Sufjan Stevens has shared “On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better),” a previously unreleased song drawn from his archive. The track will appear on Worst Christmas Ever!, a forthcoming compilation that combines Stevens’ original holiday material with Christmas standards arranged in his own style.
Worst Christmas Ever! is scheduled for release November 6 through Asthmatic Kitty. Its 16-song tracklist includes selections from Stevens’ Songs for Christmas, Vols. 1-5 and the 2012 box set Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6-10, alongside the newly unearthed song. It also features versions of “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear” and “Angels We Have Heard On High” described as “Christmas Infinity Voyage” editions.
According to a statement, Stevens has written and recorded more than 100 Christmas songs since 2001. The compilation’s collaborators include Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National, Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry, Cat Martino, Gabriel Kahane, and Casey Foubert.
The release follows Stevens’ recent archival activity. He issued a 20th anniversary edition of Seven Swans in 2024 and marked the 10th anniversary of Carrie & Lowell with a reissue last year. He also released “Heaven Thunder,” a collaboration with Mina Tindle.
In September, Stevens made a surprise appearance at Meg Lui’s concert in Kingston, New York. The performance marked his first public musical appearance in more than eight years, following his 2023 diagnosis with Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Sources: Pitchfork.