Everyone's TOP 10 Christmas Albums....

[cam89]

What are everyone's Favourite Christmas Albums, top 10?

Cam

 

[cam89]

Mine would be:

1) Christmas Portrait-Carpenters
2) An Old Fashioned Christmas-Carpenters
3) Merry Christmas-Mariah Carey.
4) Sandi Patti-The Gift Goes On
5)Amy Grant-A Christmas Album.
6) Evie-Come on ring those bells.
7) Barbra Streisand-A Christmas Album.
8) Boney M-Christmas
9) Anne Murray's A Christmas Album
10) Mitch Miller and the Gang-Holiday Sing A Long with Mitch

 

[Mike Blakesley]

This is kinda tough because I hardly ever listen to Christmas albums any more - I usually tune in to one of the Christmas stations on Amazon Music Unlimited. But my go-to faves are:

Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass - Christmas Album
Polar Express (soundtrack) - Various artists (has a lot of Christmas oldies on it along with the movie's tunes)
My own various artists compilation, which contains TJB, Carpenters, Mannheim Steamroller, Boston Pops, Vince Guaraldi and others
Herb Alpert - A Christmas Wish
Carpenters - Christmas Portrait or An Old Fashioned Christmas (they're both on my Christmas Day playlist so they tend to get the same number of plays)
Something Festive - Various A&M Artists
Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops - A Christmas Festival
Christopher Cross - A Christopher Cross Christmas Album

Ones I've liked in the past but no longer really ever play anymore are:
Amy Grant - A Christmas Album (but I need to give it a spin again, if I can find it)
Mannheim Steamroller - any of them (they are all just horribly dated now and I just got tired of hearing them)
Chicago 25

 

[AM Matt]

Got my own Christmas CD's (various artists & groups) all set!!

 

[Another Son]

What are everyone's Favourite Christmas Albums, top 10?

Cam

Not sure but my Top 4 would have to be:-

'My Christmas' by Andrea Bocelli, (amazing voice and performances!);

'The Christmas Album' by Aled Jones, (amazing voice and beautiful settings, arrangements and backgrounds);

Benjamin Britten's 'A Ceremony of Carols' by Choir of King's College, Cambridge, (love Benjamin Britten's music and you can't beat King's College Choir);

and 'O Come All Ye Faithful', (King's College Choir).

Other favourites include:-

'Funky Christmas' by James Brown, (losta fun!);
'Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas' by Ella Fitzgerald;
'Deck the Hall - Songs for Christmas' by The King's Singers;
'A Tapestry of Carols' by Maddy Prior with the Carnival Band;
'For Christmas with Love' by Judith Durham;
'Christmas With the Platters', (love Tony Williams' voice);
'Elvis' Christmas Album'
'An Old Fashioned Christmas' by Carpenters;
'Christmas With Maureen McGovern';
'The Spirit of Christmas' by Ray Charles;
'Christmas Is Coming Home' by BJ Thomas;
'Merry Christmas' by Johnny Mathis;
'This Is Christmas' by Luther Vandross;
'Christmas' by The King's Singers.
'A Night of Carols' by Karen Knowles;
'Christmas Songs' by Mel Torme. (I think that Mel was 66 years old when he recorded this album!)

I love a few of the songs on 'Christmas Portrait' and like the others quite a bit but love every single song that Karen sings on 'An Old Fashioned Christmas', so that one's my favourite, out of Carpenters' two Christmas albums.

 

[Another Son]

* Actually, it was probably Sonny Turner’s voice on ‘Christmas With The Platters’, because Tony Williams had left the group by the time the album was released.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Karen said in the Christmas Portrait interview that the best Christmas album ever made was Spike Jones.

I have to admit I’ve never heard any of there music but I’m curious. Does anyone have a link to exactly what album she is referring to? I see a few of them on discogs.

 

[Tony]

Karen said in the Christmas Portrait interview that the best Christmas album ever made was Spike Jones.

I have to admit I’ve never heard any of there music but I’m curious. Does anyone have a link to exactly what album she is referring to? I see a few of them on discogs.

Search for Spike Jones Presents a Xmas Spectacular on YouTube and you'll find the entire album on a playlist.

 

[Harry]

Top 4 are:

Then I'd add Carpenters AN OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS
An A&M compilation from the UK, MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING
Herb Alpert's A CHRISTMAS WISH
Mannheim Steamroller's CHRISTMAS (1984)
Percy Faith's THE MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS
The Singers Unlimited CHRISTMAS

 

[Mark-T]

1. Christmas Portrait/An Old Fashioned Christmas- Carpenters
2. Home for Christmas- Amy Grant
3. Boney's Funky Christmas- Boney James
4. Let There Be Peace on Earth - Vince Gill
5. Christmas is Jesus- Bryan Duncan
6. Star Bright- Vanessa Williams
7. Let It Snow- Michael Buble (his earlier Christmas EP)
8. White Christmas - Marilyn McCoo
9. Once Upon A Christmas- Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
10. Christmas: God With Us - Jeremy Camp

 

[tomswift2002]

1. Christmas Portrait: Special Edition -Carpenters
2.Christmas Collection - Carpenters
3. The Beach Boys Ultimate Christmas
4. Time-Life Treasury of Christmas (1986-1998)
5. Christmas Memories- Evie
6. The Gift Goes On - Sandi Patti
7. Disney Christmas Favourites (1970’s)
8. Maranatha Music Long-Play Christmas Volumes 1 & 2
9. Have Yourself a Holly Jolly Christmas-Burl Ives
10. We Wish You A Merry Christmas-Ray Conniff

 

[GDBY2LV]

1. Carpenters-all cd & vinyl collections
2. Boney M.- Christmas With, many variations exist.
3. The Roches-We Three Kings
4. Andy Williams & Williams Brothers- Christmas
5. Manhattan Transfer-The Christmas Album
6. Cusco-Choral Christmas
7. Mannheim Steamroller-Christmas, 1st one.
8. Ray Conniff Singers-Complete Columbia Christmas
9. Now That’s What I Call Christmas 2022-3 lp set on red vinyl,50 songs, or 4 cd set with many more tracks. British & USA artists. Import from England
10. Osmonds-Family Christmas- 2 lp vinyl or import cd with complete tracks, not available on U. S.A. version.

 

[3Favorites]

Not in any specific order

1. Christmas Portrait
2. An Old Fashioned Christmas
3. Christmas with Maureen McGovern
4. David Archuleta Christmas From the Heart
5. Clay Aiken Merry Christmas With Love and All Is Well
6. The Osmonds Christmas Album (Double LP)
7. Barbra Streisand Christmas Memories
8. Dusty Springfield The Christmas Album
9. Lesley Gore Gift Wrapped
10. Glenn Madeiros The Christmas Album
11. Wayne Watson One Christmas Eve
12. Michael Buble Christmas
13. Harry Connick Jr. Christmas Album
14. Jane Oliver Songs of the Season"

Probably a few I've overlooked.

NOTES;
Dusty Springfield recorded 7 holiday songs with the Springfields and one song called "O Holy Child". The single was not released in the US. The collection of songs was offered through her fan club at one time and was later available on iTunes.

Lesley Gore's Gift Wrapped was never actually released. It is a collect of 5 songs one of which was "If Everyday Were Christmas Eve." The songs were given to some New York radio stations. Plus I understand she gave out copies to fans who attended her shows in New York at the time. I obtained them from a fellow fan and then after she died, her fan club sold a CD of the 5 songs she recorded. I think you can find them all on you tube now. I think the Christmas Eve song should have been release and could have ended up a Christmas standard, if people only knew about it. And she wrote it!

I could only find a live version of it on youtube:


The Clay Aiken song "Merry Christmas with Love" is so touching. It almost makes me choke up when I hear it every time.

Barbra's Christmas Memories contain "It Must Have Been the MIstletoe," which I love. And the most fabulous version of "My Grownup Christmas List". Those two songs I always "wait" for. But the other songs have pretty melodies and lyrics.

And I could go on... but I'll stop.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Search for Spike Jones Presents a Xmas Spectacular on YouTube and you'll find the entire album on a playlist.

I ended up listening to about 30 seconds of each song on this Spike Jones Christmas LP. It’s not my kind of music but I now understand where Richard got the concept for CP. I couldn’t really listen to more than 30 secds. Sorry Karen lol. Amazing how Richard can arrange these same songs and make them beautiful with Karen’s vocals.

They must have really loved Spike Jones as now I see where “Angel in the Christmas Play” and “Alphabet Song” came into play.

Funny how after all these years I never listened to this album to see where Richard got the idea for CP from until today.

 

[Greg]

Carpenters - Christmas Portrait
Nat King Cole - Merry Christmas Baby
Andy Williams - The Christmas Album
Louis Armstrong - Louis Wishes You Cool Yule
Elvis - Elvis’ Christmas Album
Jim Reeves - Twelve Songs of Christmas
Sinatra - A Jolly Christmas
Ella Fitzgerald - A Swinging Christmas
Streisand - Christmas Memories
Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas

 

[JohnFB]

I like a lot of the albums already mention and I will list a few more later - but one of them I recently discovered is "It's a Wonderful Christmas" by Michael J. Smith, and I just got done watching this beautiful performance of "Christmas Day" from that album in a duet with Jennifer Nettles....

 

[1969]

American Songwriter staff picks their top favorite Christmas albums a few days ago. (Christmas Portrait at #1)

The American Songwriter Staff Shares Favorite Holiday Albums

Each artist, seemingly, has their own holiday album. And that’s terrific. There are so many classic songs out there that represent the best of the season. Our favorite musicians should all take a swing at putting their unique styles on the time-tested tracks. But what are those holiday albums...

americansongwriter.com

 

[David A]

I like a lot of the albums already mention and I will list a few more later - but one of them I recently discovered is "It's a Wonderful Christmas" by Michael J. Smith, and I just got done watching this beautiful performance of "Christmas Day" from that album in a duet with Jennifer Nettles....

Thanks for this - big Jennifer Nettles / Sugarland fan

 

[Another Son]

After my rough list of 20 Christmas albums that I enjoy, (above), I have been able to compile a Top 10, (almost).

1. ‘My Christmas’ - Andrea Bocelli
2. ‘The Christmas Album’ - Aled Jones
3. ‘Benjamin Britten - A Ceremony of Carols’ - King’s College Choir, Cambridge
4. ‘Funky Christmas’ - James Brown.
5. ‘An Old Fashioned Christmas’ - Carpenters
6. ‘Wishes You a Swinging Christmas’ - Ella Fitzgerald
7. ‘The Spirit of Christmas’ - Ray Charles
8. ‘Christmas With’ - The Platters
9. ‘Elvis’ Christmas Album’ - Elvis Presley
10. ‘Christmas With’ - Maureen McGovern
10. ‘Merry Christmas!’ - Johnny Mathis
10. ‘Deck the Hall’ - The King’s Singers

 

[Walkinat9]

Mine is more like a collection of what I'm playing this year:
(you can click the title to hear a track, should you be interested )

"Christmas Wish" - Olivia Newton-John
"Christmas Collection" - Carpenters
"Christmas with Tony Glausi"
"Let It Snow - Cuddly Christmas Classics From Capitol"
"Christmas" - The Singers Unlimited
"A Medieval Christmas" - The Boston Camerata (had this LP for some time coz I like medieval instrumentals/polyphony, but spinning it for the first time this year)

Okay so I'll throw in a few 78s that will be spinning on my turntable to make it a nice list of 10

"Winter Wonderland" - Johnny Mercer & The Pied Pipers
"It's A Marshmalllow World / Sweet Angie - The Christmas Tree Angel" - Arthur Godfrey & The Chordettes
"Merry Christmas, Baby" - Johnny Moore's Three Blazers (vocal Charles Brown)
"Message to the Empire" - King George V speech (broadcast on Christmas Day, 1935)

Happy Holidays to y'all!

Greg

 

[JohnFB]

Many of the artists/albums already mentioned, plus the following:

1. Carpenters - Christmas Collection
2. Julie Andrews - Christmas With...
3. Perry Como - Greatest Christmas Songs
4. Michael W. Smith - It's a Wonderful Christmas
5. Nat King Cole - Christmas With...
6. Frank Sinatra - A Jolly Christmas
7. Linda Eder - Christmas Stays the Same
8. The Manhattan Transfer - The Christmas Album
9. Doris Day - Personal Christmas Collection
10a. Luciano Pavarotti - O Holy Night
10b. Steve Wariner - Christmas Memories
10c. Martina McBride - White Christmas

What SONG have I been listening to over and over this year? It's from the Christmas Collection album and it's a 2-song medley actually, and it's like I'm just hearing it for the first time ever, and I'm loving it...

 

[Geographer]

1. An Old Fashioned Christmas -Carpenters
2. Christmas Portrait -Carpenters
3. We Three Kings -Roches
4. The Christmas Album -Manhattan Transfer
5. Christmas Island -Jimmy Buffet
6. Christmas at My House -Larry Carlton
7. Chicago XXV -Chicago
8. Chirstmas at Our House -Barbara Mandrell (because I have a friend who played it A LOT and it grew on me)
9. Have Yourself a Sister Mary Christmas -Nuns for Fun
10. Circle of Steel -Gordon Lightfoot (not an album, but his only "Chirstmas" song)

 

[AM Matt]

Also Gordon Lightfoot wrote & did "Song For A Winter's Night" also done by Sarah McLachlan.

 

[AM Matt]

 

[AM Matt]

Remake from 1975 "Gord's Gold":