Luis Miguel, Superestrellas in Navidad Tropical, Sufjan Stevens and Tom Waits

Luis Miguel, aka El Sol (The Sun), drops his first Christmas album this holiday season. The Mexican crooner is probably one of Latin America’s most important performing artists, having sold over 61 million records wordwide. Navidades Luis Miguel, his 27th album, offers a few Christmas classics redone in the classy Luismirey style with lush trumpets and over-the-top string orchestras. Highlights include the slick, almost ironic Big band versions of Santa Claus llegó a la ciudad (Santa Claus Is Coming to Town) and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”.

For a less posed and more down-to-earth posada experience, Universal Music Latino offers the 12 song compilation Superestrellas En Navidad Tropical featuring Boricua artists Los Toros Band, José Nogueras, Cheo Feliciano, Manny Manuel and the Salsa Kids.

American avant folk-rocker and friend of hipsters far and wide, Sufjan Stevens offers his Songs for Christmas, a five-disc package that collects 41 tracks and one video alongside stickers, a comic strip, a song book and a painting of Santa Sufjan and family. The man who has promised to record an album for each of the 50 states of the U.S. (two down, 48 to go), delivers original holiday songs like Put The Lights on The Tree, “Christmas in July” and “Sister Winter”. More traditional fanfare is also provided with “Little Drummer Boy”, “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night”, all spiced with rich arrangements that tailor to Steven’s distinctive and sweet vocal demeanor.

Rounding out the glad tidings and good cheer, Tom Waits tackles the world’s absurdities on his three-disc compilation Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards. As always, the famously frog-throated singer delivers the bad news with a sharp sense of humor and bluesy punch. Whether you're at the end of the tunnel, the bottom of a well or the end of your rope, Waits’ musings sparkle in the midst of darkness. If you're over 35, that is.