The perennial “how early is too early to listen?” debates exist, in part, because there is a glut of really great Christmas music in the world. Too much, some argue, to confine it to only one month of the year. But it’s December now, and Advent begins tomorrow (Sunday, December 2), so this year’s debates are over. It’s officially time to start listening to Christmas music.
To that end, I have curated a new playlist of 111 Advent songs. Not “holiday” songs, mind you. Advent songs. You won’t find “Deck the Halls” or “Let It Snow” on this list (lovely as they are). But you will find songs that beautifully capture the theological gravitas of this season in the Christian calendar—a season that is about both joy and longing, celebration and expectation, gratitude and petition.
The songs on this list include both centuries-old classics and recent originals. Many are somber and contemplative, appropriately subdued in the face of the majesty and mystery of the “God with us” incarnation. Others are jubilant and musically maximalist, appropriately grandiose in the face of the “Gloria in excelsis Deo!” worship that the birth of Christ demands.
You can find all 111 songs in this playlist on Spotify. I pray this 7-plus hours of music will bless you and your loved ones during this and future Advent seasons.
- “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” Future of Forestry
- “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Robbie Seay Band
- “Love’s Coming Down (Isaiah),” Melanie Penn
- “Isaiah 11,” Rain for Roots
- “Emmanuel (Every Promise Yes in Him),” Caroline Cobb
- “Sing We the Song of Emmanuel,” Matt Boswell
- “Song of Zechariah,” The Gospel Coalition
- “The Coming of Jah,” Low
- “Comfort, Comfort Now My People,” Page CXVI
- “Joy to the World,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Oh for Joy,” Folk Hymnal
- “Joy,” 116, Abe Parker, Lecrae, Trip Lee
- “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” Belle and Sebastian
- “Hope,” The Brilliance
- “O Magnum Mysterium,” Morten Lauridsen
- “The Light Came Down,” Josh Garrels
- “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light,” Choir of King’s College (Cambridge)
- “Light of the World,” Lauren Daigle
- “A Light,” The Brilliance
- “Mary’s Song,” Robbie Seay Band
- “Mary Consoles Eve,” Rain for Roots, Sandra McCracken
- “Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song),” Amy Grant
- “The Earth Stood Still,” Future of Forestry
- “Silent Night,” Sojourn
- “O Holy Night,” Nat King Cole
- “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!” Choir of King’s College (Cambridge)
- “Silent Night,” Over the Rhine
- “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence,” The Modern Post
- “Noel,” Lauren Daigle and Chris Tomlin
- “First Noel,” Leslie Odom Jr.
- “Angels We Have Heard On High,” Sarah McLachlan
- “Gloria,” Josh Garrels
- “In Dulci Jubilo,” 14th century traditional
- “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!” The Eagle and Child
- “Gift of Love (Angel Chorus),” Melanie Penn
- “O Come,” 116, CASS, nobigdyl, Tedashii
- “O Come All Ye Faithful,” Johnnnyswim
- “Lo, How a Rose ‘Ere Blooming,” Penny and Sparrow
- “There is No Rose of Such Virtue,” Sting
- “With Us,” MissionSong feat. Satoya Foster
- “Handel’s Messiah,” Jenny & Tyler
- “Unto Us,” JJ Heller
- “O Holy Night,” Future of Forestry
- “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” Young Oceans
- “Exult in the Savior’s Birth,” Matt Boswell
- “What Child is This Anyway?” Sufjan Stevens
- “Child of Love,” Sara Groves
- “Who Would Have Dreamed?” Sovereign Grace Music
- “Little Town,” Over the Rhine
- “City of David,” The Gray Havens
- “Once in Royal David’s City,” Choir of King’s College (Cambridge)
- “Messiah,” Bifrost Arts
- “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem,” Nat King Cole
- “Cradle in Bethlehem,” Sleeping At Last
- “The Friendly Beasts,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Coventry Carol,” Pentatonix
- “What Child Is This / The Holly and the Ivy,” Bing Crosby
- “Away in a Manger,” Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors
- “Manger Throne,” Third Day
- “The Cradle and the Cross,” Austin Stone Worship
- “God Made Low,” Sovereign Grace Music
- “Immanuel,” Folk Hymnal
- “Midwinter,” Audrey Assad
- “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” Ella Fitzgerald
- “Creator of the Stars at Night,” High Street Hymns
- “Still Still Still,” Future of Forestry
- “I Wonder and I Wander,” Chanticleer
- “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” Amy Grant
- “Star of Wonder,” Kurt Elling
- “Oh, Watch the Stars,” Elizabeth Mitchell, Aoife O’Donovan
- “Written on the Sky,” Max Richter
- “Star of Wonder,” JJ Heller
- “We Three Kings,” 116, Abe Parker, Lecrae, Paul Russell
- “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Future of Forestry
- “Awake My Soul, Awake My Tongue,” Page CXVI
- “Hosanna,” Josh Garrels
- “Peace Peace,” Sara Groves
- “This Is the Christ,” Sandra McCracken
- “Jesus Born on This Day,” Mariah Carey
- “Pie Jesu,” Future of Forestry
- “Lo, How a Rose ‘Ere Blooming,” Young Oceans
- “Joy Has Dawned,” Kings
- “Hymn 87: Welcome Happy Morning,” Hanan Townshend
- “O Sacred and Immortal Day,” Leigh Nash
- “Unto Us Is Born a Son,” Choir of King’s College (Cambridge)
- “Advent Hymn,” Christy Nockels
- “Little Drummer Boy,” Shane & Shane
- “Nun komm der Heiden Heiland,” comp. Michael Praetorius; lyrics by Martin Luther
- “A Mighty Fortress / Angels We Have Heard on High,” Amy Grant
- “Come Light Our Hearts,” Sandra McCracken
- “Cradle Hymn,” Elizabeth Mitchell
- “Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus,” George Frideric Handel
- “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” Bing Crosby
- “Lift Up Your Head Ye Mighty Gates,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Oh Children Come,” Keith & Kristyn Getty
- “I Wait,” All Sons and Daughters
- “Wait for You,” Rivers & Robots
- “She Waits,” The Gray Havens
- “Wait for the Lord,” Taizé
- “Every Valley (It’s Hard to Wait),” Rain for Roots, Flo Paris
- “How Long?” Bifrost Arts
- “The Gates (Among the Ruins),” Young Oceans
- “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” Rain for Roots, Sandra McCracken, Skye Peterson
- “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” Page CXVI
- “Come to Us Lord,” Young Oceans
- “White Horse,” Over the Rhine
- “Justice Delivers Its Death,” Sufjan Stevens
- “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” Caroline Cobb, Sean Carter
- “All Bells in Paradise,” John Rutter
- “Joy to the World,” Future of Forestry
- “All Glory Be to Christ,” Kings