Merry Christmas from Qobuz

Once again, this Christmas will be a funny one. For some, it’s the happiest time of the year, and for others, it is a time of anxiety and stress. Whether you’ve made it home this year, are celebrating with friends or are having a solitary Christmas, there is always room for a bit of Yuletide music. Your team of experts at Qobuz have special gift for you... five of our favourite Christmas albums of the year to help you get into the mood, whatever that may look like for you…

Something Old and Something New in Vocal Jazz: I Dream of Christmas - Norah Jones

Norah Jones has split the work on this album, giving us her jazzy take on the classics, as well as half an album of entirely new Christmas bops to dance along to. From lilting jazz, to deep rhumba beats, to mid-tempo cocktail jazz, this album is exactly the Christmas pick-me-up that Santa ordered. Norah Jones' holiday dream is a worthy addition to the Christmas lexicon that's merry and bright, yet innovative where it counts. Spin this when you need that last burst of holiday energy.

An Indie Twist on the Classics: Christmas Songs Vol. 1 - Manchester Orchestra

For a relaxed Christmas atmosphere, spin this album. “Many of the songs we decided to record are hundreds of years old and our approach to recording them was to get out of the way and let the beauty of the composition do the talking,” says singer/guitarist Andy Hull. With an overall lilting sway and oozing with reverberated guitars and vocals, this album is perfect for post-meal contemplation.

Soothing and Dreamlike Jazz Classics: First Noel - Ibrahim Maalouf

This album lets Ibrahim Maalouf’s trumpet shine in a completely new light. First Noel moves forward with simplicity and humility, emphasising the melodies above all, without any kind of Hollywood arrangements, preserving these classic songs’ necessary and subtle fragility. “It's an album of 25 great Christmas standards and 3 new songs that I wrote to celebrate both my son's very first Christmas and my grandmother Odette's very last one last year.” A subdued version of the classics, perfect for a little fireside dance with a loved one.

Classical Christmas and Chanukah from Around the World: Winter Tales - Various Artists / Deutsche Grammophon

This album brings together many of today's great talents in classical and neo-classical music. Featuring Brian Eno, Víkingur Ólafsson, Peter Gregson, Classical Sundays Quartet and many more. Each artist was tasked with reimagining a piece from their homelands and childhood that reminds them of Christmas or Chanukah. The result is a moving collection of some rather unknown compositions... save this for the quiet hours of Christmas eve.

An Upbeat Indie/Folk Celebration: Everything is Christmas - Julia Stone

Julia Stone returns with her unique voice for Christmas to help you celebrate. The album includes a mix of classics (All Come All Ye Faithful, The First Noel) as well as covers of Wham!’s Last Christmas and a cover of Joni Mitchell’s River which will surely raise a hair or two. “I called the record, ‘Everything Is Christmas’ because Christmas can hold one moment in time and a whole lifetime of memories. Everything is a celebration, and everything is painful. Everything is love and everything can be lost. Everything is Christmas.”

Whatever this silly-season holds for you, we hope you take this time to rollick, reminisce and relax, with the help of the best gift of all... the gift of music!