Holiday music programming on TV 2014

Happy holidays! Here are some of the notable new and returning holiday music specials airing on TV in 2014. All times are Eastern.

RELATED: CHANNEL GUIDE’S 2014 HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING GUIDE

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Music Choice: Sounds of the Seasons — Through Jan. 6, 2015. Featured on the channel are old time favorites including Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Mitch Miller, Gene Autry and many more.

Music Choice: Soft Rock — Through Dec. 31. Holiday hits from artists including Rod Stewart, Carrie Underwood, James Taylor, Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bublé and many more along with MC exclusive acoustic versions.

Music Choice: Romances — Through Jan. 6, 2015. Predominantly Spanish language songs from artists including José Feliciano and Prince Royce as well as English language songs from Harry Connick, Barbara Streisand and more.

Music Choice: R&B Soul — Through Dec. 31. Non-stop holiday hits 24/7 from artists including Boyz II Men, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige and Anthony Hamilton.

CMA Country Christmas — Dec. 1 at 8pm on ABC. This festive two-hour special features performances by Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Lucy Hale, Hunter Hayes, Little Big Town, Idina Menzel (pictured above), Jennifer Nettles, LeAnn Rimes, Michael W. Smith and Carrie Underwood.

Bing Crosby Rediscovered: American Masters — Dec. 2 at 8pm; Dec. 26 at 9pm on PBS (check local listings). The Season 28 finale of American Masters is a new documentary about legendary crooner Bing Crosby. Crosby’s estate gave producers unprecedented access to his personal and professional archives, including never-before-seen home movies, Dictabelt recordings, photos and more. The film also includes new interviews with all surviving members of Crosby’s immediate family: wife Kathryn, daughter Mary, and sons Harry and Nathaniel.

Christmas in Rockefeller Center — Dec. 3 at 8pm; Dec. 25 at 10pm on NBC. Musical performances, star-studded surprises and the lighting of the famous Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center are again part of this annual telecast. Musical guests include Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett, Cyndi Lauper, Seth MacFarlane and will feature Sara Bareilles, Idina Menzel, Pentatonix, LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood performing current hits and holiday classics.

Renée Fleming — Christmas in New York — Dec. 4 at 9pm on PBS (check local listings). Celebrate the magic of the season with the acclaimed soprano and guests Kurt Elling, Kelli O’Hara, Gregory Porter and Rufus Wainwright. The most wonderful time of the year is captured in unique musical performances of favorite holiday songs and carols.

A Very Grammy Christmas — Dec. 5 at 9pm on CBS. Ariana Grande, Maroon 5, Tim McGraw and Pharrell Williams are among the artists performing holiday songs and current pop hits in this special. The Grammy nominees for Album of the Year will also be announced during the show.

Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas — Dec. 7 at 8pm on AMC. This encore of Blake Shelton’s 2012 music and comedy special features performances by Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert, Larry the Cable Guy, Jay Leno and Reba McEntire.

Battle of the Nutcrackers — Beginning Dec. 15 at 7am on Ovation. The annual event returns, with a week featuring various productions of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, including the U.S. television premieres of The Nutcracker by Youri Vámos (Dec. 15) and a new production by the Royal Opera House (Dec. 16).

Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas — Dec. 16 at 8pm; Dec. 25 at 9pm on NBC. This hourlong stop-motion animated special is based on the popular film Elf and the Broadway show Elf: The Musical. It’s an all-new retelling of Buddy the Elf’s funny and heartwarming story, as he travels to New York City to meet the father he never knew he had. Nine songs are featured in the special. Jim Parsons provides the voice for Buddy, with Mark Hamill, Ed Asner, Fred Armisen, Jay Leno, Matt Lauer and Gilbert Gottfried among the rest of the voice cast.

Michael Bublé’s Christmas in New York — Dec. 17 at 8pm; Dec. 23 at 9pm on NBC. Barbra Streisand, Ariana Grande, Miss Piggy and the Rockettes join Michael Bublé for an hourlong celebration of Christmas, his favorite holiday. The special takes place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

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The Sing-Off — Dec. 17 at 9pm on NBC. This two-hour holiday special of the a cappella musical competition series features six new groups competing for a first-place prize of $50,000. Returning judges Jewel and Shawn Stockman are joined by Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump. Nick Lachey returns as host.

The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2014 — Dec. 18 at 8pm on The CW. The star-studded concert from Madison Square Garden is hosted by Elvis Duran of Clear Channel’s Z100, New York’s Hit Music Station. Musical performers include Taylor Swift, Iggy Azalea, Maroon 5, Ariana Grande, Sam Smith, Pharrell, OneRepublic, Meghan Trainor, 5 Seconds of Summer, Jessie J., Shawn Mendes and Nick Jonas.

Christmas in Washington — Dec. 19 at 8pm on TNT. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hosts this year’s celebration, with a musical lineup including Aloe Blacc, Hunter Hayes, Rita Ora, Christina Perri and Darius Rucker.

Christmas With The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Deborah Voigt and John Rhys-Davies — Dec. 19 at 9pm; Dec. 25 at 10pm on PBS (check local listings). Celebrate Christmas with soprano Voigt and actor Rhys-Davies, who join the choir and orchestra.

Christmas in Norway With the St. Olaf Choir — Dec. 19 at 10pm on PBS (check local listings). From Trondheim¹s historic Nidaros Cathedral, this holiday concert features the St. Olaf Choir from St. Olaf College and the Norwegian girl choir, Nidaros Jentekor. The production pairs the cathedral¹s gothic beauty and stunning acoustics with the distinctive a cappella singing style for which the St. Olaf Choir ‹ which owes its origins and legacy to Norway ‹ is internationally known. Musical selections include innovative arrangements of Christmas music, gospel spirituals and Norwegian hymns and folk songs.

The Bobby Jones Gospel Christmas Special — Dec. 21 at 9am on BET. “The Bobby Jones Gospel Christmas Special” stars gospel legend Pastor Shirley Caesar as she sets the tone of the show performing “What You Gonna Name Your Baby.” To bring in the Christmas cheer, gospel icon Vickie Winans adds some soul to “Jingle Bells” while Erica Campbell puts her twist on “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” Young gospel sensation Jonathan McReynolds sings “Mary Did You Know” while the soulful Howard University Gospel Choir performs “Celebrate the Wonder.” The Christmas special is topped off with a performance from Bobby Jones & the Nashville Super Choir singing “Go Tell It On the Mountain” and Christmas favorite “Silent Night.”

Kelly Clarkson’s Cautionary Christmas Music Tale – Dec. 23 at 10pm on NBC. This replay of last year’s holiday music TV special features Blake Shelton, Reba and Trisha Yearwood appearing as guest stars with headliner Kelly Clarkson. Others set to make an appearance include Jay Leno, Matt Lauer, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, William Shatner, Danica Patrick, Heidi Klum, Ken Jeong and Jai Rodriguez. Clarkson and guests will celebrate the festive season with a comedic musical take on a traditional Christmas morality tale. Song selection will come directly off her Christmas album, Wrapped in Red, featuring classics such as “Silent Night” and “White Christmas,” as well as the title track.

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Idina Menzel in CMA Country Christmas: Image Group LA

Michael Buble’s Christmas in New York: Peter Kramer/NBC

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