Happy holidays!
We hope everyone out there is having a joyful Christmas Eve for those that celebrate, and no worries if you don’t — having the day off is a gift in itself!
One thing we’re sure everyone can agree with though is the power that holiday music can bring, from uniting families together to soothing the soul of even the biggest Grinch out there. Make it a Christmas album by one of many fan-favorite Black musicians and you’ll really be rocking around the Christmas tree!
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Christmas Eve is usually filled with many traditional practices, and for most Black families it’s all about setting the mood with a playlist of proper tunes. Luckily, many artists over years have blessed us with their own editions of classic holiday songs with an added soulful twist.
Although the artist may change, and sometimes even the melody gets arranged a little differently, some holiday hits just never go out of style and always sound a little better with the addition of some funk, smooth jazz tones and maybe even a quintet of talented brothas who can harmonize “Silent Night.”
Thankfully you’ve got a variety of holiday albums by Black musicians to choose from this year, whether it’s the everlasting appeal of Mariah Carey, an unforgettable group effort of “interpretations” by Boyz II Men or a selection of recently released duets featuring late soul icon Nat King Cole alongside contemporaries like Johnny Mathis and even successors like John Legend.
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Take a look below at our selection of 15 great Christmas albums by Black musicians, and make sure to give at least one of these classic holiday LPs a spin today regardless of however you decide to celebrate Christmas Eve:
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Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
1. Mariah Carey – ‘Merry Christmas’ (1994)
Christmas Classic:
“All I Want for Christmas Is You”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
2. Boyz II Men – ‘Christmas Interpretations’ (1993)
Christmas Classic:
“Let It Snow” (feat. Brian McKnight)
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
3. Destiny’s Child – ‘8 Days Of Christmas’ (2001)
Christmas Classic:
“8 Days of Christmas”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
4. James Brown – ‘James Brown’s Funky Christmas’ (1995)
Christmas Classic:
“Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
5. Various Artists – ‘A LaFace Family Christmas’ (1993)
Christmas Classic:
“Sleigh Ride” – TLC
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
6. Luther Vandross – ‘This Is Christmas’ (1995)
Christmas Classic:
“Every Year, Every Christmas”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
7. Jackson 5 – ‘Jackson 5 Christmas Album’ (1970)
Christmas Classic:
“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
8. Toni Braxton – ‘Snowflakes’ (2001)
Christmas Classic:
“Snowflakes Of Love”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
9. Mary J. Blige – ‘A Mary Christmas’ (2013)
Christmas Classic:
“The First Noel” (feat. The Clark Sisters)
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
10. Stevie Wonder – ‘Someday at Christmas’ (1967)
Christmas Classic:
“What Christmas Means To Me”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
11. John Legend – ‘A Legendary Christmas’ (2018)
Christmas Classic:
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (feat. Esperanza Spalding)
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
12. Patti LaBelle – ‘Miss Patti’s Christmas’ (2007)
Christmas Classic:
“It’s Going to Be a Merry Christmas”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
13. Various Artists – ‘A Motown Christmas’ (1973)
Christmas Classic:
“Jingle Bells” – Smokey Robinson
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
14. The Temptations – ‘The Temptations Christmas Card’ (1970)
Christmas Classic:
“Silent Night”
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
15. Nat King Cole – ‘A Sentimental Christmas with Nat King Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Reimagined’ (2021)
Christmas Classic:
“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)” (duet with John Legend)
Merry & Melanated: 15 Holiday Albums By Black Musicians To Play On Christmas Eve was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc
