 Welcome back to another video everyone, this is Christmas Daddy, and today I'm going to be talking about some of my favorite Christmas albums to listen to. Every single year, as soon as November 1st arrives, I am turning up the Christmas jams, and this list will include my personal favorites that I enjoy coming back to year after year. I am going to refrain from listing these albums in any particular order, instead opting to explain my favorites and why I cherish them, as it is quite difficult to really compare all of these being such a diverse array of musical styles. With that in mind, let's get to the festivities. An album that has come to be a staple of the holiday season for me over the last seven years, and how I usually kick off the holiday season on November 1st, is an album called August Burns Red Presents Sled and Hill, a holiday album, which was released in 2012. Though I enjoy many different styles of music, I am a metalhead at heart, and August Burns Red produced this awesome instrumental Christmas album for 2012, which features mostly heavy instrumental covers of classic carols, but also a couple original holiday tunes which are fantastic. One of these original songs, the title track Sled and Hill, actually isn't metal at all besides some heavier guitar-driven sections, but the track is driven mainly by folky banjo passages which provide nice variations, and the band is really able to flex their creative muscles a bit and explore some of their non-metal influences more on this album. There have been several heavy metal Christmas albums released over the years, many of them being quite cheesy, but this one has a great balance of nostalgic holiday fun and intricate musicianship that make for a great listen, and I listen to this album several times every Christmas season. My favorite songs from this release are O Come O Come Emmanuel, Carol of the Bells, Flurries, and Oh Holy Night. The Ventures Christmas Album, released in 1965, has really stood the test of time for me. The Ventures offer a very iconic and timeless surf rock take on traditional carols and even offer up a fun original tune on this completely instrumental album with the track Scrooge. It is a quick listen with 12 songs which only clock in at a total runtime of about 26 minutes, so it doesn't overstay its welcome at all. Every song offered up here is great, and I could pick many favorites as they are just so timeless and nostalgic. Some of the standout cuts for me are Slay Ride, Snowflakes, and Silver Bells, but to be completely transparent, all of the songs offered are basically of the exact same quality and very consistent sounding. Don't sleep on this wave-surfing beach boogie in Christmas the Light. An album that I hold in very high regard during the Christmas season is 2004's Bare Naked for the Holidays by alternative rock group The Bare Naked Ladies. This one seems to have been very overlooked, say for the holiday staple God rest you merry gentlemen slash We Three Kings featuring Sarah McLaughlin, which really is a beautiful rendition of a timeless holiday song with a new twist. This whole album is one of the most fun and most unique holiday albums I've ever listened to, and I do mean holiday album. This album actually features a few Hanukkah songs, as well as the Christmas ones, and work quite seamlessly together as one cohesive piece. Some of the highlights include Elf's Lament featuring Michael Buble, Green Christmas, God rest you merry gentlemen We Three Kings, and Snowman. Check this one out if you haven't heard it. It's a real treat in my opinion. Kenny Rogers' The Gift was released in 1996, and I've always said that I think of this as more of a religious album than a Christmas album per se. The only well-known carols included anywhere are found within the nearly 16 minute long medley known as the Chosen One Montage, and even those are very spiritual songs. I typically do skip that track because it just seems unnecessary and interrupts the flow of the album, but ignoring that, the rest of this album has really fantastic songwriting and great diversity as well with an array of soundscapes. Opening track Mary Did You Know featuring Winona Judd is one of the very first versions of this now iconic song, and in my opinion still holds up as the best version. Other favorite cuts of mine include I Trust You, The Tear Jerking, A Soldier's King, and Closing Track Till the Season Comes Around Again. One album that I'd like to designate as a true modern classic holiday release is Wrapped in Red, the 2013 album by Kelly Clarkson. This is the newest release on my list, but it is another timeless sounding record, and that it sounds like it could have been made in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, or anytime really. Lots of classic Christmas favorites are covered here, along with a few very well-pinned originals which really make this a worthwhile listen at least once every Christmas season for me. My favorite songs are Wrapped in Red, Run Run Rudolph, Winter Dreams, and Four Carrots. A Christmas Gift For You from Phil Spector, the oldest release on this list, debuting in 1963, is a compilation of several artists that famed producer Phil Spector worked with in the 60s. The Ronettes, Darlene Love, The Crystals, all of the songs on this album have come to be bonafide holiday classics which have never stopped playing year after year, and for very good reason. This is just a must-listen during the holidays and features some of the best cuts ever recorded of the given songs, including Marshmallow World, The Bells of St. Mary, White Christmas, and Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. Trans-Siberian Orchestra is known for their blend of hard rock and orchestral music, and has been a mainstay of 24-7 Christmas radio for 20 years now. They have released three Christmas LPs, and they really all could be placed here, but I tend to point to 1998's Christmas Attic as it is the most concise, not overbearing in length, and has some of the best individual tracks TSO have put to record, in my opinion. The standouts include Ghosts of Christmas Eve, The World That He Sees, The Three Kings and I, Find Our Way Home, and The Snow Came Down. Finally, the last album I want to talk about on this list is a 2009 release by famed heavy metal singer Rob Halford of The Legendary Judas Priest. Judas Priest is still kicking and have been playing for nearly 50 years now, which is insane, and Rob Halford has released his own albums over the years as well. Halford 3 Winter Songs came out in 2009, and isn't very consistent in quality from track to track, but when it really shines, it just really gets me into the spirit. Speaking of that, the album starts with a heavy anthem called Get Into the Spirit, which is just an absolute maniacal declaration that the holiday season has begun. Halford does an excellent job executing renditions of Okum Okum Emmanuel, We Three Kings, and What Child is This, as well as having some real bangers in the form of original tracks such as I Don't Care, Christmas for Everyone, Winter Song, and of course, the previously mentioned opening track Get Into the Spirit. This Christmas album is not for everyone, but if you enjoy heavy music, this is one of the better heavy metal holiday releases ever recorded. Thank you all so much for sticking around if you made it this far. I really appreciate it, and hope you enjoyed listening to my opinions as much as I've enjoyed putting this together. Be sure to let me know in the comments what you think of these albums if you've listened to them, and what are your favorite Christmas albums personally? I would love to know, especially if you know of any more obscure listens maybe. I'm always digging for fresh Christmas albums that may peak my interest beyond the typical fare of the holiday season, so be sure to clue me in. Be sure to like this video if you enjoyed it, and have a very Merry Christmas everyone. This is Christmas Daddy. Bye.