[jarcher]

Ok folks : it's past Thanksgiving, being US-centric here, so I can raise the dreaded question of holiday music : the good, the bad, and the ugly. And by "holiday" I purposefully mean not Christmas exclusive.  So here goes for me (Xmas-centric in my case):

The Good : Handel's Messiah ?  Yeah, it's overplayed, but still good.  Guess I could try to be more clever and say Bach's St Matthew's Passion, but if find it a bit heavy, despite being a big Bach fan.

For more contemporary, don't mind the occasional "Jingle Bell Rock", or even the occasional guilty cheese like Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is You", George Michael "Last Christmas", or Springsteen's "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" as long as I don't have to hear it a thousand times.

The Bad : Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.  I don't have to hear that one again.

The Ugly : Jingle Bells.  It should be banned for at least a decade.  No one needs to hear that one for some time.

[Randy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6MMW-NJmt8

[decal]

The Good....None
The Bad......Everything
The Ugly.....Everything

BAH FREAKIN' HUMBUG!!!!!!

[sounddog]

The (Really, Really) Good:

Not exactly old favorites, but definitely old - Christmas Music from Medieval Hungary sung by the Anonymous Four:

http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Music-Medieval-Hungary-Anonymous/dp/B00005N8D3

BTW virtually anything by this group is great, although on this recording a decent system will pick up a fan or ventilation system running in the background (but also a great sense of space, reflecting the church or cathedral where it was recorded).

The Ugly: The Little Drummer Boy

[Alan]

The Good....None
The Bad......Everything
The Ugly.....Everything

BAH FREAKIN' HUMBUG!!!!!!

While I mostly agree with Mr. Scrooge (and appreciate his attitude), there are exceptions.

The Good - Here's one that has been one of my favorite recordings for at least 30 years, regardless of genre. If you don't believe me, check the amazon reviews. And if you just don't believe... that's ok too. http://www.amazon.com/A-Medieval-Christmas-Boston-Camerata/dp/B000005IVR

The Bad - Yeah... 99.999% of it.

The Ugly - Don't miss the rant towards the end of this one, really really ugly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzoCzrnv3X8

Thanks, sounddog... will check that out

[Scott F.]

The Ugly - Don't miss the rant towards the end of this one, really really ugly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzoCzrnv3X8

DING DING DING....ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner

I just spent the last 20 minutes going through a bunch of his video's. WOW....just....WOW

[Randy]

http://www.amazon.com/Waverly-Consort-Christmas-Anglia-Appalachia/dp/B000002SRK/ref=pd_krex_fa_img_dp_img

[lonewolfny42]

Well....I still like Nat King Cole.... 

[Devil Doc]

This is my new favorite. Probably because it doesn't sound like Christmas music.



Doc

[rockadanny]

Good: Much of it, although ONLY if played from noon Dec. 24 through Dec. 25.

Bad: All of it, every single, stupid, stinkin' note played between Dec. 26 through 11:59 am Dec. 24 the following year.

Ugly (er than usual): My face and personality when I walk into a restaurant, store, barbershop, gov't office, home, etc., and hear Christmas music during the "Bad" dates/times. 

[elasticnorseman]

The (Really, Really) Good:

Not exactly old favorites, but definitely old - Christmas Music from Medieval Hungary sung by the Anonymous Four:

http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Music-Medieval-Hungary-Anonymous/dp/B00005N8D3

BTW virtually anything by this group is great, although on this recording a decent system will pick up a fan or ventilation system running in the background (but also a great sense of space, reflecting the church or cathedral where it was recorded).

The Ugly: The Little Drummer Boy

  on Anonymous 4 (all of their stuff)

I'm sure you've also heard - http://www.amazon.com/On-Yoolis-Night-Medieval-Carols/dp/B0000007DY

[fatcat28037]

Good - George Winston, December

Really Really Ugly - anything with dogs or chipmunks