Top 10 Must-Hear Modern Christmas Albums

Top 10 Modern Christmas Albums

These records have become a part of our holiday traditions. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Modern Christmas Albums. For this list, we'll be ranking the most popular and recently released Christmas albums that have gone on to became holiday classics in their own right. Music is a big part of many holiday celebrations, and these albums have become a go-to soundtrack alongside some of the most beloved Christmas collections of all time.

#10: "That's Christmas to Me" (2014)
Pentatonix

A Capella singing groups may have officially earned "cool" status, thanks to the success of Hollywood's "Pitch Perfect" series, but this Texas based collective have been going strong since forming back in 2011. Indeed, the voices of Pentatonix have made their way into the hearts and homes of many during the holiday season, thanks to a number of Christmas-themed albums. Whether it's their most recent "A Pentatonix Christmas" from 2016, or their double platinum "That's Christmas to Me" from 2014, Pentatonix and their stirring vocal talent provide music to the ears for their fans at Christmas time.

#9: "Home for Christmas" (1998)
*NSYNC

Who said that boy bands can't deliver a little holiday cheer? "Home for Christmas" is a multi-million selling holiday album from the extremely popular vocal group *NSYNC, released back in 1998 at the height of boy band mania. The album features a number of original holiday compositions performed by Justin Timberlake and The Boys, as well as some strong takes on such Christmas standards as "The First Noel" and "O Holy Night." If there was ever a pop Christmas album which might have crossed over to both parents and their pre-teens back in the late nineties, then "Home for Christmas" is a strong contender on a very short list.

#8: "Christmas in the Aire" (1995)
Mannheim Steamroller

Unapologetic New Age rock meets festive Christmas spirit here on our number eight pick, "Christmas in the Aire" by Nebraska's Mannheim Steamroller. Electric bass and synthesizers galore may give this album a somewhat dated feel to some, but "Christmas in the Aire" has become a holiday staple for many others around the world. Indeed, the album was the best selling holiday album of 1995, and has sold almost four million copies worldwide since its release. The album's atmospheric vibe and instrumental moods make the perfect background soundtrack for just about any holiday party or celebration, making it a classic Christmas album of the modern day.

#7: "When My Heart Finds Christmas" (1993)
Harry Connick, Jr.

It's time to bring some swing, Big Band and jazz grooves into your holiday season with Harry Connick, Jr.'s smash 1993 Christmas album, "When My Heart Finds Christmas." The album was certified triple platinum back in 2005, and has endured as an extremely popular selection for folks around the world searching for a Christmas soundtrack that's a little more upbeat. Connick, Jr. delivers a confident and assured collection of holiday standards and original tunes penned specifically for this album, making "When My Heart Finds Christmas" a Christmas record that is traditional, personal and beautiful.

#6: "Barenaked for the Holidays" (2004)
Barenaked Ladies

The mood here on our list receives a welcome bit of silliness and humor with its next entry, "Barenaked for the Holidays" from the Canadian pop-rockers Barenaked Ladies. This album is the perfect medicine for anyone searching for something a bit out of the ordinary for their holiday album rotation, as Barenaked Ladies inject their irrepressible comedic approach to songwriting to such songs as "Green Christmas" and "Elf's Lament." The results are original, enjoyable and super fun, as the group sing songs not only dedicated to Christmas, but New Year's Eve and Hanukkah, as well.

#5: "Christmas Eve and Other Stories" (1996)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Ok, who's ready for a heavy metal holiday concept album about Christmas? Well, it turns out that over three million music fans were game for the idea, as Trans-Siberian Orchestra's 1996 album "Christmas Eve and Other Stories" was certified triple platinum in 2011. The group features musicians, producers and songwriters associated with the classic heavy metal act Savatage, here performing authentic, melodic and emotionally powerful holiday rock about the effect of Christmas upon the human race. The album's biggest success, however, was a cover of Savatage's own "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24," from the group's 1995 album, "Dead Winter Dead," a Christmasclassic which has become a focal point of TSO's yearly holiday tours.

#4: "Merry Christmas" (1994)
Mariah Carey

If you're going to release your first Christmas album, and title it "Merry Christmas," why not have it be one of the most popular and enduring holiday classics of all time? That's what R&B singer Mariah Carey achieved when she released this highly successful Christmas album back in 1994. The collection of originals and covers was notable not only for Carey's immense vocal performance, but also for the ridiculously popular single, "All I Want for Christmas is You." The track continues to be a staple for Christmas radio every year, while the album itself has sold over fifteen million copies since its initial release, making it one of the most popular Christmas collections of all time.

#3: "Christmas" (2011)
Michael Buble

You love it. Your parents love it. Your grandparents love it. It's "Christmas," by Michael Buble, the succinctly titled holiday album which gets a treasured spin every year at family Christmas parties around the world. The album manages to transcend these generations thanks largely in part to Buble's timeless, almost universal appeal as a performer indebted to the past, yet with eyes and ears set upon the present. "Christmas" presents Buble's smooth-as-silk croon alongside traditional holiday tracks and original compositions from the Canadian band leader. Add to this appearances by pop-country great Shania Twain and Spanish singer Thalia on "Mis Desenos/Feliz Navidad” and you have a holiday album with a little something for everybody.

#2: "Miracles: A Holiday Album" (1994)
Kenny G

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time now for the smooth jazz sax sounds of Seattle's own Kenny G. "Miracles: A Holiday Album" falls in line with G's amazing run of worldwide commercial success, having sold over eight million albums since first being released back in 1994. The album features a couple of Kenny G originals, but is primarily a straight forward take upon timeless holiday standards, performed in the saxophonist's popular instrumental style. Sometimes upbeat, sometimes somber but always super smooth, "Miracles" provides that perfect background tone for some late night relaxation around the ever-busy holidays.

Before we name our number one, modern Christmas album classic, here are a few honorable mentions!

"These are the Special Times" (1998)
Celine Dion

"Wintersong" (2006)
Sarah McLachlan

#1: "Noël" (2007)
Josh Groban

Some Christmas albums make the charts for a week or two around the holidays, before quickly fading away until the next year. Not so with our number one pick, as "Noël" from Los Angeles native Josh Groban held on to the number one Billboard chart position for an amazing five consecutive weeks. The album has sold over five million copies in U.S. alone, thanks largely to Groban's impassioned vocals, skilled technique and popular live performances. Indeed, there's a reason why "Noël's" mixture of Christmas nostalgia and modern style has resonated with so many around the world, making it a modern Christmas album classic which continues to gain ground every year.

Do you agree with our list? Which modern Christmas album has become a part of your holiday rotation? For more festive top ten lists, published every day, please subscribe to MsMojo!