Christmas Lists & Articles

I made 'em, and I checked 'em twice

Top 20 Christmas Albums. Actually, 40 - I started unwrapping presents and just couldn't stop! Anyway, who said Christmas music has to be boring? Not me! These sterling platters will put you in the Christmas spirit faster than you can say, "Go Cat Go!" [read more]

Top 100 Christmas Songs. In which I attempt to boil thousand and thousands of Christmas songs in my library down to their purest essence. Countdown to Christmas Day with these always wonderful, frequently crazy songs - from Phil Spector's celebrated Wall Of Sound to obscure punk, country, and rhythm & blues. [read more]

Jews For Jesus. A surprising number of popular Jewish entertainers have recorded Christmas albums and songs. From Irving Berlin to Beck, we've got the shmutz on this strange phenomena. Plus, Jews we wish would record a Christmas record - and Jews we hope do not! [read more]

Horny Holidays. Some people love to bask in the warm glow of friends and family during the holiday season. Others feel like starting a family (or something to that effect) at Christmas time. Read about the 20 naughtiest songs in the history of the holiday. You'll never look at a candy cane quite the same. [read more]

Christmas In Vietnam. Most holiday music is escapist. Who, after all, wants to think about death and mayhem during the season of hope? Nevertheless, the Vietnam war intruded into this idyllic genre during the turbulent 60's, and we examine six songs that looked at Christmas through the eyes of soldiers and their families. [read more]

'Tis The Season For Stalkers. In the 50's and 60's, a number of Christmas songs were recorded about the two most popular artists in rock history - Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Read about this strange and obscure - and obsessive - phenomenon. [read more]

The Mother of all Lists. David McGee's list of essential Christmas albums appeared in Dave Marsh's 1981 Book Of Rock Lists and is largely to blame for my obsession and, eventually, this website. Christmas music had been my parents' music: adult, reverent, boring. McGee showed me holiday music that rocks, rolls, swings, and twangs. [read more]

Better Watch Out! In 2009, writer Jim Dees warned, "Don't get trapped in an uncool yule," and he thanked Hip Christmas for "their incredible array of Christmas tunes." You are welcome, Jim. The article was published in the Mississippi newspaper Oxford Eagle, but I have posted Jim's droll, insightful musings for posterity. [read more]

The 12 Plays Of Christmas. In 2007, the Indie Rock Cafe published an amazing set of holiday playlists ranging from a handful of classics to an endless supply of genuinely obscure bands sure to thrill the kiddies and stump obsessive collectors. But, the playlists fell into disrepair, so I rescued them just for you! [listen & download]

Humbug Hit Parade. If the annual deluge of holiday music hokum is driving you to suicide-by-fruitcake, Spin Magazine has compiled 25 of the weirdest, darkest, most awesome, "Noel-wave" oughtabe classics you'll never hear in a mall during the holiday season. [read more]

Top 40 Christmas Oldies Songs. The web is crammed with blogs and tweets, obscuring the fact that experts might know more than know-it-alls armed with a quick wit and a laptop. To me, that's sad, and this rock solid list from (now defunct) About.com shows why. [read more]

12 Worst/Best Songs of Christmas. I enjoyed this list from now-defunct Spinner Magazine (a division of also-defunct AOL Music) so much that I preserved it after the rag went belly up. I am proud to say I own all 12 best songs of Christmas - and all but one of the worst! [read more]

My Wish List. It wouldn't be a record collector's website unless I published my wish list - Christmas songs I'm still hunting down, and songs for which I'd happily barter from my relatively vast treasure chest. If you have a copy of any of these rare goodies, let's talk! [read more]

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