'Christmas time is here': The Desert Sun's 2022 holiday playlist

Whether you've been listening for months or only since Thanksgiving ended, it's officially the holiday season when the superstars of Christmas music return to our earbuds. No matter what kind of music you like — country, classic jazz or even heavy metal — there's something for everyone in this festive genre.

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" continues to reign at the top of Billboard's "Holiday 100" chart, holiday favorites Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra are back on a holiday tour and many of the classics such as "Last Christmas" by Wham! and Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" are being played on the radio and in the backgrounds of retail stores everywhere.

But you don't want the same old holiday playlist. There's a secret to building a holiday music collection that will stand out: a variety for all occasions, themes and moods.

Here's a multi-genre list of suggested albums to make your season bright.

'A Charlie Brown Christmas' – Vince Guaraldi Trio

This soundtrack is just as much of a classic as the 1965 TV special featuring characters of the comic strip “Peanuts.” Jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, who also composed the soundtrack of “A Boy Named Charlie Brown,” “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and other “Peanuts” animated specials combined traditional carols such as “O Tannenbaum,” “What Child Is This?” and “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” with original material written for the special.

For jazz lovers, the instrumental version of “Christmas Time Is Here” is a delight as the pianos alternate between temperate to buoyant moods. The 2022 Super Deluxe Edition features stereo mixes and alternative takes from the original sessions, which presents an inside look as to how certain arrangements progressed into what is heard on the soundtrack.

'The Christmas Song' – Nat King Cole

There's something about Nat King Cole's soothing voice on "The Christmas Song" that calms the stress of the holiday season. I once listened to it while in a holiday traffic jam in downtown Los Angeles and forgot I was gridlocked and moved only a few miles. The expanded version of the 1960 album includes plenty of holiday classics and carols such as "O Tannenbaum," "Deck the Hall," "Joy to the World" and "The Happiest Christmas Tree."

The late jazz vocalist and Palm Springs resident was the first to record "The Christmas Song," a legendary Christmas favorite in 1946, at WMCA radio studios with trio members Oscar Moore and Johnny Miller — it was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. He recorded it again in 1953 and in 1961.

'Everybody Knows It’s Christmas' – Chris Issak

Whether you’re a fan of Elvis Presley’s “Elvis’ Christmas Album” or Bing Crosby’s “Merry Chrismas,” country and roots rocker Chris Isaak’s 2022 album “Everybody Knows It’s Christmas” is a must-stream. There’s a mixture of Western swing, guitar jazz, rockabilly and easy listening on this collection of songs featuring “Winter Wonderland,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and more.

Isaak also included eight originals and a highlight is the rockabilly song “Almost Christmas.”

'The Polar Express' – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 illustrated children’s book “The Polar Express” about a young boy that embarks on a magical train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve came to life in the 2004 animated film adaptation matching Van Allsburg's illustrations. The soundtrack presents many of the memorable songs in the film such as Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s “Rockin’ On Top Of The World” and Josh Groban’s “Believe,” classic holiday songs by The Andrews Sisters, Perry Como and Frank Sinatra, and soundtrack composer Alan Silvestri’s instrumentals.

“The Polar Express” is a beautiful story for children and adults and will turn those who doubt the magic of Christmas into believers. Some highlights of the soundtrack are Tom Hanks' singing on the title song, vocalist Josh Groban's performance on “Believe” and “When Christmas Comes to Town” sung by the characters Billy the Lonely Boy and Hero Girl.

'Asalto Navideño' – Willie Colon and Héctor Lavoe

This holiday album is considered by many to be one of the top 10 all-time salsa classics since its release over 50 years ago. Trombonist Willie Colón and vocalist Héctor Lavoe take listeners on a journey to a Puerto Rican-style Christmas with songs such as "Aires de Navidad" and "La Murga." This is an essential album to add to an international holiday playlist.

'A Twisted Christmas' – Twisted Sister

Take a trip back to the ‘80s when Twister Sister blew up the music charts with the band’s spandex, big hair, makeup and mighty heavy metal sound with this 2006 Christmas album. That’s right, an ‘80s heavy metal-style Christmas album with face melting guitar solos, thundering drums and screeching vocals on classics such as “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” “Deck The Halls,” “White Christmas,” “The Christmas Song” and more.

See if you notice the connection of Twisted Sister’s 1984 smash-hit “We’re Not Going To Take It” to the holiday carol “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” which frontman Dee Snider has discussed many times. There are more surprises on the album for any metal fan or rock music aficionado to enjoy. If the neoclassical and progressive rock vibe of Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Mannheim Steamroller aren’t doing it for you, Twisted Sister will elevate your holiday spirit.

'A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra' – Frank Sinatra

This was Sinatra’s first Christmas album and released in 1957 by Capitol Records. The first six songs are the pop Christmas songs we all love and the last half features traditional carols. The 50^th anniversary edition includes an old-fashioned radio public service announcement Sinatra recorded for the American Lung Association’s “Christmas Seals” campaign.

What I personally enjoy is the opening performance of “Jingle Bells” with a glitzy and catchy intro by the Ralph Brewster Singers singing “I love those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells, those holiday J-I-N-G-L-E bells” before the chairman of the board begins to sing. The orchestra arrangements conducted by Gordon Jenkins mixed in with Sinatra's crooning, backup vocals by the Ralph Brewster Singers and selection of songs makes this album a must-have for a holiday music collection.

'Christmas' – Low

The indie rock band Low is known for its haunting but beautiful sound of experimental rock. Led by married couple Alan Sparhawk and the late Mimi Parker, the duo recorded an EP of Christmas songs in 1999 featuring highlights such as “The Little Drummer Boy,” “Silent Night” and an original song, “If You Were Born Today (Song For Little Baby Jesus).”

In 2013, A.V. Club reporter Josh Model referred to “Christmas” as “the religious album even heathens can love.”

'A Holly Dolly Christmas' – Dolly Parton

There’s nothing Dolly Parton can’t do, and everything she touches in her music career — and outside of it — turns to gold. So it’s no surprise she recorded a Grammy-nominated Christmas album in 2020 featuring appearances by Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Willie Nelson and Rod Stewart.

This fun country-flavored collection of old favorites such as “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” also includes a duet of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” with Jimmy Fallon.

'A Merry Mancini Christmas' – Henry Mancini

For those seeking a more classic Christmas theme, film composer Henry Mancini’s “A Merry Mancini Christmas” fits many holiday occasions from cocktail parties to opening presents on Christmas morning. Mancini’s take on “The Christmas Song” featuring a jazzy trumpet with an orchestra arrangement and chorus and several medleys of classic carols and pop favorites makes this album a holiday delight.

'Christmas Songs' – Bad Religion

Bad Religion’s name states how the veteran punk band feels about organized religion. Frontman Greg Graffin, who is also a professor that has taught natural science courses at UCLA and Cornell University, refers to himself as a “naturalist.” But Graffin told The Village Voice in 2013 that he grew up singing carols and other holiday songs in a choir and “It was just really fun performing those songs," which led to the 2013 album "Christmas Songs."

Even though punk might be too aggressive for some holiday playlists, you might be surprised by Bad Religion’s performances of traditional carols such as "O Come All Ye Faithful" “Angels We Have Heard On High” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." As a bonus, Bad Religion included a new mix of its popular song"American Jesus" at the end.

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 'Christmas time is here': The Desert Sun's 2022 holiday playlist