I'VE GOT YULE, BABE

Well, Halloween is almost here, and you know what that means: It's time to talk about Christmas music—notably the seasonal subgenre's most significant arrival so far this year, the pithily titled Christmas from Warner's Cher.

It's noteworthy enough that the 77-year-old icon (we can use that word here with impunity), at this point in her illustrious career, is at last putting out a set of yuletide songs. But the release also features such guests as Stevie Wonder, Darlene Love, Cyndi Lauper, Tyga and rightful holiday-sales marvel Michael Bublé.

No wonder, then, that Christmas is a top seller at iTunes (it's the #3 album as of this writing) and poised to ring the silver bells throughout holiday-streaming season. Which of course starts now, when you're still trying to figure out what kind of fun-sized candy bars to buy.

How prominently will Cher figure in this year's tree-trimming soundtrack? Stay tuned—and pass those fun-sized candy bars.