Sunday marked the Winter Solstice as we celebrated the longest night of the year in Big Sonic Heaven.

We played mix of traditional and non-traditional holiday songs, along with some of your favorite shoegaze, dreampop, trip-hop, and post-punk. Check out the playlist below. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

• “Silent Night” – Sinead O’Connor
• “Shanty” – Slowdive
• “Garden” – Maria Somerville
• “2000 Miles” – Deary
• “Stumble” – Meena
• “Christmas Reindeer” – The Knife
• “Merry Christmas from Björk” – Björk
• “All is Full of Love” – Björk
• “Christmas Don’t Be Late” – Rosie Thomas
• “My Love” – Silk Daisys
• “Winter Wonderland” – Cocteau Twins
• “Thoughtforms” – Lush
• “White Christmas” – 93MillionMilesfromtheSun
• “Warmth” – Glazyhaze
• “Stripped” – Depeche Mode
• “Holiday House” – Beach House
• “You Look So Fine” – Garbage
• “Emo Song” – The Haunted Youth
• “Christmas Time is Here” – Mark Kozelek
• “Song to the Siren” – This Mortal Coil
• “Christmas Will Break Your Heart” – LCD Soundsystem
• “Mad About You” – Hooverphonic
• “Just Drive” – Postiljonen
• “O Holy Night” – Bien
• “Gorecki” – Lamb
• “Until You Come Back Home” – Nother and Moon Leap
• “Happy Xmas (War is over)” – Cranes
• “She Won’t Be Home” – Erasure
• “Say You Will” – Ivy
• “Spirit”- Dead Can Dance
• “White Christmas” (2010) – Iggy Pop
• “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” (2007) – Asobi Seksu
• “Frosty the Snowman” – Cocteau Twins
• “My Christmas Prayer” – St. Etienne
• “All I Want For Christmas” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “Oíche Chiún (Silent Night)” – Enya

Listen to Big Sonic Heaven with host Darren Revell Sundays from 9 p.m. to midnight ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, as Hanukkah ends and Christmas week begins, naturally it’s time for the annual holiday music extravaganza!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for December 20, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 1)” – David Sedaris
• “Mi La Gozo” – Cheo Feliciano
• “Everybody Knows It’s Christmas” – Roland Gift
• “The Christmas Song” – Roberta Flack
• “Christmas Time Is Here” – Jill Jack
  
• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 2)” – David Sedaris
• “I’ll Be Your Santa Baby” – Rufus Thomas
  
• “Happy Joyous Hanukkah” – The Klezmatics
  
• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 3)” – David Sedaris
• “It’s Christmas” – Cory Henry
• “This Christmas I’m Coming Home” – Leon Bridges & Norah Jones
  
• “Mele Kalikimaka” – Jake Shimabukuro & Jimmy Buffet
  
• “At The Holiday Party” – St. Vincent
• “Happy Kwanza” – Teddy Pendergrass
  

• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 4)” – David Sedaris
• “Someday At Christmas” – The Accidentals
• “No So Merry Christmas” – Michigander
• “No So Merry Christmas” – Raul Malo
• “Christmastime Is Here” – Spoon
• “8 Days” – Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
  
• “Driving Home For Christmas” – Kathy Kosins
• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 5)” – David Sedaris
• “Who Took The Merry Out of Christmas” – Staples Singers
  
• “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” – Ella Fitzgerald
• “Mistletoe And Holly” – aron!
• “Hanukkah Blessings” – Barenaked Ladies
• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 6)” – David Sedaris
• “What Are You Doing New year’s Eve?” – Herb Alpert

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org