Yeah, I know it’s a little early for Christmas (especially since we haven’t even seen Halloween!), but most of these albums were written and recorded months, sometime years, in advance. In order for them to make it to market in that coveted December timeframe, they have to make the album(s) available as early as September to November.

Here are a few Christmas albums coming your way. I will occasionally put together more Xmas albums for 2013, at least up until “Black Friday”.

CELTIC WOMAN
celticwoman.com

If you haven’t gotten around to buying Celtic Woman’s Home for Christmas last year, then you’d be pleased that the album is released today (10/29) in a deluxe package. The new special edition will contain the original album and a band-new Live from Dublin on DVD.

The DVD is a real treat, because after seeing them live in Minneapolis, I can stand behind that their live show is one of the best I’ve seen. I can only imagine, especially with the professional filming, that the DVD will carry over some of that magic from the Dublin show.

Look for the Irish women on tour. Their band new “The Emerald Tour” will start in February 2014. Based on their tour schedule, the ladies are never ‘home for Christmas’.

Never-ending tour dates:

04/14/13 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Theatre
11/22/13 Las Vegas, NV Venetian Resort
11/23/13 Las Vegas, NV Venetian Resort
11/27/13 Las Vegas, NV Venetian Resort
11/28/13 Las Vegas, NV Venetian Resort
11/30/13 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
12/01/13 Newport News, VA Ferguson Center
12/03/13 Charleston, WV Clay Center
12/04/13 Bethlehem, PA Sands Bethlehem Event
12/05/13 Shippensburg, PA H. Ric Luhrs
12/06/13 Rama, ON Casino Rama
12/07/13 Rama, ON Casino Rama
12/09/13 Lynn, MA Lynn Memorial Aud
12/10/13 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre
12/13/13 Mulvane, KS Kansas Star Arena
12/14/13 Dallas, TX Music Hall At Fair Park
12/15/13 Dallas, TX Music Hall
12/17/13 Greenville, SC Peace Center
12/19/13 Carmel, IN Palladium
12/20/13 Hammond, IN Venue
12/22/13 Atlanta, GA Symphony Hall
01/12/14 Boondall, Aus Brisbane Ent
01/15/14 Newcastle, Aus Newcastle Ent
01/16/14 Wollongong, Aus Win Ent
01/17/14 Darling Harbour, Aus Sydney Ent
01/18/14 Canberra, Aus Royal Theatre
01/19/14 Melbourne, Aus Hamer Hall
01/21/14 Hindmarsh, Aus Adelaide Entertain
01/24/14 Perth, Australia Riverside Theatre
02/14/14 Nashville, TN James K. Polk Theater
02/15/14 Nashville, TN James K. Polk Theater
02/16/14 Huntsville, AL Von Braun Center
02/18/14 Montgomery, AL Montgomery Perf
02/20/14 Macon, GA Macon City Auditorium
02/21/14 Pensacola, FL Saenger Theatre
02/22/14 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
02/23/14 Melbourne, FL King Center
02/25/14 Lakeland, FL Youkey Theatre
02/27/14 Daytona Beach, FL Peabody Aud
02/28/14 Jacksonville, FL Times-Union Center
03/01/14 Gainesville, FL Univ. Of FL Phillips Center
03/02/14 Columbia, SC Township Auditorium
03/04/14 North Charleston, SC N. Charleston Perf.
03/06/14 Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium
03/07/14 Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Aud
03/08/14 Durham, NC Durham Performing
03/09/14 Roanoke, VA Roanoke Performing
03/11/14 Richmond, KY EKU Center For The Arts

03/13/14 Elizabeth, IN Horseshoe Southern
03/14/14 St. Louis, MO Fabulous Fox Theatre
03/15/14 Green Bay, WI Weidner Center
03/16/14 Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre
03/17/14 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
03/19/14 Saskatoon, SK TCU Place
03/21/14 Edmonton, AB Edmonton EXPO Centre
03/22/14 Calgary, AB Jack Singer Concert Hall
03/23/14 Abbotsford, BC Abbotsford Ent’ment
03/25/14 Everett, WA Comcast Arena
03/26/14 Eugene, OR Hult Center
03/28/14 Sacramento, CA Memorial Aud
03/29/14 Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre
03/30/14 Ontario, CA Citizens Business
03/31/14 San Diego, CA Copley Symphony Hall
04/01/14 Costa Mesa, CA Segerstrom Center
04/07/14 Tucson, AZ Tucson Music Hall
04/08/14 Tempe, AZ Gammage Auditorium
04/09/14 Albuquerque, NM Popejoy Hall
04/10/14 El Paso, TX Abraham Chavez Theatre
04/13/14 Houston, TX Hobby Center
04/14/14 Corpus Christi, TX Selena Auditorium
04/15/14 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
04/17/14 Tulsa, OK Mabee Center Arena
04/19/14 Denver, CO Denver Coliseum
04/22/14 Greeley, CO Monfort Concert Hall
04/23/14 Cheyenne, WY Cheyenne Civic Center
04/24/14 Colorado Springs, CO Pikes Peak Center
04/26/14 Lawrence, KS Lied Center Of Kansas
04/27/14 Sioux City, IA Orpheum Theatre
05/01/14 Rockford, IL Coronado Performing
05/02/14 Peoria, IL Peoria Civic Center Arena
05/03/14 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theatre
05/06/14 Evansville, IN The Centre
05/08/14 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre
05/09/14 Ann Arbor, MI Michigan Theater
05/10/14 Saginaw, MI Arena
05/11/14 Columbus, OH Palace Theatre
05/13/14 Cincinnati, OH Aronoff Center
05/14/14 Akron, OH Akron Civic Theatre
05/17/14 Pittsburgh, PA Benedum Center
05/18/14 Dayton, OH Schuster Performing
05/20/14 Williamsport, PA Community Arts
05/27/14 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre
05/29/14 Burlington, VT Flynn Center
05/30/14 Bangor, ME Darling’s Waterfront
06/03/14 Albany, NY Palace Theatre
06/07/14 Lancaster, PA American Music Theatre

KELLY CLARKSON
kellyclarkson.com

Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson very first Christmas album, Wrapped In Red, is out today, October 29th.

Also a first, will be her NBC Christmas special, taping tomorrow (10/30) at the Venetian in Las Vegas. I am assuming the special will air sometime closer to Christmas time.

Wrapped In Red Track listing:

Wrapped In Red
Underneath The Tree
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Run Run Rudolph
Please Come Home For Christmas (Bells Will Be Ringing)
Every Christmas
Blue Christmas
Baby, It’s Cold Outside featuring Ronnie Dunn
Winter Dreams (Brandon’s Song)
White Christmas
My Favorite Things
4 Carats
Just For Now
Silent Night featuring Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood

MARY J. BLIGE
maryjblige.com

Speaking of firsts, Mary J Blige’s very first Christmas album is being released on December 2nd on Verve Records.

The Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist Mary J. Blige teams up with a variety of stars (Jessie J, Clark Sisters, Barbara Streisand, and Marc Anthony) to produce A Mary Christmas.

Track-listing:

Little Drummer Boy
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
My Favourite Things
This Christmas
The Christmas Song
Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer
When You Wish Upon A Star – duet with Barbra Streisand
Winter Wonderland
Do You Hear What I Hear – duet with Jessie J
Petit Papa Noël
The First Noel – duet with The Clark Sisters
Noche de Paz – duet with Marc Anthony

LEONA LEWIS
leonalewismusic.com

Even more “first ever” Christmas albums, Christmas, With Love, by Grammy-nominated recording artist Leona Lewis, is coming out December 3rd on Syco/RCA Records.

This album contains the typical Christmas standards, but will also include three brand new original holiday songs.

Leona had this to add about the album, “This has been such a busy year for me having been on tour, shooting my first movie and being in the studio. But I cannot wait to get out there this Christmas and perform these songs. I had such fun recording this record and that really comes through in the songs. I am looking forward to spreading a little Christmas cheer!”

Track listing:

One More Sleep
Winter Wonderland
White Christmas
Your Hallelujah
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Mr. Right
O Holy Night
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
Ave Maria
Silent Night

ELIZABETH CHAN
lizchanchristmas.com

Elizabeth Chan annual Holiday album just kicked off last week with her Everyday Holidays (Merry Bright Music), the follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut EP, Naughty & Nice.

Instead of focusing on the usual Christmas cover songs, Chan writes original Christmas music. Look for her music to be featured on an upcoming Keeping Up With The Kardashians: Christmas Special on E!.

Track listing: