Christmas just got louder. Skillet, the powerhouse rock band known for turning every song into an anthem, has dropped their first-ever Christmas recording—a thunderous take on O Come, O Come Emmanuel. It’s dramatic, melodic, and unmistakably Skillet, complete with a cinematic music video that blends holiday spirit with arena-rock energy.

The release marks new ground for the band, which until now had never ventured into seasonal music. After years of fan requests for a Christmas track, Skillet finally delivered, and they did it their way.

The timing couldn’t be better. The band has spent most of 2025 on the road, with sold-out summer shows across Europe, a major South American tour, and the recent launch of The Awakening Tour with Jeremy Camp. Between tour legs, they’ve found time to plug in, hit record, and give fans a heavy holiday surprise.

Frontman John Cooper and guitarist Korey Cooper said this release had been on their wish list for a while. “Making a classic piece sound like Skillet was the mission, and we can’t wait for fans to hear it,” they said. True to form, they arranged and produced the track themselves, ensuring the song stayed both faithful to its roots and distinctly their own.

To celebrate the release, Skillet announced A Rock Feed Christmas Special, a livestream event on December 2 featuring music, conversation, and a live Q&A with U.S. military veterans through a partnership with Vet Tix. The event will also benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, showcasing the band’s continued commitment to causes close to their hearts.

And they’re not slowing down. Skillet will return to Europe in spring 2026 for a 23-city tour, hitting London, Glasgow, Paris, Munich, Warsaw, and Barcelona. The Christmas single adds another milestone to their career, proving the band can keep evolving while staying true to their sound.

After two decades of high-voltage rock, Skillet still knows how to surprise their fans. This time, the message is simple: crank up the carols and let the season rock.