Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject matter ranges from the nativity of Jesus Christ, to gift-giving and merrymaking, to cultural figures such as Santa Claus, among other topics. Many songs simply have a winter or seasonal theme, or have been adopted into the canon for other reasons.
"Good King Wenceslas" is a Christmas carol that tells a story of a Bohemian king who goes on a journey, braving harsh winter weather, to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen. During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by following the king's footprints, step for step, through the deep snow. The legend is based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935).
Pauline Curuenavuli, known professionally as Paulini, is a Fijian-Australian singer and songwriter. Born in Suva, Paulini moved to Sydney with her family at the age of four. She rose to fame in 2003 as a contestant on the first season of Australian Idol and placed fourth in the competition. Paulini subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony BMG Australia and released her debut studio album One Determined Heart (2004), which debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified platinum. The album included the platinum single "Angel Eyes", which spent three consecutive weeks at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart. Paulini received two ARIA No. 1 Chart Awards for both the album and single.
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics. In 2007, ASCAP ranked it the third most performed Christmas song during the preceding five years that had been written by ASCAP members. In 2004 it finished at No. 76 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs rankings of the top tunes in American cinema.
Reigan Elisse Derry, also known mononymously as Reigan, is an Australian singer and songwriter. Derry rose to fame after placing eleventh on the fourth season of Australian Idol in 2006. The following year, she became a member of the Australian pop duo Scarlett Belle, who disbanded in 2011. Three years later, Derry placed fourth on the sixth season of The X Factor Australia. She subsequently received a recording contract with Sony Music Australia and released her debut extended play, All of the Pieces, in December 2014. Currently Reigan works as a club singer for various agencies in Sydney and the Gold Coast.
"River" is a song by Canadian singer songwriter Joni Mitchell, from her 1971 album Blue. Written on piano, it has become a standard for artists in many music styles, and has become popular as Christmas music. Although never released as a single, “River” holds second place among Mitchell's songs most recorded by other artists. In 2021, it was ranked at No. 247 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".
Jordan William Fisher is an American actor, singer, dancer, gamer, and musician. He began his career with recurring roles on several television series, including The Secret Life of the American Teenager in 2012 and Liv and Maddie from 2015 to 2017. He also had supporting roles in the television films Teen Beach Movie (2013), Teen Beach 2 (2015) and Grease Live (2016), and starred in Rent: Live (2019).
Jessica Rose James Decker is an American country pop singer-songwriter, former reality television personality, and entrepreneur. At age 15, after auditioning for and being rejected by most of the country labels in Nashville, Tennessee, Decker began working with Carla Wallace of Big Yellow Dog Music. One of her songs attracted the attention of Mercury Records, which offered her a recording contract. She released her debut album, Jessie James, in 2009. A few years later in 2013, she starred with her husband Eric Decker, a wide receiver in the National Football League, in the E! reality show Eric & Jessie: Game On.
Fijian-born Australian singer and songwriter Paulini has released four studio albums, one extended play, nineteen singles, and twelve music videos. Paulini placed fourth on the first season of Australian Idol in 2003, and subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony BMG Australia. Her debut studio album, One Determined Heart (2004), debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart, where it remained for two consecutive weeks, and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 70,000 copies. Its lead single "Angel Eyes" remained at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart for three consecutive weeks and was also certified platinum, while the second single "We Can Try" peaked at number 30. Paulini followed with the release of her debut EP, Amazing Grace: Songs for Christmas (2004), which peaked at number 70.
Hana Gabrielle Pestle, known mononymously as Hana, is an American musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. She is currently based in Los Angeles.
"Driving Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song written and composed by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea. The first version was originally released as the B-side to his single "Hello Friend" in 1986. In October 1988, a re-recorded version served as one of two new songs on Rea's first compilation album New Light Through Old Windows. It was issued as the fourth single from the album in December 1988, where it peaked at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart as the lead track of The Christmas EP.
Scarlett Belle was an Australian pop duo formed in 2007, that initially consisted of Tamara Jaber, Reigan Derry and Hayley Aitken. Aitken left the group in 2008, leaving them as a duo. Scarlett Belle's debut single "Closure" was released in June 2010, and peaked in the top forty on the ARIA Singles Chart. Their second single "Freak Tonight" became a top thirty hit. In 2011, Scarlett Belle disbanded to pursue their solo careers.
Rebecca Claire Hill is a British singer from Bewdley, England. She rose to prominence after appearing on the first series of the then BBC talent contest The Voice UK, auditioning with John Legend's "Ordinary People". She joined Jessie J's team and reached the semi-final of the competition. On 29 June 2014 she became the first The Voice UK contestant to score a UK number 1 when the song, "Gecko (Overdrive)" with Oliver Heldens topped the UK Singles Chart. In 2022, she received two Brit Awards nominations, including British Song of the Year for "Remember" with David Guetta, and Best Dance Act, which she won.
Nathaniel Willemse, often known simply as Nathaniel, is a South African-born Australian singer and songwriter most notable for finishing sixth on the fourth season of The X Factor Australia. In 2013, he signed a recording contract with DNA Songs' label through Sony Music Australia, and released the single "You", which peaked at number four on the ARIA Singles Chart.
Christmas is the first Christmas album by American contemporary Christian music artist Francesca Battistelli. The album is her third release with Fervent Records, and her fourth album overall including her first independent release. The album was produced by Ian Eskelin, and was released on October 16, 2012. The album charted in the Top Five on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart and has received critical acclaim.
Bonnie Anderson is an Australian singer-songwriter and actress. She was the first winner of reality TV show Australia's Got Talent in 2007 at age 12. She released her debut single "Raise the Bar" in 2013. In 2018, Anderson joined the cast of Neighbours, playing Bea Nilsson. In September 2020, she won the second season of The Masked Singer Australia.
"All of the Pieces" is the debut solo single by Australian recording artist Reigan Derry. It was written by Adam Argyle, Becky Hill and Martin Brammer, and produced by Argyle and Brammer. "All of the Pieces" was released to Australian radio on 27 November 2014 as the lead single from Derry's first extended play of the same name. Musically, "All of the Pieces" is a mid-tempo alternative pop ballad with folk influences. The song received a positive reception from various publications and was compared to works by several other artists, including Florence and the Machine, Marina and the Diamonds, Paloma Faith and Ella Henderson.
Kylie Christmas is the thirteenth studio album, and first Christmas album, by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 13 November 2015 by Parlophone. Following the release of her twelfth studio album, Kiss Me Once, Minogue announced her departure with Parlophone, and her management deal with American label, Roc Nation. Minogue signed an exclusive one-album deal with Parlophone to release Kylie Christmas, with distribution through Warner Music Group worldwide and Warner Bros. Records in the United States. A Christmas music album consisting of thirteen songs and three bonus tracks, Kylie Christmas contains both cover versions and original songs.
Christmas & Chill is the second Christmas record and extended play (EP) by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released on December 18, 2015 by Republic Records as a follow-up to her 2013 Christmas EP Christmas Kisses and her 2014 Christmas single "Santa Tell Me". The EP features six, original, R&B-inspired Christmas tracks produced by American producers Tommy Brown, Mr. Franks, The Magi, and Travis Sayles. Grande has continuously called it her "favorite body of work".
