Written by the members of ListenUpReviews.com.
Since it’s Christmas time and we here at ListenUpReviews love music (particularly the rocking variety 
), we’ve put together a special list of the best Rocking Christmas albums and album series for your fun and festive listening pleasure. And, if and when we need to add music to the list in the future, we will! Read (and Rock) on! 
Series #1 – Tooth and Nail’s Happy Christmas compilation series: Tooth and Nail’s onrunning series of Happy Christmas compilation albums bring together both classic Christmas covers and brand new originals from Tooth and Nail/BEC/Solid State artists (and even some artists from outside labels). Because of this, there’s incredible variety— the songs basically range the genre and style gamut, from the sweet Folk Pop of Sixpence None The Richer, to the classic Punk of MxPx, to the Ska of The O.C. Supertones, to the Experimental Electronic of Joy Electric, to the bouncy, joyful jamming of All Star United, to the one-of-a-kind vocals of Spoken, to eclectic indie styles, to good ol’ straight-up Rock… and much, much more. Happy Christmas is an excellent compilation series, and a cornerstone of any Rocking Christmas collection.
Our collective rating for Tooth and Nail’s Happy Christmas series:
5 & 1/3 Stars. 
Supplement To Series #1 – The X Christmas compilation: Part of the onrunning X compilation series, X Christmas is X’s first holiday-themed release, and it’s a good one. Featuring a style mix only slightly different than Tooth and Nail’s, it includes unique song takes from artists such as Kutless, KJ-52, Seventh Day Slumber, Jaymes Reunion, August Burns Red, The Almost, Project 86, Thousand Foot Krutch, and more— hence its Supplement To Series 1 tag and equal rating.
Our rating for X Christmas: 5 & 1/3 Stars.
ROCKIN’ CHRISTMAS TRIVIA:
Did you know that the classic Christmas hymn Silent Night was actually originally written for guitar?
While many often-humorous myths have been espoused over the years to romanticize why, it is a known, solid fact that it was only originally written for voice and guitar— not an organ. Silent Night‘s lyrics were penned by priest (and accomplished guitarist) Joseph Mohr in 1816; then in 1818 he gave them to Franz Xaver Gruber, who composed the music— directly for guitar.
Series #2 – Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas Trilogy: Using their unique and distinctive combination of full classical-style orchestration with full-on Rock, Trans-Siberian Orchestra created a trilogy of rock opera Christmas CD’s, each with its own storyline (Christmas Eve And Other Stories, The Christmas Attic, and The Lost Christmas Eve). They’re available either separately or as a box set (The Christmas Trilogy) with a DVD of their story/performance movie special.
Our collective rating for Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas Trilogy:
5 Stars. 
Record #1 – Relient K’s Let It Snow Baby… Let It Reindeer: Relient K’s Let It Snow Baby… Let It Reindeer is easily one of our favorite standalone Christmas records, and it’s a Rocking Christmas must-have. Containing completely unique and downright excellent covers and originals, it’s a definite staple of any Rocking Christmas collection. (See the full album review here.)
Our rating for Relient K’s Let It Snow Baby… Let It Reindeer:
5 & 1/2 Stars. 
Record #2 – Family Force 5′s Christmas Pageant: As we state in its full review, Family Force 5′s utterly unique music and typical good humor make their Christmas Pageant a Christmas record unlike any other— and, again, an easy top favorite. With several clever lyric twists (“Little Drummer Boy”, etc.), cover versions cooler than you’d ever imagine (“My Favorite Things”, etc.), and of course a lot of just plain fun , it’s an excellent (and quite addicting) album, and another Rocking Christmas must-have. (See the full album review here.)
Our rating for Family Force 5′s Christmas Pageant: 5 & 1/3 Stars.
Record #3 – Duvall’s O Holy Night: Duvall’s O Holy Night is another great Rocking Christmas release. Their joyful but straightforward presentation, smooth and classy Rock style, and frontman Josh Caterer’s great, medium-high-range voice perfectly update the Christmas favorites they cover; and they also throw in some interesting variety, such as a very layered, builds-in-steps “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, an Acappella “O Come All Ye Faithful”, and a dynamic Rock instrumental of “Joy To The World”.
Our rating for Duvall’s O Holy Night: 5 & 1/2 Stars.
EP – House Of Heroes Presents The Christmas Classics Digital EP: House Of Heroes’ …Christmas Classics EP is short but sweet. It features three tracks: First, a thoroughly enjoyable bouncy rock version of “All I Want For Christmas Is You”; next, a very memorable, full-sounding acoustic rendition of “Silent Night” with amazing vocal layers and harmonies that pull you in (it’s excellent, and scores a 5 & 1/2 Star rating by itself!); and finally “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”, which musically builds in staggered steps up through rock to a triumphant finish.
Our rating for House Of Heroes’ House Of Heroes Presents The Christmas Classics Digital EP:
5 & 1/3 Stars.
Hip-Hop (Rap) Pick – The Cross Movement & Friends’ Gift Rap: Finally, for those who just can’t get enough Hip-Hop and Rap, there’s Christmas music for you, too! The Cross Movement & Friends’ Gift Rap compilation contains 11 original Hip-Hop, Rap, and Urban Christmas tracks from artists such as Ambassador, The Cross Movement, Da T.R.U.T.H., FLAME, J.R., M.O.D., Phanatik, T.R.U.-L.I.F.E., and more.
Our rating for The Cross Movement & Friends’ Gift Rap: 5 Stars.
So, there you have it— ListenUpReviews.com’s Rockin’ Christmas Picks! We hope you enjoy them… and have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!
– ListenUpReviews.com
