Christmas Is in the Air and It Is on the Air!

With the Christmas season in full swing, let’s take a look at some of the new music you might download and that you may hear over Christian radio.

As you know, many Christian artists will introduce a Christmas song or two on a compilation project. This can lead to a full Christmas CD in the future. Well that future is now for Francesca Battistelli. She released a couple of singles over the past few years and for Christmas 2012 she gives us Christmas.

Included in the mix of traditional and original tunes are “Heaven Everywhere” and “Christmas Is”. The pop/country/ballad sounds we have come to love from Battistelli are present and accounted for on this new album.

Other new, full projects you will find this year are:

Joy by Steven Curtis Chapman, which includes a fresh version of “Joy to the World” and several originals including “Christmas Time Again.”

Christmas: God With Us by Jeremy Camp is an album full of can’t miss songs including a rockin’ “Jingle Bell Rock” and the extremely well-written title track.

Christmas Stories: Repeat the Sounding Joy by Jason Gray who is always a clever song-writer. Gray doesn’t disappoint. Be listening for the radio single “Christmas Is Coming” from this one.

It’s Christmas by Mandisa is an excellent mixture of up-tempo tunes and slower ballads showcasing the incredibly powerful vocals of Mandisa. “Somebody’s Angel” fits the ballad category to a tee.

Noel, by Josh Wilson, showcases his ability as a wonderful singer/songwriter, but boy can he play that guitar — and just about anything else with strings! Highlights include a new version of the instrumental “The First Noel” and the brand new “Once A Year.”

Also new this year are songs from

• Sidewalk Prophets, “For King & Country”

• Sanctus Real, Kari Jobe, Group 1 Crew, Hillsong and an EP from Mikeschair.

Log in to your favorite online music store and download to your heart’s (or ears’) content!