• 12 Days of Christmas: The One Unmatched Christmas Song, 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'

    So, it's Christmas Eve, the lead-up to the big day. We've counted down the best Christmas songs from 12 to two, ranging from somber carols like "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" to the super upbeat, like "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree." Of course, for the final day, there's only one song to talk about. With countless holiday tracks and even more covers, it's hard to think of one song that remains untouchable, despite covers. So, what Christmas song goes without competition? The answer is obvious, of course: Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You."

  • 12 Days of Christmas: 3 Best Versions of 'O Holy Night'

    "O Holy Night" is one of the oldest Christmas carols, originally penned by French songwriter Adolphe Adam in 1847, based on a French poem. The song has since been altered, and today's best known version was written by minister John Sullivan Dwight. Full of huge vocal swells and big musical moments, every rendition of the song is special. But whose comes out on top?

  • 12 Days of Christmas: 4 Best Versions of 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town'

    It's the Friday before Christmas, and that means that jolly ol' Saint Nick is soon to be on his way. Holiday parties, family gift exchanges, children peaking in closets... it all kicks into high gear this weekend. So, that means only one thing... Santa Claus is coming to town! And wouldn't it be great if there were a holiday song specifically about that event? With only four days left until Christmas, let's celebrate with the four best versions of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town."

  • Jillette Johnson reflects on the journey to 'Water In A Whale'

    It's a cold November night in Brooklyn. Singer-songwriter Jillette Johnson is back home, finally. She has laundry to pick up and a show to prepare for. We meet at the Blue Bottle Coffee shop around the corner from her home to talk about the year she's had. It's been a big one for Johnson, who released her first full-length album, Water In A Whale, this past June. She's been touring extensively and is happy to be playing a show in her hood.

  • 12 Days of Christmas: 6 Best Boy Band & Girl Group Christmas Songs

    We're halfway through our countdown to Christmas, so why not shake things up for an evening? For day 7, instead of looking at the six best versions of a singular Christmas song, Music Times will instead remember another Christmas tradition: the boy band/girl group Christmas single.

  • Carolyn Menyes' 2013 Playlist: Bear's Den, Lady Gaga, Janelle Monae and More

    Music Times, like so many other music publications, was looking to publish a "Best of 2013" playlist. We met to discuss what such a playlist should include, and that's where we ran into trouble. We couldn't agree. Sometimes two of us just couldn't agree on whether the performer was amazing or terrible, and even when we agreed they were amazing, we couldn't agree on what track was most representative of their work.

  • Jon Niles' 2013 Playlist: Drake, The National and Tennis

    Music Times, like so many other music publications, was looking to publish a "Best of 2013" playlist. We met to discuss what such a playlist should include, and that's where we ran into trouble. We couldn't agree. Sometimes two of us just couldn't agree on whether the performer was amazing or terrible, and even when we agreed they were amazing, we couldn't agree on what track was most representative of their work. Hence it was decided that rather than try to agree (a seemingly impossible endeavor), everyone would get their own "favorites of 2013" playlist. We won't argue that these are necessarily the best tracks of the last year, but they're definitely songs that caught our respective attention and caused us to hit 'repeat" over and over and over again.

  • 12 Days of Christmas: 8 Best Versions and Parodies of 'Twelve Days of Christmas'

    Just eight days remain until Christmas, and since this series is titled after the 12 Days of Christmas, how about we look at the traditional carol based off the ultimate Christmas countdown? Originally written as a traditional carol in the 18th century, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" has an unknown origin (thought to be from France or England) and has become a major holiday player over the years. With cumulative lyrics, the song has lent itself to numerous parodies and covers over the years.
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