A Holiday Mix from All Songs Considered

It's a seasonal tradition to gripe miserably about the ubiquity of holiday music — about piped-in department-store drivel, CD sale racks bursting with holiday cash-ins, and all things cutesy, cloying and shrill. But let's face it: There's crass commercial junk, and then there's a rich canon of soul-stirring, nostalgia-inducing classics. Holiday-weariness is no match for the best of the best.

We asked 10 of NPR Music's partner stations to send us 10 of their favorite holiday songs, so this continuous stream is packed with the gems. From Bach to the Ramones to Louis Armstrong, it's a perfect playlist for those who wish to indulge in the spirit of the season while remaining glued to the computer. Whether you're shopping online or trudging grimly through another workday, let Jingle Jams serve as your soundtrack.

• "Ocho Kandelikas," Hankus Netsky & New England Conservatory Jewish Music Ensemble, A Taste of Chanukah (Rounder) [WGBH]
• "For unto us...," London Philharmonic and John Aldiss Choir dir. Karl Richter, Handel: Messiah (Deutsche Grammophon 453028) [WGUC]
• "O Little Town of Bethlehem," Richard Stoltzman, Hark!(RCA 61272) [WGUC]
• "Silent Night," King's Singers, Christmas (Signum 502) [WGUC]
• "My Holiday," Mindy Smith, My Holiday (Vanguard) [Folk Alley]
• "Sleigh Ride," Sam Bush, Tinsel Tunes (Sugar Hill) [Folk Alley]
• "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year [A Shrift Remix]," Andy Williams, A Six Degrees Collection: Christmas Remixed (Six Degrees) [WFUV]

It's time to gather 'round the warm glow of your computer and get cozy with some holiday fare from All Songs Considered. On this edition we travel over the snow-covered hill and dale with Swedish electronica duo The Knife. We've got a sneak preview of the upcoming Magnetic Fields album 'Distortion,' gorgeous choral harmonies from Trio Mediaeval and more.

A Holiday Mix from All Songs Considered