2023 Monthly Articles

 From 2016-18, I posted 17 "Music Years Of My Life" columns.  Each post covering what I feel were the most important music years throughout my life.  Those 17 posts covered various years from 1964-2001.  I enjoyed writing them because it gave me a chance to look back at my life and how important music played in it.  

 For 2023 I'm going to repost all 17 of these lists as they were written.  I'm pleased with how they hold up some 5-7 years after I wrote them.  It will also give any new followers of mine a chance to get to know my life better through my favorite music. 

Playlist for 12/28

Seth Avett - Sings Greg Brown

Plains - I Walked With You A Ways

Sam Bush - Radio John: Songs of John Hartford

Billy Strings - Me/And/Dad

Melissa Carper - Ramblin' Soul

Dust-to-Digital 2022 Christmas Mix - Various

Mickey Bo's Christmas 2022 Radio Special 

Paul Clifford's Soulful Christmas 2022 Radio Special

The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022 Movie) 

Poll: December 1976 Top Songs

 The latest top songs of the month poll I voted in was for December 1976.  As I wrote in this piece Music Years Of My Life: 1976, it was the year that opened my ears to all kinds of genres.  

  For this latest poll, 34 songs were picked to vote on.  The list below is in the order that the songs finished in popularity for that month.  For example, "Tonight's the Night" was #1, "Fernando" #34. 

My own rankings are at the end of each title. Listen to this countdown at popgoldradio.com.

"Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright) ", Rod Stewart : 28
"The Rubberband Man", Spinners : 1
"Love So Right", Bee Gees : 11
"Muskrat Love", Captain & Tennille : 33
"The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald", Gordon Lightfoot : 19
"You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show)", Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. : 14
"Beth", KISS : 20
"More Than A Feeling", Boston : 2
"Nadia's Theme (The Young & The Restless)", Barry DeVorzon & Perry Botkin, Jr. : 30
"You Are The Woman", Firefall : 27
"Nights Are Forever Without You", England Dan & John Ford Coley : 26
"You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", Leo Sayer : 7
"Disco Duck", Rick Dees & His Cast Of Idiots : 34
"Just To Be Close To You", Commodores : 18
"Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word", Elton John : 23
"I Never Cry", Alice Cooper : 25
"The Best Disco In Town", Ritchie Family : 32
"Stand Tall", Burton Cummings : 31
"Love Me", Yvonne Elliman : 21
"After The Lovin'", Engelbert Humperdinck : 15
"Dazz", Brick : 22
"Hot Line", Sylvers : 24
"Love Ballad", L.T.D. : 3
"Car Wash", Rose Royce : 6
"I Wish", Stevie Wonder : 13
"Livin' Thing", Electric Light Orchestra : 12
"New Kid In Town", Eagles : 9
"Rock'n Me", Steve Miller Band : 10
"Somebody To Love", Queen : 16
"Walk This Way", Aerosmith : 4
"Jeans On", David Dundas : 29
"Whispering/Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon", Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band : 8
"Enjoy Yourself", Jacksons : 5
"Fernando", ABBA : 17

Playlist for 12/23 (Christmas Albums)

Gary Allan - Please Come Home For Christmas

Mick Kolassa - Uncle Mick's Christmas Album

Amy Grant -  Christmas Album

Louvin Brothers - Christmas With the Louvin Brothers

Jim Reeves - 12 Songs of Christmas

Tammy Wynette - Christmas With Tammy

Doris Day - Christmas Album

Tony Bennett - Snowfall

George Jones & Tammy Wynette - Classic Christmas Album

Joss Stone - Merry Christmas, Love

Chris Isaak - Everybody Knows It's Christmas

Reverend Horton Heat - We Three Kings

Alicia Keys - Santa Baby

RIP Thom Bell

  Thom Bell often gets third billing behind Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff when the history of Philly Soul is discussed.  But he carved out his own legacy away from Gamble & Huff.  His productions were often symphonic pieces graced with lush orchestrations.  Bell has often said that Burt Bacharach was a big influence.  And you hear how Bell applied Bacharach's Pop sophistication to his own productions. The songs he either co-wrote, Produced or arranged were perfectly tailored for the great singers he worked with: Philippe Wynne, Bobby Smith, Russell Thompkins Jr., Deniece Williams, William Hart, Dionne Warwick, Johnny Mathis, Elton John, James Ingram, Phyllis Hyman. Bell’s first hits came in the late 60's with the Delfonics. He went on to do the same with the Stylistics and the Spinners, often co-writing big hits with the great Linda Creed.  With the Spinners he rejuvenated Motown journeymen into one of the greatest R&B vocal groups of the 70's.  He was a Producing machine throughout the 70's and part of the 80's. 

  Thom Bell was a genius who was one of the inventors of a sound that is still loved today, Philly Soul.  He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006, but deserves a spot in the Rock Hall as well.  

Here's some of his co-writes

Betcha By Golly Wow

Rubberband Man

La La Means I Love You

Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)

Hey Love

Ready or Not Here I Come

Break Up To Make Up

I'll Be Around

I'm Stone In Love With You

Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)

You Are Everything

Rockin' Roll Baby

You Make Me Feel Brand New

People Make The World Go Round

Are You Ready For Love

Ghetto Child

I'm Doin' Fine Now

Life Is A Song Worth Singing

Brand New Me

Moody Woman

And just some of the songs he Produced but didn't write

Then Came You

Mighty Love

Sadie

Love Don’t Love Nobody

Games People Play

Could It Be I'm Falling In Love

One Of A Kind (Love Affair)

Mama Can't Buy You Love

I Don't Have The Heart

Silly

It's Gonna Take A Miracle (Deniece Williams)

Old Friend

Arranger (he had many more)

Close The Door

I Miss You (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes)

Back Stabbers

992 Arguments

It's Gonna Take A Miracle (Laura Nyro)

Tom's Top Songs & Reissues of 2022

Also: My Top Albums of 2022

Top Songs

1.  Harry Styles - As It Was

2.  Lizzo - About Damn Time

3.  Hailey Whitters - Everything She Ain't

4.  Beyonce - Break My Soul

5.  Silk Sonic - Love's Train

6.  Sam Smith & Kim Petras - Unholy

7.  Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero

8.  Rina Sawayama - This Hell

9.  Hot Chip - Down

10. Miko Marks - Feel Like Going Home

11.  Charli XCX & Rina Sawayama - Crash

12.  Willie Nelson - I'll Love You Till The Day I Die

13.  Nikki Lane - First High

14.  Hardy & Lainey Wilson - Wait In The Truck

15.  Joji - Glimpse of Us

16.  Jockstrap - Greatest Hits

17.  Maggie Rogers - Want Want

18.  Nicky Youre & Dazy - Sunroof

19.  Lewis Taylor - Numb

20.  Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack, Pillbox Patti - Bonfire at Tina's 

21.  Charley Crockett - I'm Just A Clown

22.  Ethel Cain - American Teenager

23.  Broken Bells - Love On The Run

24.  Stephen Sanchez - Until I Found You

25.  Omar Apollo - Evergreen

26.  Young Gun Silver Fox - Rolling Back

27.  Mitski - Only Heartbreaker

28.  Steve Lacy - Bad Habit

29.  Tyler Childs - Angel Band

30.  Zach Bryan - Something In The Orange

31.  Summer Walker & Ari Lennox - Unloyal

32.  Jax - Victoria's Secret

33.  Rihanna - Lift Me Up

34.  Scotty McCreery - Damn Strait

35.  K. Michelle - Scooch

36.  Halsey - So Good 

37.  Miranda Lambert - Strange

38.  Cole Swindell - She Had Me At Heads Carolina

Top Reissues

1. Creedence Clearwater Revival - At Royal Albert Hall 1970 (Craft)

2. Heroes and Villains: Sound of Los Angeles 65-68  - Various (Cherry Red Box Set)

3. Neko Case - Wild Creatures (Anti-) (Compilation)

4. Franz Ferdinand - Hits To The Head (Domino) (Compilation)

5. Son House - Forever On My Mind (Easy Eye Sound)

6. Ella Fitzgerald - At The Hollywood Bowl (Verve)

7. Lenny Kaye Presents Lightning Striking - Various (Ace)

8. David Hepworth Deep 70s - Various (Edsel Box Set)

9. Ladies Sing The Boss - Various (Ace)

10. Kris Kristofferson - Live at Gilley's 1981 (New West)

11. Blondie - Against the Odds: 74-82 (Capitol Box Set)

12. Ain't Nothing But A House Party - Various (Cherry Red Box Set)

13. Willie Nelson - Live at Budokan (Legacy)

14. Daryl Hall - Before After  (Legacy Compilation)

15. Jon Savage's 1977-79: Symbols Clashing Everywhere - Various (Ace)

16. Prince & the Revolution: Live (Legacy)

17. Tom Petty - Live at the Fillmore 1997 (Warner Box Set)

Tom's Top Albums of 2022

I alway says this but it's true, it's possible that my favorite album of the year is one I haven't heard yet.  So many records, so little time.  It's impossible to hear everything. I'm still catching up on records that were released decades ago.  But this list is a good snapshot of what heard and liked in 2022.  

1.  Harry Styles - Harry

2.  Miranda Lambert - Palomino

3.  Amanda Shires - Take It Like A Man

4.  Mike Marks - Feel Like Going Home

5.  Lizzo - Special

6.  Hailey Whitters - Raised

7.  Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville - Various

8.  Wet Leg - s/t

9.  Charley Crockett - Man From Waco

10. Bonnie Raitt - Just Like That

11. Tedeschi Trucks Band - I Am The Moon Vol. 1-4

12. S.G. Goodman - Teeth Marks

13. Will Hoge - Wings On My Shoes

14. Lainey Wilson - Bell Bottom Country

15. Arlo McKinley - Mess We're In

16. Rina Sawayama - Hold The Girl

17. Adeem the Artist - White Trash Revelry

18. Lyle Lovett - 12th Of June

19. Wilco - Cruel Country 

20. Tami Neilson - Kingmaker

21. Willie Nelson - A Beautiful Time

22. Zach Bryan - American Heartbreak

23. Molly Tuttle - Crooked Tree

24. Beyonce - Renaissance

25. Calexico - El Mirador

26. Sunny Sweeney - Married Alone

27. Tyler Childers - Can I Take My Hounds To Heaven

28. Nikki Lane - Denim and Diamonds

29. Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa

30. Ian Noe - River Fools & Mountain Saints

31. First Aid Kit - Palomino

32. Orville Peck - Bronco

33. Aaron Raitiere - Single Wide Dreamer

34. Willi Carlisle - Peculiar, Missouri

35. Whitmore Sisters - Ghost Stories

36. Joan Shelley - The Spur

37. Fantastic Negrito - White Jesus Black Problems

38. Angel Olsen - Big Time

39. Rosalia - Motomami

40. SZA - SOS

41. Makaya McCraven - In These Times

42. Anais Mitchell - s/t

43. Sharon Van Etten - We've Been Going Through This All Wrong

44. Melissa Carper - Ramblin' Soul

45. Taylor Swift - Midnights

46. Billy Strings - Me/And/Dad

47. Craig Finn - A Legacy of Rentals

48. Father John Misty - Chloe and the Next 20th Century

49. Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

50. Elvis Movie Soundtrack - Various

51. Freedy Johnston - Back On The Road To You

52. Eli Paperboy Reed - Down Every Road

53. Maren Morris - Humble Quest

54. Charley Crockett - Jukebox Charley

55. Patty Griffin - Tape

56. Nicki Bluhm - Avondale Drive

57. Mary Gauthier - Dark Enough To See The Stars

58. Paranoid Style - For Executive Meeting

59. Kelsey Waldon - No Regular Dog

60. Erin Rae - Lighten Up

61. Aoife O'Donovan - Age Of Apathy

62. Brennen Leigh f/Asleep at the Wheel - Obsessed With The West

63. Pillbox Patti - Florida

64. Heavy Heavy - Life and Life Only

65. Linda Lindas - Growing Up

66. Chris Isaak - Everybody Knows It's Christmas

67. John Fullbright - The Liar

68. Alvvays - Blue Rev

69. Arctic Monkeys - The Car

70. Beths - Expert In A Dying Field

71. Broken Bells - Into The Blue

72. Seth Avett - Sings Greg Brown

73. CMAT - If My Wife New I'd Be Dead

74. Dr. John - Things Happen That Way

75. Jack White - Entering Heaven Alive

76. Sam Bush - Radio John: Songs of John Hartford

77. Delines - Sea Drift

78. Plains - I Walked With You A Ways

79. Priscilla Block - Welcome To The Block Party

80. Kimberly Kelly - I'll Tell You What's Going To Happen

81. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

82. Weyes Blood - And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow

83. Madison Cunningham - Revealer

84. Joshua Hedley - Neon Blue

85. Jack White - Fear Of The Dawn

86. Ray Wylie Hubbard - Co-Starring Too

87. Charli XCX - Crash

88. Cecile McLorin Salvant - Ghost Song

89. Little Big Town - Mr. Sun

90. Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson - Various

91. Sudan Archives - Natural Born Prom Queen

92. Mavis Staples & Levon Helm - Carry Me Home

93. Kaitlin Butts - What Else Can She Do

94. John Moreland - Birds In The Ceiling

95. Leyla McCalla - Breaking The Thermometer

96. Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver - Various

97. Cactus Blossoms - Big Time

98. Regina Spektor - Home, Before and After

99. Black Keys - Dropout Boogie

100. Dailey & Vincent - Let's Sing Some Country

101. Angela Strehli - Ace Of Blues

Also: Top Songs & Reissues of 2022

Greatest Christmas Songs (2022 Edition)

Below is a list of some of my favorite Christmas songs. There may be multiple versions of the same song, by different artists.  

1. Bing Crosby - White Christmas
2. Nat "King" Cole - The Christmas Song
3. Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas
4. Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas
5. Judy Garland - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
6. Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock
7. Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
8. Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
9. Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby
10. Donny Hathaway - This Christmas
11. Harry Simeone Chorale - Little Drummer Boy
12. Jimmy Durante - Frosty The Snowman
13. Vince Guaraldi Trio- Linus and Lucy
14. Burl Ives - Holly Jolly Christmas
15. Gene Autry - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
16. Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You
17. Drifters - White Christmas
18. Charles Brown - Please Come Home For Christmas
19. Andy Williams - It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
20.Ronettes - Sleigh Ride
21. Dean Martin - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
22. Bing Crosby - Silent Night
23. Elvis Presley - Silver Bells
24. Jackson 5 - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
25. Carpenters - Merry Christmas Darling
26. Aretha Franklin - Winter Wonderland
27. Andy Williams - Happy Holidays
28. David Bowie/Bing Crosby - Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy
29. Gene Autry - Here Comes Santa Claus
30. Run DMC - Christmas In Hollis
31. Roy Orbison- Pretty Paper
32. Elvis Presley - Santa Claus Is Back In Town
33. Vaughn Monroe - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
34. Darlene Love - Marshmallow World
35. Johnny Mathis - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
36. Wham - Last Christmas
37. Chuck Berry - Run Run Rudolph
38. Whitney Houston - Do You Hear What I Hear?
39. Jimmy Boyd - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.  
40. James Brown - Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto
41. Gene Autry - Here Comes Santa Claus
42. Leroy Anderson- Sleigh Ride
43. Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick
44. Elvis Presley - Merry Christmas Baby
45. Luther Vandross - O Come All Ye Faithful
46. Nat "King" Cole - O Tannenbaum
47. Joni Mitchell - River
47. Perry Como - Home For The Holidays
48. Bing Crosby - I'll Be Home For Christmas
49. Elvis Presley - If I Get Home On Christmas Day
50. Stevie Wonder - Someday At Christmas  
51.  John Denver & Muppets - 12 Days of Christmas
52. Thurl Ravenscroft - You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch                                                     
53. John Lennon - Happy Xmas
54. Elton John - Step Into Christmas
55. Barry Gordon - Nuttin' For Christmas
56. Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas
57. Crystals - Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
58. Merle Haggard - If We Make It Through December
59. Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
60. Nat "King" Cole - O Little Town of Bethlehem
61. Spike Jones - All I Want For Christmas
62. Clarence Carter - Back Door Santa
63. Jackie Wilson - O Holy Night
64. Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
65. Dolly Parton - Hard Candy Christmas
66. Vanessa Williams - What Child Is This?
67. Jackie Wilson- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
68. Frank Sinatra - The First Noel
69. Barbra Streisand - Ave Maria
70. Nat "King" Cole - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
71. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here
72. Angela Lansbury and Cast - We Need A Little Christmas
73. Ray Parker Jr. - Christmas Time Is Here
74. Elvis Presley - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
75. Nat "King Cole" - I Saw Three Ships
76. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Deck The Halls
77. Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne
78. Madonna - Santa Baby
79. Harry Belafonte - Mary's Boy Child
80. Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas?
81.  Buck Owens - Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy
82. Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime
83. Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York
84. Aretha Franklin - Joy To The World
85. Windham Hill Artists - Carol of the Bells
86. Eagles - Please Come Home For Christmas
87. George Strait - Away in A Manger
88. Alabama - Christmas In Dixie
89. Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Jordan - Baby It's Cold Outside
90. Pretenders - 2000 Miles
91. Louis Armstrong - 'Zat You Santa Claus?
92. Johnny Mathis - My Favorite Things
93. Chipmunks - Chipmunk Song
94. Robert Earl Keen - Merry Christmas From The Family
95. Kelly Clarkson - Underneath the Tree
96. Bobby Lloyd and the Skeletons - Do You Hear What I Hear/You Really Got Me
97. Johnny Mathis - Caroling Caroling/Happy Holidays
98. Mills Brothers - I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
99. Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
100. Randy Travis - Old Time Christmas
101. Oak Ridge Boys - Thank God For Kids
102. Prince - Another Lonely Christmas
103. Kenny Loggins - Celebrate Me Home
104. Elmo & Patsy - Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
105. Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans - Bells of St. Mary
106. Mabel Scott - Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
107. Hall & Oates - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
108. Fred Waring - 'Twas The Night Before Christmas
109. Miles Davis - Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)
110. Michael Buble - Grown Up Christmas List
111.  Billy Squier - Christmas Is The Time To Say "I Love You"
112. Temptations - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
113. Jimmy Buffett - Christmas Island
114. Detroit Junior - Christmas Day
115. Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero
116. Dolly Parton - Hard Candy Christmas
118. Bryan Adams - Christmas Time
119.  Alexander O'Neal - My Gift To You
120. Bing Crosby & Andrew Sisters - Mele Kalikimaka
121. Frank Sinatra - Mistletoe and Holly
122. Roches - Here We Come A Carolling
123. Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton - Christmas Without You
124. Emmylou Harris - Christmas Time's A-Coming
125.  Darlene Love - All Alone At Christmas
126.  Gayla Peevey - I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas
127.  John Mellencamp - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
128.  Luciano Pavarotti - Adeste Fideles
129.  Gene Autry - Up On The Housetop                
130.  Tom Petty - Christmas All Over Again
131. Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Canon
132. Nsync - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays
133. Stevie Wonder - What Christmas Means To Me 
134. Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me
135. Counting Crows - A Long December
136. Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rappin'
137. Kenny Rogers - Kids
138. Sounds of Blackness - Soul Holidays
139. Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
140. Pentatonix - That's Christmas To Me
141. Kinks - Father Christmas
142. La Rondallita - El Burrito de Belen
143. Andrea Bocelli - Angels We Have Heard On High
144. Faith Hill - Where Are You Christmas 
145. James Taylor - Go Tell It On The Mountain
146. John Prine - Christmas In Prison

147. Alan Jackson - Let It Be Christmas

148. Kay Starr - Man With The Bag

149. Dick Shawn - Snow Miser Song

150. Tracey Thorn - Joy

151. El DeBarge - Christmas Without You

152. Raveonettes - The Christmas Song

153. Low - Just Like Christmas

154. Marvin Gaye - Purple Snowflakes

155. Irish Rovers - Good King Wenceslas

156. Emotions - What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas Eve

157. Roger Miller - Old Toy Trains

158. Bob Seger - Sock It To Me Santa

159. George Jones & Tammy Wynette - Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus

160. Ventures - Sleigh Ride

161.  Zach Schmidt - I'm Drunk Again This Christmas

162. NRBQ - Christmas Wish

163. Elvis Presley - If Every Day Was Like Christmas

164. Everly Brothers -  Christmas Eve Can Kill You

165. George Strait - Christmas Cookies

166. Youngsters - Christmas In Jail

167. O'Jays - Christmas Ain't Christmas

168. Johnny Mathis - When A Child Is Born

169. Jim Croce - It Doesn't Have To Be That Way

170. David Lasley - This Christmas, This Year

171.  Huey "Piano" Smith - Silent Night

172. Leona Lewis - One More Sleep

173. Sia - Snowman

174. Earth, Wind & Fire - Happy Seasons

175. Pet Shop Boys - It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas

176. Jerry Butler - Little Red Shoes

177. Clarence Reid - Winter Man

178. Frank Sinatra - Christmas Waltz

179. Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation

180. Shirley Booth & Mickey Rooney - Year Without Santa Claus

181. Billy Ward & His Dominoes - Christmas In Heaven  (Jackie Wilson lead vocals)

182. Cold Crew - Rappin' Christmas

183. Nick Lowe - Christmas At The Airport

184. Peggy Lee - Christmas Spell

185. Taylor Swift - Christmas Tree Farm

186. Moonglows - Hey Santa Claus

187. Ron Sexsmith - Maybe This Christmas

2022 Uproxx Music Critics Poll

 

Once again I voted in this poll along with more than 200 other critics.

Here's the link to my 2022 ballot:

Tom Lane's Ballot

There are also links on that page to the overall albums and songs results of 2022. 

My Appearance on Rock In Retrospect Podcast

 Joined the Rock In Retrospect Podcast hosted Nick Bambach plus four other Rock Hall experts to try and predict the 2023 Rock Hall nominees.

Here's the link:

2023 Rock Hall Nominees Draft

Music List A Month (December): Favorite Overlooked Christmas Songs

 Ah, Christmas music.  Bing, Nat, Elvis, Brenda, Jose and Ray Parker Jr.  Ray Parker Jr.?  Let's face it, there's so many Christmas songs that many don't become standards.  Of those that never reach "White Christmas" popularity, many more still get airplay every year.  When I was growing up, radio didn't have a bunch of Christmas channels to choose from in all kinds of genres.  Satellite radio changed that.  As did online radio, local radio stations changing to 24 hour Christmas music in December and streaming sites.  

  Below are a list of some of my favorite Christmas songs that few remember, but that I've always loved.  Some of these might get a few spins this Christmas, but not as many as the standards you love by Nat or Dean.  But they have a warm place in my Christmas-loving heart.

Alan Jackson - Let It Be Christmas

Alexander O'Neal - My Gift To You

Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me

Billy Squier - Christmas Is The Time To Say "I Love You"

Bobby Lloyd & the Skeletons - Do You Hear What I Hear/You Really Got Me

Bryan Adams - Christmas Time

Buck Owens - Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy

Clarence Carter - Back Door Santa

Darlene Love - All Alone At Christmas

Detroit Junior - Christmas Day

Elvis Presley - If I Get Home On Christmas Day

Elvis Presley - Merry Christmas Baby (long version)

Emmylou Harris - Christmas Time's A-Comin'

Everly Brothers - Christmas Eve Can Kill You

George Jones & Tammy Wynette - Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus

Huey "Piano" Smith - Silent Night

Jerry Butler - Little Red Shoes

John Prine - Christmas In Prison

Kay Starr - Man With The Bag

Kenny Rogers - Kids

Kinks - Father Christmas

Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rappin'

Leona Lewis - One more Sleep

Louis Armstrong - 'Zat You Santa Claus

Mabel Scott - Boogie Woogie Santa Claus

Oak Ridge Boys - Thank God For Kids

Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York

Ray Parker Jr. - Christmas Time Is Here

Randy Travis - Old Time Christmas

Robert Earl Keen - Merry Christmas From The Family

Roger Miller - Old Toy Trains

Taylor Swift - Christmas Tree Farm

Tom Petty - Christmas All Over Again

Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero

Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

Playlist for 12/14

Zach Bryan - American Heartbreak 

Zach Bryan - Summertime Blues

Joe Ely - Flatland Lullaby

Lainey Wilson - Bell Bottom Country

Julie Roberts - Ain't In No Hurry

Emmylou Harris - Ballad of Sally Rose

Mary McCaslin - Way Out West

Mary McCaslin & Jim Ringer - Bramble and the Rose

Babyface - Girls Night Out

Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork

Playlist for 12/6

Bruce Springsteen - Only The Strong Survive

Broken Bells - Into The Blue

Marcus Mumford - s/t

Alvvays - Blue Rev 

Gogol Bordello - Solidaritine

Kimberly Kelly - I’ll Tell You What’s Going To Happen

Isley Brothers - Make Me Say It Again Girl

Teena Marie - Lady T

Eccentric Deep Soul - Various

Sound of 007 (2022 Documentary)

2022 Soul Train Awards (BET) 

CMT Crossroads - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (Concert)

Acts Missing A Greatest Hits Album (Updated 2022)

"Unlike proper albums, which typically have some measure of artistic pretense about them, a greatest hits compilation exists purely as a commercial proposition: all the hits in one place, perfect for casual listeners and newbies. The worst of them feel like hastily tossed-together cash grabs, but the best are so well curated in presenting a fertile period of a career that they are arguably an artist's definitive work — Madonna's The Immaculate Collection, Bob Marley and the Wailers' Legend, Squeeze's Singles 45's & Under, ABBA's Gold and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Greatest Hits all immediately come to mind. The format is a gift to artists who are better at producing singles than coherent album statements, and for cash-strapped consumers who can't go from zero to completist for any given pop star who sparks their interest." - NPR's Matthew Perpetua (7/24/19)

Up until the 2010's, you could always count on a current hitmaker to release a Greatest Hits/Anthology/Compilation album. There were still hold outs.  From the 80's, Metallica and AC/DC have never released a compilation.  From the 90's? Beck, Phish. Sure, European labels continue to release compilations on acts that came before the 1990's.  But the streaming era has ended the need for listeners to seek out a hits album.  Even in the case of Metallica & AC/DC, you can now stream a playlist of their most popular songs. Spotify has This Is & Essentials playlists for most acts.

Record companies love Greatest Hits albums.  An easy way to repackage old songs into a one-stop shop for fans and casual record buyers.  There was a reason so many were released around Christmas time.  

My own record collection is full of Greatest Hits albums.  Even by acts that produced classic albums.  But it has been a few years since I added a 2000 era acts' greatest hits to my collection.  

Below are some of my picks.  I've also included acts that were popular before the streaming age. And acts that have Greatest Hits sets, but whose last anthologies were years ago (e.g.Willie Nelson).  

AC/DC

Adele

Animal Collective
Anthony Hamilton

Arcade Fire

Ariana Grande

Avett Brothers

Beck

Beyonce

Black Keys

Bruno Mars

Chills

Coldplay

Daft Punk

Damon Albarn (a compilation of all his Blur side project bands)
Darius Rucker (solo Country hits)

Dawes

Drake

Ed Sheeran
Eric Church

Fall Out Boy
Florida Georgia Line

Fountains of Wayne & Adam Schlesinger (music outside of FOW)

Frank Ocean

Gillian Welch

Jason Aldean

Jason Isbell

Jenny Lewis

John Prine (post 00’s)

Kanye West

Katy Perry

Kings of Leon

Lady A (Lady Antebellum)

Lady Gaga

Lana Del Rey
Ledisi

Lil Wayne

Little Big Town

Lori McKenna

Lucinda Williams

Mandy Barnett

Mavericks (post 00’s)

Mayer Hawthorne (including Tuxedo)

Maxwell

Mekons

Miranda Lambert

Missy Elliot

Metallica

My Morning Jacket

National

New Pornographers
One Direction

Phish

Rancid

Raphael Saadiq

Rilo Kiley

Robyn

Shins

Steve Earle (post 90's material)

Taylor Swift

TV On The Radio

Vampire Weekend

Van Hunt

Willie Nelson (post 00's)

RIP Christine McVie

 Stevie Nicks was the Rock Star and Lindsey Buckingham the studio genius. But Christine McVie was the soul of Fleetwood Mac.  A calming presence, both in her songs and persona amidst a band known for its high drama.  Christine McVie was responsible for more Top 40 Fleetwood Mac songs than Buckingham & Nicks.  But her understated nature often got overlooked.  Yet her songs never did.  Starting with their self-titled album in 1975, she began to hone her skills as a soft Rock composer and singer.  "Over My Head", her first hit record with FM is my favorite of her self-penned songs.  

  One can't discount her pre-1975 years with the Mac.  The template for all her hit records was their from the time she joined the group in 1970.  Songs like "Spare A Little Of Your Love" (1972) and "Come A Little Closer" (1974) were should have been hits.  The key to all her songs was her soulful voice and calming delivery.  

  Once Fleetwood Mac finally took off so did their presence on Top 40 radio.  And McVie had more of those than either Nicks or Buckingham.  There's too many gems to mention, but here's just a few that I've always loved: "Hold Me", "Songbird", "Little Lies", "Everywhere", "Got A Hold On Me", "Say You Love Me" and so many more.

 There's a part of me that feels that Christine McVie was an underrated presence in Rock history.  That even being in one of the most popular Rock bands ever she never got her due.  But I bet she would disagree.  It's not that she wasn't part of the soap opera of the Mac.  She was married then divorced the bass player while in the band. But she never seemed to be in conflict with any member of the group. Content with her keyboards, playing the songs that made Fleetwood Mac legends.  She was Christine Perfect.