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8 Great Holiday TV Music Specials for 2024

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas — here are the all-star shows to watch

Edna Gundersen,

AARP

Published December 02, 2024

Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey in 'A Motown Christmas'

Getty Images

As the holidays draw near, the TV schedule is filling up with holiday music specials to put some ring-a-ding-ding in the jingle-bell season. If mean green Mr. Grinch, mopey Charlie Brown, miserly Scrooge and Ralphie’s air rifle quest aren’t your cup of eggnog, maybe drummers drumming and pipers piping will do the trick! Here are eight upcoming music specials to choose from.

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CMA Country Christmas

Amy Grant, 64, and Trisha Yearwood, 60, host the 15th edition of country’s holiday hoedown, an hour-long special filmed before a live audience in Nashville. The country songbirds will perform “Sing Your Praise to The Lord” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” Grant sings “Tennessee Christmas,” while Yearwood does a Christmas medley. Also on the roster: For King+Country with Carin León (“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”), Cody Johnson (“White Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”), Ashley McBryde and Brittney Spencer (“Man with The Bag”), Jon Pardi (“400 Horsepower Sleigh”) and CeCe Winans (“Joy to The World”).

Watch: 8 p.m. ET/PT Dec. 3 on ABC and the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

NBCUniversal

Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Spectacular

Inspired by his new Holiday Seasoning comedy album, the Tonight Show host gathers his duet partners for an hour of jolly tunes. He'll be joined by Cara Delevingne, Dolly Parton, 78, the Jonas Brothers, Justin Timberlake, LL Cool J, 56, Meghan Trainor, J.B. Smoove, 58, The Roots and “Weird Al” Yankovic, 65. The Radio City Rockettes also kick up their heels.

Watch: 10 p.m. ET/PT Dec. 4 on NBC with an encore at 8 p.m. Dec. 18. Available to stream Dec. 5 on Peacock.

NBCUniversal

A Motown Christmas

Smokey Robinson, 84, and Halle Bailey co-host a two-hour celebration of Hitsville USA with a parade of hits by young stars and vets. Bailey plans a medley toasting The Supremes. Jamie Foxx, 56, leads a tribute to Stevie Wonder, 74, with BeBe Winans, Jordin Sparks and Andra Day. October London and JoJo cover tunes by the late Marvin Gaye, and Machine Gun Kelly will submit a fresh version of “Last Christmas.” Also on the show: Ashanti, Motown legends Gladys Knight, 80, Martha Reeves, 83, and the Vandellas, and the Temptations. Expect to hear some or all of such Motown classics as “ABC,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Dancing in the Streets,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “My Girl,” “Reach Out (I’ll be There),” “Tears of a Clown,” “Stop! In the Name of Love” and “Superstition.”

Watch: 9 p.m. ET/PT Dec. 11 on NBC with an encore at 9 p.m. Dec. 17. It starts streaming Dec. 12 on Peacock.

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ELIZABETH MIRANDA

An Evening with Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa’s 90-minute live concert special, filmed Oct. 17 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, features performances of songs from her new Radical Optimism album, a live debut of “Dance the Night” from the Barbie soundtrack, past hits and a duet of “Cold Heart” with Elton John, 77. She’s accompanied by the 53-piece Heritage Orchestra, a 14-member choir and her seven-piece band. In interviews, Lipa reflects on pivotal career moments and shares holiday memories.

Watch: 8:30 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. ET Dec. 15 on CBS and streaming Dec. 16 on Paramount+.

Note: Paramount+ pays AARP a royalty for use of its intellectual property and provides a discount to AARP members.

Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry

On the heels of its first Christmas album, country group Little Big Town hosts a two-hour holiday special captured at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Joining them on stage to perform classics and contemporary seasonal tunes are singers Sheryl Crow, 62, Kirk Franklin, 54, Josh Groban, Orville Peck and Kate Hudson, as well as The Voice coaches Dan + Shay and season 27 Voice coach Kelsea Ballerini.

Watch: 8 p.m. ET/PT Dec. 16 on NBC with an encore at 8 p.m. ET/PT Dec. 19. Starts streaming Dec. 17 on Peacock.

Getty Images for iHeartMedia

iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2024

Acts from stops on the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour will be showcased on the two-hour special, an annual roundup of the year’s hit makers. The lineup includes Katy Perry, SZA, Tate McRae, Jack Harlow, Twenty One Pilots, Teddy Swims, Meghan Trainor, Camila Cabello, Kane Brown, Jason Derulo, Benson Boone and Gracie Abrams. Performances will be plucked from Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Chicago and six other cities.

Watch: 8 p.m. ET/PT Dec. 18 on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

CBS

National Christmas Tree Lighting

Country star Mickey Guyton will host the one-hour National Christmas Tree Lighting special, when the bulbs of the nation’s giant fir are officially switched on, a tradition first observed by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923. Presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, the ceremony takes place on the Ellipse at the White House and President’s Park in Washington, D.C. Set to perform holiday songs are Guyton, James Taylor, 76, Trisha Yearwood, 60, The War and Treaty, Trombone Shorty, Adam Blackstone, Muni Long and Stephen Sanchez. Also on tap: Airmen of Note, one of six musical ensembles that form the U.S. Air Force Band.

Watch: 8 p.m. ET/PT Dec. 20 on CBS and streaming Dec. 21 on Paramount+.

Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays

Josh Groban, host/producer of this one-hour special, hopes that a live adoption on stage will bring attention to the importance of finding homes for children who need them. The show, taped Nov. 14 at the Bram Goldsmith Theater in Beverly Hills, also delivers stories, comedy and plenty of musical entertainment, including holiday classics, new releases and duets with Groban and guests including Jennifer Hudson, James Bay, Tori Kelly and The War and Treaty.

Edna Gundersen, a regular AARP music critic, was the longtime pop critic for USA Today.

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