Legendary funnyman Jerry Lewis, who for over 70 years made audiences laugh with his wild, crazy humor and became an institution of American entertainment, died this morning at his home in Las Vegas. He was 91.

There is no question that the mere mention of the name Jerry Lewis incites many different opinions in individuals spanning generations, but one thing is clear: regardless of one’s personal taste for the man and his attitude to comedy, there is no denying the sheer power and legend that he exuded, a gravitas that combined old Vaudeville with slapstick and later a slick Las Vegas style, honing elements of Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel, and Jackie Gleason into an amalgam of a rubbery, limber, anything can happen comedy style that people like Jim Carrey were able to bring to a newer generation. This solidified in every way the importance of what Jerry Lewis meant to so many people.

Just like that, it’s that time again, where the holiday season is upon us and the mad scrambles down store aisles to find just the right gifts for friends and loved ones commences. It’s a yearly ritual that always seems to come sooner than later. It’s also a sign that the year is coming to a close, and of course there’s no question that 2016 will remain in memory and history as one of the most turbulent, challenging, and painful times ever seen. It is for that reason that the holiday time should hold even extra special positive emotional weight, as community and solidarity run high among people during this time, acting as sort of metaphoric concrete that fills in the gaps that division among many created. And music too, is an eternal, external, and ultimately internal healing agent for the soul, regardless if times are happy or sad, joyous or maudlin. Music also reflects those aforementioned emotions and more. Here’s some of the best released this past year that will for sure excite even the most hardened by the whirlwind of the times and warm someone’s soul like kindling a hearth on the coldest December nights.

Check out our 2016 Holiday Geek Gift Guide for Music…