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CultureQuiet 10d · day 10

Sufjan Stevens releases first new Christmas song in 15 years

The singer-songwriter debuts "On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better)" ahead of his holiday compilation Worst Christmas Ever!, due November 6.

newest coverage 9d agosummary written 8d ago6 pieces NewswiresMastodonGoogle News

What to know

  • Stevens has written and recorded over 100 Christmas songs since 2001, with the new "On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better)" marking his first newly composed holiday track in approximately 15 years.
  • The song's theme centers on apology and forgiveness, with Stevens describing it as "a Christmas apology" and a prayer for greater understanding.
  • The Worst Christmas Ever! compilation, arriving November 6, curates 15 tracks from Stevens' extensive holiday catalog, including contributions from collaborators like The National and Arcade Fire.
  • This marks Stevens' first major musical release since his September 2026 live performance comeback, nearly a year after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome in 2023.

“'I'm sorry' is the ultimate ice-breaker in a moment of conflict, contention, and misunderstanding.”

Sufjan Stevens, Singer-songwriter · Consequence ↗ · Nov 1

Sufjan Stevens Singer-songwriterThe National (Aaron and Bryce Dessner) CollaboratorsArcade Fire (Richard Reed Parry) Collaborator

Sufjan Stevens releases first new Christmas song in 15 years
pitchfork.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 5 pieces in 3h at Nov 2, 9 AM; 6 pieces over 10 days (4 articles · 2 posts) Nov 2, 9 AM — 5 pieces · 4 articles · 1 post — Newswires 3, Google News 1, Mastodon 1Nov 2, 12 PM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 6 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 12 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 7, 12 AM — quietNov 7, 3 AM — quietNov 7, 6 AM — quietNov 7, 9 AM — quietNov 7, 12 PM — quietNov 7, 3 PM — quietNov 7, 6 PM — quietNov 7, 9 PM — quietNov 8, 12 AM — quietNov 8, 3 AM — quietNov 8, 6 AM — quietNov 8, 9 AM — quietNov 8, 12 PM — quietNov 8, 3 PM — quietNov 8, 6 PM — quietNov 8, 9 PM — quietNov 9, 12 AM — quietNov 9, 3 AM — quietNov 9, 6 AM — quietNov 9, 9 AM — quietNov 9, 12 PM — quietNov 9, 3 PM — quietNov 9, 6 PM — quietNov 9, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quietToday, 3 PM — quietToday, 6 PM — quietToday, 9 PM — quiet 1
Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9yesterdaynow · 10:50 PM ET
  1. background

    Worst Christmas Ever! compilation released — Stevens' new holiday compilation arrives via Asthmatic Kitty Records, featuring 15 tracks including the new song and selections from his prior box sets, with collaborators including Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National and Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire.

  2. 1

    Sufjan Stevens discusses the song's themes of forgiveness

    Stevens explains his artistic intent behind the track, emphasizing the role of apology and forgiveness during the holiday season.

    “I love the idea of a Christmas apology. A holiday characterized by the giving and receiving of gifts might be made even better by the giving and receiving of forgiveness.”
    — Sufjan Stevens
    1. 3 outlets Sufjan Stevens Releases First New Christmas Song in Nearly 15 Years: Stream

      first by Consequence, 9d ago · also Pitchfork, Stereogum

      2 more headlines
  3. background

    "On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better)" released — Stevens releases a new Christmas song with an accompanying music video created by Stevens, Michael O'Neal, Cubby Graham, and Hannah Cohen using 6,000 hand-painted still images. The song marks his first newly written Christmas track in nearly 15 years.

  4. background

    Sufjan Stevens makes first public performance in over eight years — Stevens makes a surprise appearance at Meg Lui's show in Kingston, New York, joining her on piano—his first live musical performance since his 2023 diagnosis.

  5. background

    Sufjan Stevens diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome — Stevens reveals he has been diagnosed with a rare immune disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves, causing severe muscle weakness.

  6. background

    Silver & Gold box set released — Stevens releases a second comprehensive Christmas box set (Vols. 6-10), containing nearly five hours of holiday material alongside the original Songs for Christmas collection.

  7. background

    Songs for Christmas box set released — Stevens releases the first major collection of his holiday recordings, compiling material from his five-year songwriting tradition.

  8. background

    Sufjan Stevens begins recording Christmas songs as gifts — Stevens starts his seasonal tradition of writing and recording holiday songs for friends and family, eventually accumulating more than 100 recordings over the following decades.