Festive new releases include reissues and revamped duets
When the first unmistakable notes of “White Christmas” drift from a speaker each December, it signals that the holiday season has truly begun. More than 80 years after the legendary Bing Crosby first introduced what would become his signature song on screen in the 1942 film Holiday Inn, his eternal, sonorous croon continues to be synonymous with the sound of the holidays.
Written by Irving Berlin, “White Christmas” remains the best-selling single in history, with more than 100 million sales worldwide, including at least 50 million sales as singles. Certified diamond by the RIAA and streamed hundreds of millions of times annually, the perennial holiday favorite, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards, continues to re-enter Billboard’s Holiday 100 in the Top 20 each year, standing as both a historical milestone and an enduring part of popular culture. With its timeless message of longing and homecoming, Crosby’s performance, capturing both nostalgia and hope with his warm, effortless delivery, remains the emotional foundation for every holiday recording that followed.
This holiday season, Crosby’s yuletide music and singular legacy is being bolstered with a slew of new vinyl releases, an inspired and innovative duet with country superstar Lainey Wilson, a digital holiday card collection, and more, all as the King of Christmas’ Hawaiian-flavored hit, “Mele Kalikimaka,” celebrates 75 years of providing tropical holiday vibes.
Ahead of the holidays, UMe has just reissued several of Crosby’s holiday recordings on an exciting array of vinyl. “White Christmas” is now available as a seven-inch pressed on Snow White color vinyl backed with “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” on the B-side. The 45 single is available individually or as part of the Classic Holiday Singles box, which gathers 14 color seven-inch singles from The Beach Boys, Brenda Lee, Chuck Berry, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Nat King Cole, Paul McCartney, and more, in a vintage-inspired candy cane red and white striped carrying case.
The beloved soundtrack to Holiday Inn and Selections from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (1954) also return on color vinyl — Festive Blue & White and Festive White, respectively. Holiday Inn features the 12 songs Irving Berlin wrote for the blockbuster musical film, starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, and Virginia Dale, including “White Christmas,” “Happy Holiday,” “Be Careful, It’s My Heart,” and many others. Officially titled Song Hits from the Paramount Picture Holiday Inn, the film and its classic soundtrack were both monumental hits upon release.
Selections from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas includes songs from the 1954 movie, “White Christmas,” and features wonderful performances from Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Peggy Lee and others, including all-time holiday gems like “Sisters,” “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep,” and the title track. At the time, it was not possible to issue an original soundtrack album of the film due to Decca Records controlling the soundtrack rights and one of the stars of the film, Rosemary Clooney, being under exclusive contract with Columbia Records. Since Crosby and Kaye were signed to Decca, each record label decided to issue separate soundtrack recordings: Decca released Selections from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, while Columbia released Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. On the Decca release, all of Clooney’s parts were performed by Lee, including the song “Sisters,” in which Lee sings the parts of both sisters. In the film, Vera-Ellen’s part was voiced by Trudy Stevens, and she joined Crosby, Kaye and Lee on the Decca soundtrack.
Additionally, Crosby’s classic duet of “Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy” with David Bowie from Crosby’s 1977 television special, Merrie Olde Christmas is back on a new, collector’s edition, picture disc 12-inch vinyl. The picture disc features the iconic image of Bowie and Crosby at the piano.
These new offerings land on the 75th anniversary of “Mele Kalikimaka,” the Hawaiian-inspired holiday favorite he helped popularize with The Andrews Sisters in 1950. Written in 1949 by R. Alex Anderson, “Mele Kalikimaka” brought tropical warmth to the holiday canon, pairing Hawaiian imagery with Crosby’s relaxed swing and velvety baritone. His 1950 recording with The Andrews Sisters became an instant classic and has since been covered by artists from Jimmy Buffett and Bette Midler to Kacey Musgraves — each keeping alive the sun-soaked side of Christmas that Crosby helped introduce to popular music. Seventy-five years on, its easygoing cheer continues to brighten playlists and holiday charts worldwide.
Crosby’s voice also continues to reach new generations through innovation and collaboration. In 2024, BTS V joined his likeness for an era-bridging duet of “White Christmas,” introducing his voice to millions of K-pop fans across the globe. This year, country superstar Lainey Wilson added her own Southern warmth to a digital duet of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” uniting classic croon and modern country flair. Both projects demonstrate the power of Crosby’s inimitable voice to connect across eras, cultures, and genres. “Let It Snow!” is available to stream and will be released November 21st, both on seven-inch vinyl as well as on Wilson’s holiday EP, Peace, Love & Cowboys (Holiday Edition), on CD and 12-inch vinyl.
This same spirit of reinvention lives on through the renewed partnership with American Greetings, which has launched a new collection of digital holiday cards featuring Crosby himself. Using restored archival footage from his 1977 television special “Merrie Olde Christmas” and new AI technology, an interactive SmashUp™ video ecard allows fans to send personalized greetings from Crosby to more than 1,000 recipients. Approved by the Crosby family, the activation brings his warmth, humor, and iconic delivery to the digital age — proving once again that Crosby remains at home in every medium, from vinyl grooves to phone speakers.
Each December, Crosby’s recordings surge anew across global streaming platforms, reaffirming his place as one of the most-heard voices of the holidays. The decades have changed, but the feeling hasn’t. Whether on a vintage turntable, a film soundtrack, or a personalized ecard, his voice remains the unshakable center of Christmas. Eighty years later, when the King of Christmas sings of snow, the world still listens.
