Plus: Pam Tillis [ tickets ], KT Tunstall [ tickets ], The Killers [ tickets ], more

From the standards to more contemporary numbers, stores are filled with new holiday-themed releases this year, including albums by crooner Josh Groban [ tickets ], pop-rockers Relient K [ tickets ], country stars Pam Tillis [ tickets ], Toby Keith [ tickets ] and Martina McBride, as well as a host of others. Here is a quick look at some of the major releases.

Josh Groban
"Noel"
(Reprise)

Josh Groban says he still finds Christmas to be a magical time of year.

"It's the sights and sounds and the music that bring you back to that place," Groban said during an interview with LiveDaily. "No matter how old you get, how 'bah humbug' the rest of the year is, it does bring you back to that place. For me, creating this album was really kind of inspired by that warmth and love that's been around me in that time of year. We were trying to bring that into the songs we chose."

For the 13-track "Noel," he and producer David Foster holed up in a Phoenix hotel room and chose the songs, which range from "Little Drummer Boy" to " O Come, All Ye Faithful," backed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Groban also introduces fans to the French holiday treat "Petit Papa Noel" and the contemporary "Thankful." On a sentimental note, U.S. troops offer spoken wishes during "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Groban, whose album debuted at No. 10 with 64,000 copies sold, explained the holiday CD was something that had been brewing for some time.

"As I had a little break from the tour, I thought to myself, 'Well, if I'm finally going to do a Christmas album, I'd like to do it a great way and do it the right way,'" said Groban, who recorded the album in June. "I had my dream list of things that I would have liked to have accomplished. One was to work with a great symphony orchestra like the London symphony. That was able to happen. The other was to be able to work with some incredible duet partners. Faith Hill and Brian McKnight came on board, which I was thrilled [about]. It turned into, for me, a classic, classic Christmas album--better than anything I could have expected."

Toby Keith
"A Classic Christmas"
(Showdog Nashville)

Country singer Toby Keith first paid homage to his favorite holiday in 1995 with "Christmas to Christmas," a collection of self-penned Christmas tracks. Now he returns with a traditional take on the season with "For a Classic Christmas," which hit No. 1 on the Internet sales chart.

Produced by Keith and Grammy winner Randy Scruggs, the collection is split along thematic lines, with disc one presenting Keith's renditions of holiday favorites including "White Christmas," "Silver Bells" and "The Christmas Song." Disc two finds Keith exploring the meaning of the season with spiritually focused tracks like "Little Drummer Boy," "The First Noel" and "Away In a Manger."

Relient K
"Let It Snow Baby … Let it Reindeer"
(Capitol)

Christian pop-rockers Relient K had 10 songs in the Christmas-music vault before beginning work on the cleverly titled "Let It Snow Baby … Let It Reindeer." Three years ago, the label asked Relient K to produce a Christmas EP that could be packaged with its then-current album. That didn't pan out, so the members saved the recordings for a future project. Now we have this 17-track collection of mostly original tunes with titles like "I Hate Christmas Parties," I'm Getting Nuttin' for Christmas" and "In Like a Lion."

"I think it's fun," lead singer Matt Thiessen told LiveDaily about writing original Christmas songs. "It's interesting subject matter, too. There's a lot of ramifications that come along with the holidays-- some people get depressed, some people get super really happy. Some people live up north and it's snowing, and it's really this interesting time. It's fun to write original songs about Christmas because there's a lot of different topics you can write about."

Pam Tillis
"Just in Time for Christmas"
(Stellar Cat/Thirty Tigers)

For country singer Pam Tillis, recording her holiday album was a family affair. She roped her father, country legend Mel Tillis, in for a duet, as well as nieces and nephews to do some background vocals.

"Christmas is a family affair," Tillis said in an interview with LiveDaily. "It wasn't hard to find an excuse to put them on there. It's just fun working with my dad."

After 10 years of performing holiday shows--and it continuing to do so this year--Tillis found a few of the songs had emerged as favorites for her and her audiences. Her collection includes her takes on "Silent Night," "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," "Pretty Paper" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas," among others.

"Over the years, when enough people are asking for one, you finally get with [recording] it," Tillis said about her decision to make a Christmas album. "It's something the fans enjoy. We've also done a lot of Christmas shows. We just picked some of our favorite songs from all the shows and put them on the album."

KT Tunstall [ tickets ]
"Have Yourself a Very KT Christmas"
(Virgin Records)

This Target exclusive marks the Scottish singer-songwriter's first foray into holiday music.

"I have a little Christmas EP out actually, which I did for Target, which was such a laugh because I hate Christmas music," Tunstall said during an interview with LiveDaily. "And it was, like, the greatest challenge of all. I had to find some Christmas tunes that I liked--and I did."

Her collection includes her takes on "2,000 Miles" by The Pretenders, "Fairy Tale of New York" by the Pogues and "Mele kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)" by Bing Crosby. "It was just wicked fun," she said.

The Killers [ tickets ]
"Don't Shoot Me Santa" (single)
(Island Def Jam)

The Killers' playful "Don't Shoot Me Santa" is the alt rockers' second Christmas single. Similar to last year's "A Great Big Sled," the single will generate funds for (Red), with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Global Fund to invest in African AIDS programs. "Don't Shoot Me Santa" will be serviced to radio Monday (11/26), and released for digital download the next day. On Dec. 1, the single and video will debut as part of RED's World Aids Day activities. The following Tuesday, Dec. 4, the "Don't Shoot Me Santa" single package (including audio track and video) arrives in stores.

More New Holiday Releases:

Santa Claws and the Naughty but Nice Orchestra, "The Green Days of Christmas: The Holiday Tribute to Green Day" (Christmas Rock Records)
Santa Claws and the Naughty but Nice Orchestra, "Hell's Bells of Christmas: The Holiday Tribute to AC/DC" (Christmas Rock Records)
Santa Claws and the Naughty but Nice Orchestra, "…And Christmas for All! The Holiday Tribute to Metallica" (Christmas Rock Records)
Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley, "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Island Def Jam
Jars of Clay, "Christmas Songs" (Nettwerk)
Toby Keith, "A Toby Keith Classic Christmas" (Showdog Nashville)
The Killers, "Don't Shoot Me Santa" (single) (Island Def Jam)
Patti LaBelle, "Miss Patti's Christmas" (Island Def Jam)
Larry the Cable Guy, "Christmastime in Larryland" (Warner Bros. Records)
Martina McBride, "White Christmas" (RCA)
Over The Rhine, "Snow Angels" (Great Speckled Dog)
Keali'I Reichel "Maluhia" (Punahele Productions Inc.)
Mindy Smith, "My Holiday" (Vanguard Records)
Keith Sweat, "A Christmas of Love" (Rhino Records)
Taylor Swift, "Sounds of the Season, The Taylor Swift Collection" (Target exclusive) (Big Machine Records)
Vickie Winans, "Happy Holidays From Vickie Winans" (Destiny Joy Records)
Various Artists, "The Best of Americana Christmas" (Hip-O/UMe)
Various Artists, "The Best of Christmas Jazz" (Verve/UMe)
Various Artists, "Hear Something Country Christmas 2007" (BNA)
Various Artists, "A Holly Jolly Kids Christmas" (Hip-O/UMe)
Various Artists, "Love's Holiday: A Gospel Christmas" (Time Life Records)
Various Artists "Marshmallow World and Other Holiday Favorites" (New Door/UMe)
Various Artists, "Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Christmas Rock Classics" (CMH Records)