A Motown Christmas Special 2025: Where to watch the event and a complete list of celebs who performed on musical night

This Christmas season is getting better than ever before, as the Motown Christmas Special 2025 aired on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, on NBC. This big holiday music show brings in famous Motown stars and new artists together to sing over 25 classic Motown songs.

Together, they perform a mix of some classic Motown hits and Christmas songs, refreshing nostalgic American music from the 1960s and '70s. 

This two-hour show features live performances on stage, duets, group songs, and special tributes, celebrating Motown’s history through music, all surrounded by Holiday-themed decorations and festive atmosphere.

The show aired yesterday (December 9, 2025) at 9 p.m. ET and was hosted by Smokey Robinson (the frontman of the Motown group) and Halle Bailey.

According to reports by JustJared, more than 25 classic Motown songs were performed, including ABC, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Dancing in the Streets, My Girl, Superstition, and many more favourites.

Here’s a full guide of who performed on the Motown Christmas Special 

Hosts: Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey

Event: Festive NBC concert celebrating Motown and holiday classics

Duration: Two-hour special

Legendary Motown performers:

• Smokey Robinson
• Gladys Knight
• The Temptations
• Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Contemporary artists performing:

• Ashanti
• Andra Day
• BeBe Winans
• Halle Bailey
• Jamie Foxx
• JoJo
• Jordin Sparks
• mgk
• October London
• Pentatonix

Special appearance: Cast of MJ the Musical for an exclusive set

Where to watch Motown Christmas Special 2025

Date & Time: Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 9 PM ET (missed then streaming details are metioned below)

Where: NBC on TV

Streaming: You can watch it later on Peacock

Since the show aired yesterday, it is now available to stream on Peacock. If you missed this famous musical special, you can watch it there with an active subscription.

NBC channels are not currently available on Fubo, but you can still watch the holiday special on DIRECTV or Peacock.

DIRECTV plans start at $49.99 per month, while Peacock costs $7.99 per month and also lets you stream NBC’s other shows and movies.

This special highlights how Motown created soul music that still inspires artists today. It is a fun TV concert that brings musicians from different generations together to celebrate Motown during the holiday season.

Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown in 1959 in Detroit to share African-American music with a wider audience and produce hit songs like never before.

It quickly became famous for its catchy soul, R&B, and pop music. Motown remains relevant today because its songs are timeless.

Its cultural impact is honoured in shows like A Motown Christmas, that still continues to influence modern artists.