Apple Music announces exclusive holiday-themed programming

Ring in the holidays with Apple Music

Apple Music is helping customers around the world celebrate the holiday season with an exclusive holiday album, a series of festive original playlists, music videos, exclusive holiday-themed radio shows, and special holiday-edition interviews with music icons.

On Friday, December 4th, Apple Music Hits, Apple Music’s new radio station, will host its first-ever “Mariah Day,” with on-air talent playing their favorite Maria Carey tracks and mixes all day. Apple Music will also celebrate the release of the Apple TV+ spectacular Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special, showcasing the “Oh Santa!” soundtrack single and music video featuring Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson. On Monday, December 7th, Apple Music’s flagship radio anchor Zane Lowe will sit down with Mariah Carey for an Apple Music exclusive interview. The two will take fans through Carey’s personally curated playlist of favorite holiday songs, and discuss her new music and recent memoir. Then on December 25th, Carey will appear on Apple Music Hits for a six hour Holiday Hits special, featuring her most beloved festive songs, and introduce the new version of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” from the Apple TV+ special. She’ll also share her own holiday memories, alongside additional artists and Apple Music radio hosts with their own Christmas messages for fans.

Continuing the festivities, Apple Music has developed an exclusive holiday album, Carols Covered, featuring today’s hottest artists spanning musical genres. Produced by Apple Music’s team of world-class experts and tastemakers, these artists offer their own personal twist on classic holiday songs. The complete Carols Covered lineup includes: beabadoobee’s “Winter Wonderland,” James Blake’s “In the Bleak Midwinter,” Fivio Foreign’s “Baddie on My Wishlist,” FLETCHER’s “Silent Night,” GIVĒON’s “O Christmas Tree,” Mickey Guyton’s “O Holy Night,” Jax Jones’s “Ave Maria,” Victoria Monét’s “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” Ozuna’s “Feliz Navidad,” and Arlo Parks’s “Last Christmas.”

Apple Music radio is a must-listen for music fans getting into the holiday spirit. Zane Lowe will host a special holiday edition of his acclaimed At Home With series, including interviews with Andrea Bocelli, Bad Bunny, Mariah Carey, Dan + Shay, Foo Fighters, Lady A, Lil Nas X, Annie Lennox, Dolly Parton, Pentatonix, Gwen Stefani, Tegan and Sara, Meghan Trainor, Carrie Underwood, and Tierra Whack. Apple Music radio is home to exclusive holiday-themed radio shows hosted by some of today’s biggest artists — among them, Jimmie Allen, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Billie Eilish, Brett Eldredge, Mark Hoppus, Issa Rae, Meghan Trainor, and Shania Twain — sharing their own holiday memories and spinning their favorite winter tunes. These shows will air across Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country from November 30th through New Year’s.

Apple Music TV will play holiday-themed music videos all day on December 24th and 25th, so fans can watch and listen to their favorite modern classics, including Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run,” Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe,” Boyz II Men’s “Let It Snow,” Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” Eric Clapton’s “White Christmas,” Lauren Daigle’s “Winter Wonderland,” Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me,” Gucci Mane’s “St. Brick,” Mickey Guyton’s “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” John Legend’s “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” Pentatonix’s “Amazing Grace,” and more.

For anyone looking outside the annual holiday standards, let Apple Music be the DJ. Whether cooking, decorating, throwing living-room dance parties, using FaceTime with loved ones, or just making time for quiet introspection, with more than 60 holiday-themed song sets, there’s an Apple Music playlist waiting. From family-friendly fare like The Kids Table and Holiday Movie Hits to favorites like Rasta Claus is Coming to Town and Mariachi Christmas, just push play and let Apple Music fill the season with cheer.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com