This year in HOLIDAY MUSIC

Maybe you're the type of person who starts listening to Christmas music Nov. 20. You know, to get you in the mood for the holiday decorations you plan to have tacked and hung by Thanksgiving eve.

You probably don't need to read this story.

But if you're a little less holiday-obsessed and don't believe in turning on the Christmas tunes until closer to, well, Christmas, now is the time to start thinking about what to pop into the CD player next week.

Here's a look at some new releases this season for whatever type of music listener inhabits your household.

For the Broadway fan: We're so used to seeing her on TV ("Pushing Daisies") and in the movies ("Four Christmases") that it's easy to forget that Kristin Chenoweth's natural talent comes from her angelic voice.

As expected from a classically trained singer who spent many years on Broadway, Chenoweth, on "A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas," approaches classics such as "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas" with perfect enunciation and precision.

That doesn't mean the outcome is frosty and stilted. Quite the opposite, though you can feel the cavities developing during her take on a Christmas-ized version of The Carpenters' "Sing" -- still a shimmering pop nugget of the saccharine variety.

But the polished production, swelling strings and well-timed vocal flourishes gleaned from Chenoweth's skill on stage make this one well worthy of play on Christmas Day.

Disney's other meal ticket, Miley Cyrus (squeal?) follows the same pattern with "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Between this and her current single, "Fly on the Wall," it's obvious that Cyrus is ready to morph from Annette Funicello into Kelly Clarkson.

Some parents will be relieved that the disc only contains seven songs, but it's all perfectly tuneful and harmless.

And just a heads-up that the breakout star to watch from this stable is Demi Lovato, whose turn on "Wonderful Christmas Time" indicates there's some muscle lurking under that cutesy gloss.

For the metalhead (or the morbidly curious): On its surface, "We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year" sounds like a "Spinal Tap" joke that got axed from the movie.

But what's the problem with Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) ripping out chainsaw licks to "Run, Rudolph, Run" (with Dave Grohl on drums, no less)?

Or Alice Cooper applying his usual Franken-rock style to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"? It's rather amusing, actually -- even the chunky version of "Little Drummer Boy" with ace bassist Billy Sheehan wiggling out some notes under an oddly placed drum solo.

One concession: Ratt's Stephen Pearcy belting "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is too awful to even be taken as a joke.

But at least the album ends on a respectable note, with a heartfelt, if sometimes shrieky, vocal turn from Styx's Tommy Shaw on "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," on which guitar-god Steve Lukather is the real star.

For those who prefer to celebrate "winter" instead of Christmas: Enya's "And Winter Came . . . " and Sarah Brightman's "A Winter Symphony" chronicle the season of melancholy with opposite approaches.

Brightman's stunning soprano coats symphonic mountains such as "Colder Than Winter" and a choral-infused "Silent Night" with a warmth that belies the glasslike tone of her voice.

But there are also some puzzling inclusions.

Neil Diamond's "I've Been This Way Before" is an unnecessary detour, and "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday," while not lacking froth and springy giddiness, still sounds wildly misplaced on an album that contains not one, but two versions of "Ave Maria."

Still, Brightman, like fellow Broadway-alum Chenoweth, sells her drama well, which atones for some of the more pretentious moments.

Enya, meanwhile, has always been more about lulling than dynamics, and she doesn't veer from that blueprint on the first full-length Christmas, er, holiday, er, winter album of her 20-year career.

The haunting background vocals and tiptoeing instrumentation that are immediately recognizable as Enya Music ooze out of the speakers for the opening title track and "Journey of the Angels."

Her pretty voice doesn't possess much range, and while her music can be snoozy, it also inspires placidity -- the perfect background for a snowy night.

For Mom: Depending on her age, she might prefer the robust vocalizing of Faith Hill, who sticks with the traditional for the mundanely titled "Joy to the World."

Through the years, Hill has blossomed into an impressive singer, and here she effortlessly hopscotches styles, demonstrating her every-woman appeal on a jazzy romp through "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"; audibly flirting on "Winter Wonderland"; and showcasing her lower range on a lovely version of "O Holy Night!"

If Mom prefers a classic singing her classics, then Tony Bennett's "A Swingin' Christmas Featuring the Count Basie Big Band" is a no-brainer.

At 82, Bennett hasn't lost an iota of his raspy charm or his Sinatralike ability to interpret a song so thoroughly that he really could sing the phone book and the result would be swooning.

Produced by Phil Ramone, "Swingin'" is, thanks largely to the Count Basie troupe, playful ("Silver Bells") and theatrical ("My Favorite Things") in all the right places. And while Bennett's duet with his daughter, Antonia, on "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," is vocally adept, it still somehow seems a bit icky (great stand-up bass, though).

If swing really is her thing, it's also worth checking out Harry Connick Jr.'s "What a Night! A Christmas Album."

The multitalented Connick hits some expected tunes ("Jingle Bells," "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"), but also contributes several originals that are solid pop/jazz compositions (the title track, in particular, with its snappy brass).

Connick has always been great at allowing his whimsical personality to seep into his music, and he does it to great effect on the thumping "Santarrific." Make sure to ride out "Song for the Hopeful," which begins as a well-intentioned sap-fest, but eventually turns into a rousing prayer.

And, if Mom is more of a soul fan, Brian McKnight's first Christmas album, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" (what, did he and Hill confer to pick the dullest titles of the season?) is irresistible.

Rarely has McKnight's voice sounded more silken than on "The Christmas Song," done as a midtempo chug rather than its usual ballad form.

Though he's an R&B superstar, McKnight takes a page from the Connick/Bennett Christmas directive and tints many songs ("It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Let it Snow") with a big-band sheen.

But he's still a balladeer at heart, and his "Angels We Have Heard on High" with Christmas fave Josh Grobin is a beautiful rendition, mostly because of McKnight's falsetto.

He gets his own category just because he's Elliott: Yes, Yaminions, Elliott Yamin has a Christmas album, but it's really just last year's Target exclusive with two new songs and widespread distribution.

Still, Yamin's comforting voice is always welcome, especially on his credible remake of "This Christmas," on which he impressively emulates his idol, Donny Hathaway.

Also, the two new cuts, "Back Door Santa," which finds Yamin hinting at some naughtiness with growled lyrics, and the slightly hokey "Christmas Without Carol" (which he co-wrote), are decent slices of funk.

For the undecided: It's about time the "Now" series came out with a Christmas album.

Whether you want a little Elvis, Hall & Oates, Andy Williams, Colbie Caillat or The Chipmunks, you'll get a taste on "The Essential Now That's What I Call Christmas," a single-disc, 25-song compilation of the radio staples you hear every season and still adore.

It's worth buying just to have Wham!'s "Last Christmas" in your collection.