98 Degrees to release new Christmas album Oct. 13

Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Let it Snow, a 12-track Christmas album by 98 Degrees, is set for release on Oct. 13 via UMe.

This marks the first new album in four years for the vocal quartet of Nick Lachey, Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre and Jeff Timmons. It is also the group's follow-up to the 1999 classic This Christmas.

The musicians will support Let It Snow with the 98 Degrees Christmas tour, a 31-city trek that starts Nov. 10 in Larchwood, Iowa and concludes Dec. 23 in Primm, Nev.

"As a group, our favorite record, hands down, is This Christmas," Drew Lachey said in a statement. "We're proud of the music, the harmonies, the production. It's a Christmas record that every year people can put on and enjoy."

"We have primarily a female audience, but we'll have guys come up to us and say: 'You know what? I love the Christmas album; my mom bought it for me.' It's bro code that the Christmas album's allowed," Timmons added.

2017 also marks the 20th anniversary of 98 Degrees' self-titled debut.

"It's a special year for us -- it's the 20th anniversary of our first release on Motown Records,"  Nick Lachey noted. "So, it just seemed like the perfect moment to revisit This Christmas and do a Volume 2."