Auch dieses Jahr ist sie wieder kurz, die Saison für Weihnachts-CDs, und garantiert wird es passieren, dass man erst im neuen Jahr draufkommt, was alles an interessanten Aufnahmen erschienen ist. Die Weihnachtssaison 2008 bietet einiges. So zum Beispiel eine sehr gelungene Einspielung von US-Soulstar Brian McKnight (”I’ll be home for Christmas”),auf der er Soul unter anderem mit Country mischt: Der Song “Christmas You and Me” ist als Duett mit Country-Star Vince Gill eine gelungene Mixtur vielerlei Genres. Auch sonst haben einige Stars 2008 mit Weihnachts-CDs zugeschlagen, egal ob die Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin (”This Christmas”),Howard Hewett (”Christmas”),der ehemalige Leadsänger von Shalamar - oder Christopher Cross (”A Christopher Cross Christmas”).Musicalstars wie Sarah Brightman (”A Winter Symphony”)und Kristin Chenoweth (”A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas”)haben sich ebenfalls an Weihnachtlichem versucht, ob das gelungen ist, ist so ne Frage. Man kanns mit Zuckerguss auch etwas übertreiben. Da dann doch eher gemütlich vor dem Kamin mit Al Jarreau (”Christmas”) oder Yo-Yo-Ma & Friends (”Songs of Joy & Peace”).Oder aber ganz etwas anderes, nämlich ein paar Minuten mit den Meistern der Melodramatik, I Like Trains (”The Christmas Tree Ship”)- eine fast schon verstörende Weihnachst-EP. Im Folgenden ein kleines Bilderalbum einiger ausgewählter Empfehlungen für den perfekten Soundtrack der schönsten Zeit des Jahres.

Barlowgirl: Home for Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
02. Carol of the Bells/Sing We Now of Christmas
03. I’ll Be Home for Christmas
04. Hallelujah (Light Has Come)
05. O Little Town of Bethlehem
06. What Child Is This?
07. Panis Angelicus
08. Angelic Proclamation
09. Go, Tell It on the Mountain
10. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Matt Belsante: White Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Jingle Bell Rock
02. Sleigh Ride
03. White Christmas
04. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
05. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
06. Baby It’s Cold Outside
07. Blue Christmas
08. Zat’ You, Santa Claus
09. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11. Home For The Holidays
12. I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

Tony Bennett: A Swingin’ Christmas feat. the Count Basie Big Band [2008]
Tracks:
01. I’ll be home for Christmas
02. Silver bells
03. All I want for Christmas is you
04. My favorite things
05. Christmas time is here
06. Winter wonderland
07. Have yourself a merry little Christmas
08. Santa Claus is coming to town
09. I’ve got my love to keep me warm
10. The Christmas waltz
11. O Christmas tree

Sarah Brightman: A Winter Symphony [2008]
Tracks:
01. Arrival
02. Colder than winter
03. Ave Maria
04. Silent night
05. In the bleak midwinter
06. I’ve been this way before
07. Jesu, joy of man’s desiring
08. Child in a manger
09. I wish it could be Christmas everyday
10. Amazing grace
11. Ave Maria
12. I believe in father Christmas
13. When a child is born
14. Carpe diem
15. Happy Christmas (War is over)

Mary-Chapin Carpenter: Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs Of Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Once In Royal David’s City
02. Hot Buttered Rum
03. Still, Still, Still
04. On a Quiet Christmas Morn
05. Come Darkness, Come Light
06. Christmas Time In the City
07. Candlelight Carol
08. Longest Night of the Year, The
09. Thanksgiving Song
10. Bells Are Rining
11. Christmas Carol
12. Children, Go Where I Send Thee

Chenoweth Kristin: A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
02. Christmas Island
03. The Christmas Waltz
04. Do You Hear What I Hear?
05. Sleigh Ride
06. Sing
07. Silver Bells
08. Come On Ring Those Bells
09. What Child Is This?
10. Home On Christmas Day
11. Born On Christmas Day
12. What A Wonderful World

Coko: A Coko Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. We Thank You
02. Give Love on Christmas Day
03. Grateful
04. This Christmas
05. Holy
06. Silent Night
07. Greatest
08. Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
09. O Holy Night

Harry Connick Jr.: What a Night! A Christmas Album [2008]
Tracks:
01. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
02. What A Night!
03. Christmas Day
04. Have A Holly Jolly Christmas
05. Please Come Home For Christmas
06. O Come All Ye Faithful
07. Dance Of The Sugarplum Fairies
08. Let There Be Peace On Earth
09. Winter Wonderland
10. It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas
11. Santariffic
12. Jingle Bells
13. Zat You Santa Claus
14. We Three Kings
15. Song For The Hopeful (feat. Kim Burrell)

Christopher Cross: A Christopher Cross Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Silent Night
02. Christmas Time Is Here
03. The Christmas Song
04. Does It Feel Like Christmas
05. Little Drummer Boy
06. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
07. A Dream Of Peace At Christmas
08. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep
09. Do You Hear What I Hear
10. The Best Christmas
11. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
12. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Sheryl Crow: Home for Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Go Tell It On The Mountain
02. The Christmas Song
03. White Christmas
04. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
05. Merry Christmas Baby
06. The Bells Of St. Mary’s
07. Blue Christmas
08. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear/O Holy Night
09. There Is A Star That Shines Tonight
10. Hello My Friend, Hello
11. All Through The Night

Enya: And Winter Came … [2008]
Tracks:
01. And Winter Came
02. Journey Of The Angels
03. White Is In The Winter Night
04. O Come O Come Emmanuel
05. Trains And Winter Rains
06. Dreams Are More Precious
07. Last Time By Moonlight
08. One Toy Soldier
09. Stars And Midnight Blue
10. The Spirit Of Christmas Past
11. My! My! Time Flies!
12. Oà­che Chiàºin [Chorale]

Melissa Etheridge: A New Thought for Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Blue Christmas
02. Glorious
03. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
04. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
05. Ring The Bells
06. Merry Christmas Baby
07. Christmas In America
08. Light A Light
09. It’s Christmas Time
10. O Night Divine

Aretha Franklin: This Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Angels We Have Heard On High
02. The Christmas
03. My Grown-Up Christmas List
04. The Lord Will Make A Way
05. Silent Night
06. Ave Maria
07. Christmas Ain’t Christmas [Without The One You Love]
08. 14 Angels
09. One Night With The King
10. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
11. ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas

Amy Grant: The Christmas Collection [2008]
Tracks:
01. Jingle Bells
02. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
03. I Need a Silent Night
04. Winter Wonderland
05. Baby, It’s Christmas
06. Sleigh Ride
07. Count Your Blessings
08. Hark! The Hearld Angels Sing
09. Silent Night
10. Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)
11. Joy to the World/For Unto Us a Child Is Born
12. Grown-Up Christmas List
13. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
14. Tennessee Christmas
15. Christmas to Remember
16. O Come All Ye Faithful
17. Mighty Fortress/Angels We Have Heard on High
18. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Tim Green & Trio Cambia: Change of Seasons [2008]
Tracks:
01. Do You Hear What I Hear?
02. Everything’s Alright
03. Little Altar Boy
04. Rise Up, Shepherd, And Follow
05. Meditation I: Winter Morning
06. A Child Is Born
07. Time for the Seasons
08. Linus and Lucy

Howard Hewett: Howard Hewett Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Oh Come All Ye Faithful (Adestes Fideles)
02. Christmas Song
03. Sleigh Ride
04. That’s Christmas
05. Baby It’s Cold Outside
06. Christmas Time
07. Christmas on Sunset (Interlude)
08. I Remember Christmas
09. What Child Is This
10. This Christmas
11. Silent Night

Faith Hill: Joy to the World [2008]
Tracks:
01. Joy To The World!
02. What Child Is This?
03. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town
04. Little Drummer Boy
05. O Come, All Ye Faithful
06. Holly Jolly Christmas
07. Away In A Manger
08. O Holy Night!
09. Winter Wonderland
10. Silent Night, Holy Night!
11. A Baby Changes Everything

I Like Trains: The Christmas Tree Ship [2008]
Tracks:
01. The Christmas Tree Ship
02. South Shore
03. Two Brothers
04. Three Sisters
05. Friday, Everybody Goodbye
Links:
- I Like Trains: MySpace
- I Like Trains: Website

Al Jarreau: Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Winter Wonderland
02. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
03. White Christmas
04. By My Christmas Tree
05. Carol Of The Bells
06. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
07. The Christmas Song
08. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
09. Gloria In Excelsis
10. Christmas Time Is Here
11. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
12. Some Children See Him
13. The Little Christmas Tree
14. Up On The Housetop

Stephen Kummer: Christmas in the City [2008]
01. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
02. Baby It’s Cold Outside
03. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
04. Christmas Waltz
05. Christmas Song
06. I’ll Be Home for Christmas
07. Christmas Time Is Here
08. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
09. Blue Christmas
10. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
11. When My Heart Finds Christmas
12. White Christmas
13. My Favorite Things
14. What a Wonderful World

Ledisi: It’s Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. I’ll Go
02. Children Go Where I Send Thee
03. Give Love on Christmas Day
04. Be There for Christmas
05. This Christmas (Could Be the One)
06. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
07. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
08. It’s Christmas
09. What a Wonderful World
10. Please Come Home for Christmas
11. Silent Night
12. Thank You

Loreena McKennitt: A Midwinter Night’s Dream [2008]
Tracks:
01. The Holly & The Ivy
02. Un Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle
03. The SevenRejoices of Mary
04. Noà«l Nouvelet!
05. Good King Wenceslas
06. Coventry Carol
07. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - Abdelli version
08. Snow
09. Breton Carol
10. Seeds of love
11. Gloucestershire Wassail
12. Emmanuel
13. In the Bleak Midwinter

Brian McKnight: I’ll be home for Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Christmas Song
02. Silver Bells
03. Let It Snow
04. Christmas You and Me
05. I’ll Be Home for Christmas
06. Silent Night
07. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
08. Adeste Fideles
09. Who Would Have Thought
10. Angels We Have Heard on High
11. Christmas Medley: What Child Is This/Away in a Manger/The First Noel
12. Bless This House

Mandisi: It’s Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. What Christmas Means to Me
02. Feliz Navidad/Joy to the World
03. Christmas Makes Me Cry
04. Christmas Bell Medley: Silver Bells/Carol of the Bells/Caroling, Caroli
05. Silent Night
06. Angels We Have Heard on High
07. Little Drummer Boy
08. Christmas Day
09. O Holy Night
10. Mary’s Little Boy Child
11. Children Go Where I Send Thee

Mannheim Steamroller: Christmasville [2008]
Tracks:
01. Christmasville Fanfare
02. Messengers of Christmas
03. Welcome Christmas
04. You re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
05. Where Are You Christmas?
06. (Everybody s Waitin For) The Man With The Bag
07. Something You Should Know
08. Humbugs
09. Stirrin Up Christmasville
10. The Fruitcake Song
11. The Sign of Love
12. Trim Up The Tree
13. Welcome Christmas (Reprise)

Paul Morton: Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Away in a Manger
02. Christmas in Vain
03. This Christmas
04. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
05. Go Tell It on the Mountain
06. Mary Did You Know?
07. O Holy Night
08. Give Love on Christmas Day
09. Sweet Little Jesus Boy

Anne Murray: Anne Murrays Christmas Album [2008]
Tracks:
01. Joy to the World
02. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
03. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
04. Away in a Manger
05. Silver Bells
06. O Come All Ye Faithful
07. Winter Wonderland
08. Jingle Bell Rock
09. White Christmas
10. O Holy Night
11. Blue Christmas
12. Go Tell It on the Mountain
13. Baby, It’s Cold Outside
14. Silent Night
15. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas [Live]

Point of Grace: Tennessee Christmas: A Holiday [2008]
Tracks:
01. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
02. Jingle Bells
03. Winter Wonderland
04. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow/Sleigh Ride [Medley]
05. Let There Be Light
06. Little Town
07. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
08. Jingle Bell Rock
09. Emmanuel God Is with Us/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel [Medley]
10. Angels We Have Heard on High
11. For Unto Us
12. O Holy Night!
13. Joy to the World
14. Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)
15. Tennessee Christmas

George Strait: Classic Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Joy To The World
02. We Three Kings
03. Silent Night
04. Jingle Bells
05. O Come, All Ye Faithful
06. Up On The Housetop
07. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
08. O Christmas Tree
09. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
10. Decks The Halls

Texas Gypsies: Every Kind Of Christmas [2008]
Tracks:
01. Christmas in Texas
02. Everyday Like Christmas Day
03. Winter Wonderland
04. What Child Is This
05. Italian Christmas Song
06. Holiday in Toontown
07. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
08. Oh Christmas Tree
09. First Christmas With You
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11. I’ll Be Home for Christmas

Elliott Yamin: My kind of Holiday [2008]
Tracks:
01 This Christmas
02 Warm Me Up
03 Jingle Bells
04 A Very Merry Christmas
05 Little Drummer Boy
06 Back Door Santa
07 The Christmas Song
08 Merry Christmas Baby
09 Let’s Be Naughty
10 Christmas Without Carol

Yo-Yo-Ma & Friends: Songs of Joy & Peace
Tracks:
01. Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)
02. You Couldn’t Be Cuter
03. Joy to the World
04. Here Comes The Sun
05. Improvisation on Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)
06. All Through the Night
07. Mouth of the Tobique Reel
08. The Wexford Carol
09. Panxolià±a: a Galician Carol
10. Improvisation on Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)
11. Vassourinhas
12. Improvisation on Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)
13. Invitacià³n al Danzà³n
14. My One and Only Love
15. Familia
16. Concordia
17. My Favorite Things
18. Touch The Hand of Love
19. Kuai Le
20. This Little Light of Mine
21. Happy Xmas (War is Over)
22. Auld Lang Syne