Olivia Rodrigo's first Christmas single arrives Thursday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. ET. Here is the video cast, the $15 vinyl and cassette, and where to buy.
Olivia Rodrigo will release her first Christmas song, "take me home (4 christmas)," on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT), according to her own announcement on Instagram on Monday, Nov. 2. As of Nov. 3, the single is up for preorder, with a music video coming out the same night.
What time does Olivia Rodrigo's Christmas song come out?
It arrives Thursday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m. ET. Her caption says "5 pm pt/ 8 pm ET," and Variety and Billboard both list the same moment. One outlet, Paste, printed 5 p.m. ET in its summary line but quoted the correct caption lower down, so the 8 p.m. ET time is the one to plan around. If you are on the West Coast, set the reminder for 5 p.m.
Variety and Paste report the track was written by Rodrigo with her regular collaborators Dan Nigro and Amy Allen, and produced by Nigro. Rodrigo's store describes the song as being about "the excitement and nerves of spending the holidays with someone you love."
Who is in the music video?
Variety reports the video stars Rodrigo alongside Cynthia Nixon of "Sex and the City" and Ben Marshall, the "Saturday Night Live" cast member. Billboard says the single artwork is a photo of Rodrigo sitting on the floor in a red Santa hat and matching red lipstick. No trailer or clip had been shared in the coverage we read, so the plot of the video is unknown.
Is there a vinyl or cassette, and what does it cost?
Yes, and both are physical-first. Rodrigo's official store lists an "under the tree" red 7-inch vinyl and a red cassette, each at $15.00 as of Nov. 3, both marked as preorders. Each one carries a B-side called "miss this christmas," according to the store listing. Variety adds that the same formats can be preordered on Target's website and will be in Target stores on Friday, Nov. 6. We did not see Target's price, so check it before you assume it matches the $15 on Rodrigo's store.
Here is what is confirmed and what is not:
- Confirmed: the Nov. 5 release time, the writers and producer, the video cast, the two physical formats and the B-side title.
- Not confirmed: whether a second holiday track or a longer project is coming, and whether she will perform the song on tour.
Why the timing matters
This is Rodrigo's first release since the "expectations" remix with Chappell Roan, which came out on Oct. 15 and, according to Billboard, pushed the song to No. 3 on the Hot 100. Her third album, "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love," came out in June, and Billboard says its single "Drop Dead" reached No. 1 on the Hot 100. She is also in the middle of the Unraveled tour, which Variety says runs through May 2027.
Billboard points out that she is stepping into a crowded field. Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" dominates every December, Hilary Duff recently put out a holiday EP, and Alanis Morissette is preparing a holiday album called "Good Weather for Immaculate Conception."
Our take
Dropping on a Thursday evening in the first week of November is a smart move. It gives the song a full month of playlist time before the holiday rush, and the red vinyl and cassette tie-ins suit fans who buy physical copies as gifts. Our guess, and it is only a guess, is that the single will chart on streaming first and that the vinyl will sell out fast, because a $15 collectible tends to go quickly. Beating Mariah Carey's seasonal run is a much taller order than a strong debut week, and nothing in the announcement suggests that is the goal.
For U.S. readers, the plan is simple: the song and video go live at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 5, and the physical copies are on shelves at Target a day later.
Related reading
Picture credit: Olivia Rodrigo Official Store
