The Best Versions of "O Holy Night"

Performed by Christian & Gospel Artists

By

Updated on March 04, 2019

"O Holy Night" ("Cantique de Noël") has been covered by artists from just about every style of music in both the Christian and mainstream worlds. The carol.was composed by Adolphe C. Adam in 1847 to the French Christmas poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau. It was translated into English by Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight, editor of Dwight's Journal of Music in 1855.

On Christmas Eve 1906, Canadian inventor Reginald Fessenden broadcasted the first AM radio program and played "O Holy Night" on the violin, making the popular carol the first piece of music to be broadcast on radio.

01

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Smokie Norful

Smokie Norful's voice is smooth as glass, and his passion comes through loud and clear on his rendition of the holiday favorite.

02

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Jim Brickman

Fully instrumental, Jim Brickman's version of "O Holy Night" is as stirring as it is memorable.

03

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The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

360 voices combined with the Tabernacle organ and the 11,623 pipes that make it one of the largest and most distinctive in the world make this a version that is infused with power and majesty.

04

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Dahna Bender

Dahna Bender knows that God gave her a beautiful voice to use for His glory and she is using that God-given gift this holiday season to help His four-legged creatures. All of the proceeds from her album, Christmas Giving of the Heart, will go to National Mill Dog Rescue, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Peyton, Colorado that rescues dogs from puppy mills.

05

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MercyMe

With more drums and bass than you would expect on a Christmas carol, MercyMe nevertheless still manages to make their version of the holiday classic work and sound festive without losing the importance of the season or the Savior.

06

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Anthony Evans

Anthony Evan's first Christmas project came long before his time on The Voice but the talent was already there in a serious way.

07

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Sandi Patti

Back when her name was still being misspelled, Sandi Patty didn't let it stop her Christmas spirit at all. Vocally, she practically takes wing and soars on her cover of "O Holy Night," which she combines with "Jesu Bambino" for a perfect combination.

08

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Paul Baloche featuring Kathryn Scott

Paul Baloche - Christmas Worship Vol 2 cover — Integrity Music

Found on 2015's Christmas Worship Vol 2, which comes to us two years after his first Christmas project, Christmas Worship Live (2013), Paul Baloche combines "O Holy Night" with "Love Shines Bright" for a testimony of love that gives the classic carol a whole new spin and makes its meaning even deeper.

09

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Gaither Vocal Band

The Gaither Vocal Band rendition of the classic carol has a very "larger-than-life ballad" sound to it, making it a huge reminder that the night that Christ was born was larger than anything.

10

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Newsong

Newsong delivers with majesty and meaning on their rendition of "O Holy Night."

11

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Third Day

Even the most jaded among us will get a good, healthy dose of Christmas spirit after listening to Third Day's rock version of the classic carol.

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Your Citation

Jones, Kim. "The Best Versions of "O Holy Night"." Learn Religions, Mar. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/christian-and-gospel-versions-of-o-holy-night-709039. Jones, Kim. (2021, March 4). The Best Versions of "O Holy Night". Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/christian-and-gospel-versions-of-o-holy-night-709039 Jones, Kim. "The Best Versions of "O Holy Night"." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/christian-and-gospel-versions-of-o-holy-night-709039 (accessed May 29, 2023).