3 had the perfect harmonies to bring out the Christmas spirit in anyone who takes a listen.
10
The Drifters With Bill Pinkey – Christmas With The Drifters (1954)
An increasingly rare classic due to its scarcity on streaming, The Drifter’s doo-wop rendition of “White Christmas” – still arguably the most soulful in existence – and original recorded version of “Christmas Ain’t Christmas, New Year’s Ain’t New Year’s” make this an essential physical copy for any holiday enthusiast’s Christmastime collection.
