Your Guide to the Season's Best New Holiday Albums

Every December a Santa's sack of new holiday albums are released. Here are our picks for the best of the bunch this season!

For the country music maven:

• Elvis Presley, Elvis Christmas Duets

Says Nick Dedina on Rhapsody.com: "People still love Elvis. People will always love Elvis. Modern stars like Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood and Amy Grant love the great man so much they've pumped his voice in from beyond the grave, pulling off some digital trickery and get to duet with their hero on a set of Christmas classics. Like the Dean Martin duets set from 2007, this one actually works better than it has any right to. While disgruntled old-timers may wonder why you don't just listen to the unfettered Elvis holiday originals, this will do in a pinch." [Rhapsody.com]

For the traditionalist:

• Faith Hill, Joy to the World

Rhapsody.com's country editor Linda Ryan notes: "If you're expecting a honky-tonk Christmas, Joy to the World is not it. Hill plays this one straight, employing big band flourishes on up-tempo numbers such as "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "Winter Wonderland" and "Holly Jolly Christmas." But it works -- those are some of the most fun songs in the collection. On the flip side, slow songs such as "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "O Holy Night" are approached with as much reverence as if Hill was singing them in church, adding the right touch of serenity to this holiday collection." [Rhapsody.com]

For the neo jazz hound:

• Harry Connick, Jr., What a Night! A Christmas Album

 "This is the third Christmas record under Harry Connick Jr.'s belt. This time out, Connick brings the spirit and sound of New Orleans to the holiday season. The city is such a diverse place that every tune has its own feel and comes wrapped in a different style. Whether playing jazz instrumentals, paying tribute to Satchmo on "Zat You Santa Claus" or singing about stretching the Christmas spirit into the rest of our lives ("Let There Be Peace on Earth"), Connick shows that he just keeps growing as an artist." [Nick Dedina, Rhapsody.com]

 For the old school big band lover:

• Tony Bennett, A Swingin' Christmas Featuring the Count Basie Big Band

"Tony Bennett's love affair with Count Basie's band has lasted longer than the great Basie himself. On this delightful holiday platter, Bennett sits in with Basie's orchestra and show's everyone how it's done -- relax, be yourself and swing through Christmas and straight into the New Year. Monty Alexander holds down Basie's place at the piano while West Coast stalwart Bill Holman writes most of the charts. The album shines with Bennett's innate musicality and decency. You aren't ever going to hear better versions of "Silver Bells" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" anywhere." [Nick Dedina, Rhapsody.com]