The holidays bring people together. So do these compilation albums, which cover everything from seasonal pop and rock classics to underground weirdness from The Cramps’ record collection. They all come with streaming links so you don’t have to interrupt your own gathering.
A Very Cool Christmas
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “A Very Cool Christmas is a wonderful collection of all what Christmas has to offer, from the brilliant harmonies of The Temptations and the folk-rock of Leon Russell to the Beatpop of The Kinks and the soul voice from Marvin Gaye. This versatile record consists of both well-known Christmas songs performed by other artists than the famous versions and originals from the ’50s until the present. Christmas hits by The Darkness, Darlene Love, and Otis Redding are all part of this 2LP record. So let’s make this a very cool and enjoyable Christmas.”
Merry Luxmas
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Season’s Gratings From The Cramps’ Lux And Ivy. A 31-track collection of the strangest yuletide 45s ever; from dogs murdering the classics, to beatniks digging the snow plus a lament for an empty stocking, all as found in The Cramps’ record basement. Wild Christmas tree-wrecking rock ‘n’ roll, unstable people searching for a swinging yule, jailbirds, bluesmen and all-round lunatics tackle the festive season with gusto. Featuring doo wop ballads, Louis Armstrong, George Jones, Spike Jones and the Christmas list fandangos of Joan Shaw and Gayla Peevey plus a smattering of offbeat novelty sides.”
Alice Cooper’s Proof Is In the Pudding
A Taste of Christmas Pudding 2019
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Featuring the winners of this year’s instalment of Alice Cooper’s annual Proof Is In the Pudding talent contest: Undecided Youth, Conrad Varela, Sophie Dortsen, Sammi Martinez, Dragons in the Desert, Between the Dark, Chance McLaughlin, John Caufield, Mellowpsychodelicculture, Phoebe, Paige June, Sophia Humbert, Homestretch, Sun Kissed, Sundai, Ciara Cisneros.”
A Kool Kat Kristmas, Vol. 3
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Featuring alt-rock and power-pop artists like Everet Almond, The Decibels, The Junior League, The Season’s Greeters, Nick Frater, Athanor, Richard Turgeon, The Stan Laurels, Stephen’s Ruin, Emperor Penguin, Tommy & The Rockets, Ed Ryan, Steve Somerset’s Shadow Kabinet and The Morning Line.”
Rock By The Sea Christmas, Vol. 10
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Christmas classics and holiday originals come to life on the 10th annual charity album A Rock By The Sea Christmas! Unearthed songs from David Ryan Harris (John Mayer, Brand New Immortals), Kevn Kinney (Drivin’ N’ Cryin’), and film compliment original songs by Steve Everett, Mary Karlzen, Todd Wright and Jenn Bostic. Five Star Iris put their own pop-punk spin on The Dreidel Song while Scott Munns remembers a Tennessee Christmas. Other contributors include Book Club, JD Eicher, Francisco Vidal, and Besides Daniel. Another must-have Christmas collection with proceeds benefitting pediatric cancer research and treatment on behalf of the Florida non-profit group, Rock By The Sea.”
A Pop Punk Christmas Carol
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Hey Ho Ho Ho. Merry Christmas to you all. We have collected 16 of the world’s best pop punk carolers performing public domain Christmas carols. If that is not enough, we have two bonus carols written by the carolers to celebrate the joy of a pop punk Christmas! So pour yourself some eggnog, sit back and enjoy these traditional songs as you’ve never heard them before!”
A Very Rad-Pop. Christmas
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “A Very rad-pop. Christmas brings together rad-pop. records artists and friends for an annual holiday compilation album of brand new original tracks as well as classic favorites! The compilation features One Life to Lead, The Great Heights Band, The Stifled, The Can’t Evens and Origami Army!”
Hail The Jolly Christmas Monkey: GMR Xmas the Tenth
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The turkey’s eaten. The 6:00 am Black Friday specials consumed. Now we can get to the true beauty. The annual GMR 100% Xmas Holiday Compilation Masterpiece. And this year we have two. Masterpieces. First, we bring you this year’s model, Hail The Jolly Christmas Monkey! Per the norm, it is a combo of our “regulars” and first-timers performers, new to the GMR holiday ways. As always, on October 1, I was blindfolded, with no idea who would submit anything and now here we are, seventeen glorious songs later.”
Christmas Boogie Woogie: 10 Years of Green Monkey Christmas
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Howie and I decided to make a best-of-the-first-10-years, Christmas Boogie Woogie: 10 Years of Green Monkey Christmas. Twenty-seven songs, 79 minutes, oh my sweet Santa! Howie picked ‘em all, sequenced ‘em all and we put the whole business together in time to actually press 100 pretty CDrs for parties. Our wonderful Rosie Dyer made our delightful covers again this year and as always, any and all dough we take in on either album goes to MusiCares, an excellent charity that helps music people in need.”
Songs of Old Town Xmas Extravaganza, Vol. 3
Various Artists
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Our 3rd holiday compilation featuring 15 winter themed songs across multiple genres and moods. Some are funny, some somber, some are classic, some new, all of them rock!”
