MTV TRL Christmas, various artists (Lava/Atlantic)

That's Total Request Live, at one time the place to see Carson Daly and the 11 or so artists who were allowed to crack the top 20 in a pay-to-play radio environment, but that's another rant. Having said that, it's surprising to see this 2001 album actually features a lot more rock 'n roll than the show does. Not many of your TRL regulars are on here, which may contribute to the eclectic feeling. Among the participants are Smash Mouth, who do a typically snarky "Better Do It Right;" N'Sync, with the previously released "I Don't Wanna Spend One More Christmas Without You;" and Sugar Ray, whose cover of "Little St. Nick" benefits from a guest appearance by Carnie and Wendy Wilson. Simple Plan, blink-182, Weezer and LFO all contribute good originals, as does former "SNL" cast member Jimmy Fallon with the thrash-rock "Snowball." Bif Naked rocks out "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" pretty nicely. Christina Aguilera and Angela Via contribute the expected diva turns with "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Christmas Wish," respectively. And don't be fooled by Willa Ford's "Santa Baby (Gimme Gimme Gimme)," as it's not the familiar song, or much of anything worth talking about for that matter. Out of print, but 3rd parties have cheap copies via Amazon.