If you’re looking for some great music to provide the soundtrack for your holiday party this season, there are plenty of great albums available to stream for free on Hoopla thanks to your Livingston Library card. Check out the recommended titles below, or browse all of Hoopla’s “Christmas Classics” collection here.
A Very Special Christmas
A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2
A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 3
Highlights from the first three volumes of this seminal series include “Winter Wonderland” by the Eurythmics, “Do You Hear What I Hear” by Whitney Houston, “Christmas in Hollis” by Run- D.M.C., “Silent Night” by Stevie Nicks, “Christmas All Over Again” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “The Christmas Song” by Luther Vandross, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector, “Oi to the World” by No Doubt, and “O Holy Night” by Tracy Chapman.
Frank Sinatra – Ultimate Christmas
This collection features Ol’ Blue Eyes’ timeless renditions of “White Christmas,” “Mistletoe and Holly,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” plus many more.
The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection
Detroit’s legendary soul / R&B label released dozens of stellar holiday songs over the years, and this compilation contains tracks like Stevie Wonder’s “What Christmas Means to Me,” The Jackson 5’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” Marvin Gaye’s “I Want to Come Home for Christmas,” and the Supremes’ “Joy to the World.”
Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
The First Lady of Song jazzes up Christmas classics like “Sleigh Ride,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and “Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!”
Now That’s What I Call Merry Christmas
Some of pop music’s biggest Christmas hits are on this album, including Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad,” Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas,” Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and Bing Crosby & David Bowie’s “Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth” medley.
This all-star anthology features tracks like Kurtis Blow’s “Christmas Rappin’,” The Temptations’ “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and Brian McKnight’s “The First Noel.”
Jewel – Joy: A Holiday Collection
Jewel’s divine voice shimmers on songs like “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and “Ave Maria.”
Kacey Musgraves – A Very Kacey Christmas
The Grammy-winning country star hosts a festive yet mellow holiday party with tunes like “A Willie Nice Christmas” (featuring Willie Nelson), “Present Without a Bow” (featuring Leon Bridges), “Mele Kalikimaka” (featuring the Quebe Sisters), and “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”
Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas
This jazz-infused soundtrack to the classic “Peanuts” cartoon is sure to stir up nostalgia thanks to tracks like “Linus and Lucy,” “O Tannenbaum,” and “Greensleeves.”
Mary J. Blige – A Mary Christmas
The R&B superstar brings both soulful passion and effortless cool to songs like “This Christmas,” “My Favorite Things,” and “Petit Papa Noel.”
This selection of tunes performed by indie-rock acts and critical darlings contains tunes like “Wonderful Christmastime” by The Shins, “May Ev’ry Day Be Christmas” by Irma Thomas and the Preservation Jazz Hall Band, “Santa, Bring My Baby Back (To Me)” by Eleanor Friedberger, and “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by The Civil Wars.
Gift Wrapped: 20 Songs That Keep on Giving
Gift Wrapped 2: Snowed In
Gift Wrapped 3: A Holiday Smorgasbord
From Country stars to Punk pioneers to Swing revivalists to Psych-Rock jam-bands, the “Gift Wrapped” trilogy offers a cornucopia of festive songs like Dwight Yoakam’s “Santa Claus is Back in Town,” The Ramones’ “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight),” The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” The Grateful Dead’s “Run Run Rudolph.”
–Joe, Adult Services & Acquisitions