When this song was released in 1961, it was a pivotal time not only for Christmas music, but for America itself—culture was colliding with... When this song was released in 1961, it was a pivotal time ...

As the holiday season rolls around, it’s easy to get swept up in the same old playlist of festive tunes. Sure, you’ve got your Mariah Carey and Bing Crosby on repeat, but how about we shake things up ...

Black artists have contributed to the most vital Christmas music of our time through soulful classics and energetic R&B holiday songs. These songs are more than just soundtracks for the holidays. They ...

No holiday music playlist is complete without Donny Hathaway’s 1970 soul classic. From the first measures of the track to his closing line of “shake a hand/shake a hand,” there is no other song that ...

Christmas music fills the air every December, but much of what dominates playlists is remakes of familiar classics. For listeners searching for holiday tracks that feel fresh yet still capture the ...

I have a playlist called “Tolerable Xmas Music.” As you may imagine, it isn’t super long. But I hold out hope that every season there will be some new gift to add to the playlist. If you’re looking to ...

NAT KING COLE: (Singing) Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose. MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: The perfect Christmas song sets the mood right away. Our next guest wants to destroy ...

When this song was released in 1961, it was a pivotal time not only for Christmas music, but for America itself—culture was colliding with mid-century modern sensibilities and Christmas was becoming ...

EDITOR’S NOTE: We wrote this back in 2021, but with Christmas upon us again we felt like it was the perfect time to update it. There's nothing that brings the world together more than sharing opinions ...