Time off the road has meant time to record new Christmas music for many of country music’s biggest stars. While some had albums in production to start 2020, several more packaged songs, EPs or television movies together for their fans this holiday season.
A least three country-themed Christmas movies or television specials have been confirmed for 2020, and that’s in addition to the annual CMA Country Christmas special. A few albums have already dropped, including chart-topping efforts from both Carrie Underwood and Dolly Parton. Both women included memorable collaborations on their full-length Christmas albums: John Legend and son Isaiah join Underwood, while Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon and more recorded music with Parton.
A few more, including Maddie & Tae and Runaway June, have released EPs, but it’s not just the women bringing holiday cheer this year: Laine Hardy dropped his version of “Please Come Home for Christmas” in September, and a capella group Home Free released a new Christmas album called Warmest Winter on Nov. 6.
The full list of everything we know about (updated as new songs, albums and TV events are announced) is below. Here’s a playlist of some of the greatest Christmas songs of all time to soak up while you search for your new favorite:
Available Now: Terri Clark, It’s Christmas … Cheers!
Available Now: For King & Country, A Drummer Boy Christmas
Available Now: Home Free, Warmest Winter
Available Now: Maddie & Tae, We Need Christmas EP
Available Now: Dolly Parton, A Holly Dolly Christmas
Available Now: Runaway June, When I Think About Christmas EP
Available Now: Mitchell Tenpenny, Neon Christmas EP
Available Now: Carrie Underwood, My Gift
Premiering Nov. 21: A Nashville Christmas Carol on Hallmark, starring RaeLynn, Kix Brooks, Sara Evans and more
Premiering Nov. 22: Christmas on the Square, a Dolly Parton movie on Netflix
Premiering Nov. 30: CMA Country Christmas on ABC
Premiering Dec. 3: Carrie Underwood’s Christmas special on HBO Max
Premiering Dec. 20: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, Garth & Trisha Live! A Holiday Concert Event on CBS
Additional Singles Released:
Dan + Shay, “Take Me Home for Christmas” and “Christmas Isn’t Christmas”
Danielle Bradbery, “O Holy Night”
Florida Georgia Line, “Lit This Year”
Gary LeVox (feat. Stephan Moccio), “Christmas Will Be Different This Year”
Gabby Barrett, “The First Noel”
Ingrid Andress, “Christmas Always Finds Me”
Kassi Ashton, “Hard Candy Christmas”
Kelly Clarkson + Brett Eldredge, “Under the Mistletoe”
Lee Brice, “Go Tell It on the Mountain”