Procrastinating gift givers everywhere can stop at their local Best Buy to grab a CD from a plethora of music superstars and avoid the dreaded regifting faux pas. The holidays have always been a time when record labels ramp up their releases to make a pretty penny off of shoppers. Don’t know what to get your kid? Take your pick of shiny round plastic discs with a fancied up singer on the front. Of course they’ll love it!

However, this tradition is beginning to fall by the wayside this Christmas. Other than Alicia Keys, the top 10 albums in this week’s Billboard 200 list are filled with old releases and Christmas albums. Josh Groban’s Noel has become the one solid pick with his 4th straight week at #1 and the newly claimed title of best selling album of the year, but I’m guessing this only works when gifting those a little bit past their teen years. For the kiddies, you’re going to have to go with a tired High School Musical or Hannah Montana album. Chances are they probably already have it!

And where’s the big rock release? The biggest rock debut last week was a Dave Matthews Band live album selling a little over 27,000 copies. This is shaping up to be a very sad Christmas for the music industry. Perhaps it’s because people no longer need the major labels to suggest the perfect CD from the latest pop tart. You have many opportunities online to discover a smaller band that you love! If you’re stumped, look no further than all of the year end Top 10 lists LAist has been rounding up.

So even though it may require doing a little homework, there is still great music out there to be had this holiday season. Maybe Santa is being kind to us this year… Less fluff and more substance? That’s a Christmas gift I’d love to receive!

This week’s top 10 albums according to Billboard after the jump…

1. Josh Groban – Noel
2. Alicia Keys – As I Am
3. Eagles – Long Road Out Of Eden
4. Now 26
5. Mannheim Steamroller – Christmas Song
6. High School Musical 2 Soundtrack
7. Hannah Montana 2 Soundtrack
8. Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift
9. Carrie Underwood – Carnival Ride
10. Garth Brooks – The Ultimate Hits

Photo by jahdakine via Flickr