With Christmas fast approaching, I’m sure a lot of us are digging through last year’s Christmas music trying to find something new for this year to add to the traditional carols. With that in mind, here are some albums and songs you might want to check out.Traditional Carols
Praisecharts.com has many excellent contemporary arrangements for churches that want to incorporate choirs and orchestral instruments. Use this link.
Hymncharts.com offers a similar service, where you can download choral and orchestral parts for many hymns.
Wordmusicnow.com offers something similar.
O, Holy Night – alt. verses by Kevin Hartnett. Kevin is a member of my church, and wrote two new verses for this hymn that expound on the reason Jesus came to earth
Wordmusicnow.com offers something similar.
O, Holy Night – alt. verses by Kevin Hartnett. Kevin is a member of my church, and wrote two new verses for this hymn that expound on the reason Jesus came to earth
Albums
Worship and Adore has a number of well-crafted new Christmas songs.
Glory in the Highest by Chris Tomlin offers contemporary versions of carols as well as a few new songs.
Savior by Sovereign Grace provides songs connecting Christ’s incarnation with his substitutionary death on the cross.
Christmas Offerings by Third Day provides contemporary arrangements of many carols.
New Irish Hymns #3 – Incarnation – songs by Keith Getty and others.
New (or fairly new) Songs (congregational and solo)
Here With Us – Joy Williams – ponders the apparent paradoxes of God becoming a baby to save us
Jesus Saves – Travis Cottrell – travels from the incarnation, to the cross, to our praise in the new heavens and earth
Adore Him – Kari Jobe – describes the adoration of the Magi, and uses the chorus of “O Come all Ye Faithful”
My Soul Magnifies the Lord – Chris Tomlin
Joy to the World (Unspeakable Joy) – Chris Tomlin – celebratory version with a new chorus
On Christmas Day – Matt Osgood
On Christmas Day – Matt Osgood
Son of God – Michael W Smith
Glorious Impossible – Carl Cartee – joyful celebration of Christ’s birth, life, and substitutionary death
He Made a Way in a Manger - Vicky Beeching
He is Wonderful - Kathryn Scott
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - MercyMe
Older Songs (congregational and solo)
Labor of Love – Andrew Peterson – beautiful portrayal of Mary’s humility in birthing Jesus
From the Squalor - Stuart Townend - one of my favorite Christmas hymns that covers Jesus’ birth, life, death, and return
When Love Came Down to Earth – Stuart Townend
Magnificat – Todd Agnew – a contemporary version of Mary’s song
Here I Am to Worship – Tim Hughes
Children’s Choir
You might also want to check out Christianity Today’s round up of new Christmas albums.
Feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments section. (Thanks to Ken Boer for his work on this list.)
