From Hannah Ellis To Sarah Reeves: This Year’s Perfect Last-Minute Christmas Playlist

We know that your distant family is coming in town for the holidays, so you need some good Christmas music to give them a great holiday welcome. Lucky for you, we have 9 2021 Christmas releases that are sure to do the trick!

Stars Go Dim ft. Hannah Ellis “Home”

Formed in 2007 as a mainstream pop band, today Stars Go Dim is the moniker for Christian pop artist and songwriter Chris Cleveland. After years at the helm of an acclaimed independent secular band and more than a decade leading worship at Tulsa’s Asbury United Methodist Church—one of America’s largest congregations—Cleveland found success in the Christian format with his self-titled debut album. The singer has garnered multiple International #1’s and Top 5 hits at pop and Christian radio, including the massive No. 1 radio smash in the U.S. with “You Are Loved.” Chris and his songs have been nominated and won multiple awards, including CMT, NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) listener’s choice award, ASCAP, & Billboard songwriting award winners, and Dove Award-nominated. His songs have hundreds of millions of streams and have been placed in commercials and ads hundreds of times. In addition, Chris has toured the world, written, and played with many of the biggest artists in pop and Christian music in the last 15 years, including Justin Bieber, John Mayer, The GooGoo Dolls, Elton John, Billy Joel, Jason DeRulo, The Fray, Natasha Bedingfield, The Roots, Lauren Daigle, For King & Country, Bethel Music, Mav City and countless more. Poised to release his newest project, Grace In The Wilderness, throughout the next year, Chris also continues to write songs recorded by many of today’s biggest artists and worship groups. You can see Chris on tour supporting his music and keep up with him online at www.StarsGoDim.com, or on Instagram or Facebook at STARS GO DIM. 

Gemma Brooke Allen “Happier At Christmas”

Her first ever single is a holiday one? A true Christmas miracle! Gemma is a rising acting star, who recently starred as the lead in the Netflix film “Mixtape”. The jolly single, which was exclusively released on Just Jared Jr, is one of the best holiday songs to come out of this year.

Sarah Reeves ft Clark Beckham “Winter Wonderland”

Pop artist and songwriter Sarah Reeves signed her first record deal at age 18. For more than a decade, in addition to pursuing her own artistry, she has dedicated a vast portion of her career to writing songs for other artists and TV and film. Her music has appeared in Disney Plus and National Geographics six-part original series “Welcome To Earth,” starring Will Smith; Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon international trailer, promos for “American Idol” and UFC, and on television series across major networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and Netflix, among others. Reeves has also been featured on tracks by high-profile DJs, including Gattüso, Laidback Luke, and Justice Skolnik. Having amassed more than 45.6 million career on-demand streams, the Curb | Word Entertainment artist has garnered 22.5 million Pandora lifetime streams and over 35.4 million YouTube views to date. Sarah’s latest album release, Life Love & Madness, which debuted Top 5 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Album chart, is available now.

Tim Dugger “Christmas In Dixie”

Curb Records recording artist, Country Music singer/songwriter, and Alabama-native Tim Dugger grew up on NASCAR racing, Gospel singing, and classic Country music. He developed a genuine love for songwriting and storytelling during summers spent at his local music store jamming with bluegrass pickers. After being introduced to former NASCAR driver and team owner Richard Childress, Dugger was off to the races, playing his original songs at nearly every major track in America. Along the way, he cultivated an unapologetic artistic identity, rooted in the music of his childhood idols like Merle Haggard, Vern Gosdin, Hank Williams, and Alan Jackson. Dugger’s new six-song EP, Signs of a Good Time, produced by Dan Huff protégé Brandon Hood is available now.

Rod + Rose “Mary Had A Little Lamb”

She was a rock & roll princess, whose first record deal was at 15 and whose songs have been recorded by Faith Hill, Lady A, and Eric Paslay. He is the established country voice of multiple 4-week chart-toppers; a working man’s songwriter who understands how real people feel. Together they are Rod & Rose, the merging of lean writing and pure poetry, straight-up country intertwined with a little bit of roots.

For Rodney Atkins and Rose Falcon – married since 2013 – it’s the perfect merger of love, songs, life, and the way two people from different places perfectly complement one another. In a world where differences often drive a wedge, these two use those things to create a whole that embraces it all. And they sound so good doing it.

Carla Williams ft. Billy Dean “Merry Christmas, Darling”

Carla Williams, a Mobile, AL native, mother of four, entrepreneur, model, and singer. Many people hold one of these titles, but few could do it all. This Bayou-based songstress has been performing since she was three years old logging her first appearance in front of an audience at her childhood church. Carla has always written or chosen to sing songs that related to her own life. “If I sing it, I have lived it.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you sound like Karen Carpenter?”

Carla had heard this throughout her music career and is currently gearing up for the release of “A Tribute To The Carpenters.” The album is comprised of 15 covers of original Carpenters tunes and includes special guest duets, with Sir Cliff Richard, Toto’s, Steve Lukather, and Chicago’s Bill Champlin and Jeff Coffey. Backed by lush arrangements, her voice bright, warm, and rich just like Karen Carpenters’, Carla glides through classics such as “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Rainbow Connection,” and more. Set to be released in 2022

The album also includes the Carpenters’ classic Christmas song “Merry Christmas Darling,” and country star Billy Dean joined Carla for a deluxe version of the group’s No. 1 holiday hit.

The Twangtown Paramours “My Gingerbread Man”

The Twangtown Paramours is an award-winning American band, the core of which is husband and wife, Mike T. Lewis and MaryBeth Zamer from Nashville.  Mike and MaryBeth are three-time Kerrville finalists and winners of Texas’s Wildflower Contest. The Twangtown Paramours are excited to release their new retro Blues and Americana album, Double Down on a Bad Thing. The project represents a new and energetic musical direction for them. This full-band album is largely early1960’s sounding and upbeat. Influences of the Beatles and Memphis blues are prominent, but those sounds are re-interpreted and combined to form something new. The Twangers have plans to follow up the album with a tour.

In Double Down on a Bad Thing, the Twangtown Paramours seem to ask their audience to remember when catchy pop melody and great blues-influenced groove served as the soundtrack of a dynamic America and Europe and of forward-thinking societies. If positive and energetic music can lead to a positive attitude and action in trying times, this is the album to do it. If not, it will at least cheer people up.

Exile “Joyous Noise”

Written by Exile’s JP Pennington and Sonny LeMaire, along with Nashville Songwriter Hall Of Fame member, Sharon Vaughn “Joyful Noise” is all about the sounds of Christmas that make memories come rushing back.  The song is the title track off of their new 8 song release, Joyful Noise on Clearwater Records, and is available on all digital outlets.

Frank Myers “If Everyday Could Be Christmas”

This last track is from award-winning songwriter, artist, and producer, Frank Myers. Frank wrote this song with his longtime writing partner, Gary Baker and Anthony Little.  They were trying to write a Christmas song that would remind people of the classics and I think they accomplished their mission.  Frank share this about the track, “To me, there is not a more magical time of the year than at Christmas! People are more loving, caring and giving than any other time. If we could just carry that feeling “all through the year” I think the world would be a much better place,” expressed Frank Myers.

Happy Holidays everyone!-The New Scene Team 🙂