“You For Christmas” is the featured single and lead track on the reissue/deluxe edition of Kelly Clarkson’s 2021 holiday album When Christmas Comes Around…. The song, written by Clarkson, Andrew Wyatt and Mark Ronson, hit the #5 spot on the Adult Contemporary chart, and Clarkson performed it on the season finale of The Voice earlier this month.
The song begins in A and modulates up to B at 2:09.
Filipino singer and actress Lea Salonga released Sounding Joy last month, her first holiday album in over twenty years. The album includes originals and covers of Christmas classics. “Love Is Our Christmas Star,” written by Trina Belamide, is the eighth track. It begins in C and modulates up to D at 3:13.
Former American Idol contestant and youngest-ever EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson released her first holiday record this year, her first studio album since 2014. The Gift of Love features four original tunes and ten covers. “What better way to come back than a Christmas album?” Hudson said an interview. “It’s been a dream of mine my whole career. I’m a holiday fanatic … so it just makes sense.”
“Little Drummer Boy” begins in D and shifts up to Eb at 1:40.
MotD holiday standby Pentatonix released their seventh holiday album, Holidays Around The World, in 2022. The record, which won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, songs from many different cultures. Hiba Tawaji, a Lebanese singer, is featured on this track. It begins in D, shifts up to Eb at 1:20, and up another step to F at 2:07.
American singer Lea Michele released her holiday album Christmas in the City in 2019, which includes traditional carols as well as original song, “Christmas in New York.”
“Silent Night” begins in G and modulates up to A at 1:57.
American Idol winner Jordin Sparks released the holiday EP The Gift of Christmas last year, and “O Come, All Ye Faithful” is the first track. It begins in Db and shifts up a step to Eb at 2:29.
Broadway singer Jessica Vosk released her first holiday album, Sleigh, last month. This mash-up of “Let It Snow” and “Winter Wonderland” features her fellow Broadway performer Neil Patrick Harris. It begins in Eb and modulates up a step to F at 2:29.
The American contemporary Christian group NewSong released a holiday album titled The Christmas Shoes in 2001. Their cover of “The First Noel” begins in F and modulates up a half step to Gb at 3:06.
The Alabama-based country vocal group Little Big Town released their first holiday album, The Christmas Record, earlier this year. “Evergreen” is one of five original tracks featured on the record. It begins in B, modulates to Db at 1:10, and again up to Eb at 2:30.
Home Free, an American country a cappella group, released Any Kind of Christmas, their third holiday album, earlier this year. The group rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of the NBC reality-singing competition The Sing-Off in 2013.
“Somewhere In My Memory,” originally written by John Williams for the 1990 film Home Alone, was nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar. Home Free’s cover features the Indiana-based a cappella group Straight No Chaser, and is the final track on the album. It begins in Bb and modulates up to C at 4:12.
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