Ray Charles

Brother Ray released the finest Christmas album of the 1980s by a country mile. He did this by ignoring every single Reagan Era sonic signpost and opting instead for his classic soulful, blues-drenched jazz sound. The hippest of Xmas sets, this one also has plenty of room for Charles' open-hearted, humanistic approach (listen to "The Spirit of Christmas" and "All I Want for Christmas"). Ray's version of "Winter Wonderland" is still heard every year in When Harry Met Sally, and "Baby It's Cold Outside" is a bonus cut culled from Charles' classic duets record with Betty Carter.