2025 marks a strong season of new music releases as the Christmas holiday draws near. Though traditional, year-after-year beloved recordings have a unique way of transforming holiday moments into lasting memories, newly-released songs also have a way of infusing the season with fresh emotion.
As people wrap holiday presents, hang holiday lights, visit with friends and/or family, enjoy copious amounts of hot chocolate, peppermint lattes, or other holiday drinks, or simply enjoy the sweet smells of freshly-baked treats, music is often the soundtrack and heartbeat of any holiday activity.
Spanning the genres of country, bluegrass, Americana and Contemporary Christian music, the 2025 holiday season features new releases with a mix of tradition and innovation, songs inclusive of country renditions, Americana-root stringband tracks, bluegrass-leaning music and reflective, faith-driven music. Together, they give fans plenty of new songs to enhance holiday traditions and activities.
This year, several country artists issued new holiday albums or EPs, including Brad Paisley, Mickey Guyton and Trisha Yearwood, fusing country sounds with lyrics that elegantly (or, in many cases, somberly or humorously) describe the details of the holidays.
The Christmas season has long been a hallmark moment for faith-based artists. Among this year’s standout releases are modern holiday music from Forrest Frank with Jvke, as well as songs from The Choir Room, Blessing Offor and Matthew West, continuing the tradition of music that blends celebration, reflection and faith.
Meanwhile, Americana-leaning artists including Old Crow Medicine Show and bluegrass artists including Kristy Cox and The Kody Norris Show also lead the way with original holiday releases.
Below, check out a roundup highlighting 20 new songs (in no particular order) to add to holiday playlists.
The post “20 New Christmas Songs for the Holidays” by Jessica Nicholson was published on 12/19/2025 by www.billboard.com