Holiday Music
‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ Soundtrack Hits No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart
Vince Guaraldi Trio’s evergreen soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas hits a new peak on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, as the set rises 5-2 (on the list dated Dec. 24). That surpasses its previous high, notched just a week ago, when the album rose 7-5, beating its earlier peak of No. 6, achieved last holiday season (Dec. 18, 2021). The companion album to the 1965 animated TV special sold 17,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 15 (up 24%), according to Luminate. Most of that sum (14,000) is driven by vinyl album sales. A Charlie Brown Christmas is available across more than 15 vinyl variants (most differing in the color of its vinyl LP), including versions exclusive to Barnes & Noble, Newbury Comics, independent record stores, Target, Urban Outfitters, Vinyl Me, Please...
Will Adele Ever Release a Holiday Album? Here Are 12 Acts We’d Love to Make a Seasonal Set
While it may seem like most every major artist has released a full-length holiday album, there are still quite a few superstars that have yet to drop a seasonal project – including such chart-topping acts as Adele, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Ed Sheeran. On the latest Billboard Pop Shop Podcast (listen below), hosts Katie and Keith discuss a dozen artists that are missing from the holiday cannon and debate whether we’ll ever actually get a seasonal album from them. (We’re looking at you, Paul McCartney!) Also on the show, the Pop Shoppers chat about SZA scoring her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with SOS (and securing one of the biggest debuts of 2022) and how Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” reaches double-digits at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, spending i...
Alanis Morissette Gets into Holiday Spirit with “Little Drummer Boy” Cover: Stream
Alanis Morissette fans may remember her 2019 performance of “Little Drummer Boy” during a “disguised” busking session on The Tonight Show. Now, she’s gotten back into the spirit with a recorded version of the holiday classic. Accompanied by twinkling bells, tambourines, and warm synths, Morissette begins her cover of “Little Drummer Boy” with restrained vocals, but brings more intensity once she starts singing about Mary in the third verse. Stream Alanis Morissette’s version of “Little Drummer Boy” below. Morissette isn’t the only artist to cover “Little Drummer Boy” this holiday season. Titus Andronicus recently put their own twist on the song by mixing it with Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” Advertisement Related Video In July, Morissette finally launched the North American leg of her 25t...
Louis Armstrong’s New ‘Cool Yule’ Holiday Album Debuts in the Top 10 Across Billboard Charts
Louis Armstrong’s new seasonal compilation album Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule debuts in in the top 10 across multiple Billboard charts (dated Nov. 26), including Top Holiday Albums. Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule bows at No. 9 on Top Holiday Albums, and launches in the top 10 on Jazz Albums (No. 4), Traditional Jazz Albums (No. 4), Top Album Sales (No. 7), Top Current Album Sales (No. 6) and Vinyl Albums (No. 7). It also starts at No. 122 on the Billboard 200, becoming his highest charting album since Hello Dolly spent six weeks at No. 1 in 1964. The new 11-track set is promoted as Armstrong’s “first-ever Christmas album,” though the late artist (who died in 1971) has previously released a number of holiday compilations alongside other acts that feature most of the album’s tracks (such as Ar...
Debbie Gibson on Winterlicious Holiday Songs and Updating The Breakfast Club with Anthony Michael Hall
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Debbie Gibson catches up with Kyle Meredith to talk about Winterlicious, her first holiday collection in a career that spans three and a half decades. Advertisement Related Video The pop artist discusses her big second act, writing original holiday songs, and her latest collaboration with New Kids on the Blocks’ Joey McIntyre. Gibson also tells us about penning a tribute to her mom; being part of 1992’s A Very Special Christmas 2; and starring with Anthony Michael Hall in The Class, an updated homage to The Breakfast Club. Listen to Debbie Gibson dive into Winterlicious above, or what the chat ...
Titus Andronicus Announce 2023 Tour, Share “Drummer Boy”: Stream
Titus Andronicus have mapped out a 2023 North American tour in support of their latest album, The Will to Live. Alongside the announcement, they shared the new holiday single “Drummer Boy.” After kicking off the trek in Pittsburgh on February 28th, Titus Andronicus will make stops in Chicago, Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Francisco, DC, and more before wrapping in Brooklyn on April 8th. See the full schedule below. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 18th at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. Before the North American run, the New Jersey punks will tour across Ireland and the UK; grab your seats for those dates here. Advertisement Related Video Bandleader Patrick Stickles explained in a statement that he “connected the dots” about interpolating Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” with the Chr...
Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kitt, Eagles & More: Here Are All 37 Holiday Songs on This Week’s Hot 100
As previously reported, Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” holds at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Plus, Wham!’s “Last Christmas hits a new No. 7 high and The Ronettes’ 1963 classic “Sleigh Ride” makes the top 10, at No. 10, for the first time. The carols are among 37 holiday hits on the latest Hot 100 (dated Jan. 1, 2022). That’s the second-most ever in a week over the chart’s history, after 39 seasonal songs decorated the ranking a year ago this week. Here’s a look at each holiday song on this week’s Hot 100, with many granting artists notable personal achievements, including for Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kitt, Vince Guaraldi Trio, the Eagles, Kelly Clarkson and more. No. 1, Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”No. 2, Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”No...
Steve Perry Says New Holiday Album The Season “Was Emotional Therapy”
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Steve Perry sits down with Kyle Meredith to talk about The Season, his latest entry into the cannon of holiday albums. Related Video The former Journey singer tells us how last year’s absence of a Christmas feeling and missing loved ones led him to seek a reconnection with this year’s season. He discusses how The Season was inspired by the memories and songs of his childhood, especially the timelessness of original classic holiday tracks. Perry also touches on occasionally injecting his own lyrics into those classics, and teases two original holiday songs he’s written and recorded for a future release. Advertisement Perry...
BTS’ Jimin, V Gift ARMY with New Songs “Christmas Love” and “Snow Flower”: Stream
You better not pout, ARMY members, because BTS’ Jimin and V have gifted fans a pair of new Christmas songs, “Christmas Love” and “Snow Flower”. Jimin’s “Christmas Love” is a snappy pop number that shines as crisply as a blanket of fresh snow. The “love” of the track title isn’t about a specific person, however, and more about the feeling this time of year brings to many. Roughly translated from Korean, Jimin sings, “Christmas I love you/ Oh, you’re the one forever/ I wish it was today.” As he explained in a post on the official BTS blog (again, translated from Korean), Jimin wrote the song to reconnect with his childhood memories of the holidays: “As we grew, feeling responsibility for what we have, that responsibility made us, who were innocent, mature and I think that enables us to hide ...
Mac DeMarco Shares Mellow Cover of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”: Stream
Christmas is just four days away, which means Mac DeMarco is back to fulfill his annual tradition of covering holiday songs. This year, the Canadian jizz jazzer has shared his take on Judy Garland’s classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, which you can stream below. The original version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is a wistful, tender track about holding on to hope despite being stuck in a tragic place. It always hits home, but this year it feels especially relevant during the pandemic. In DeMarco’s hands, though, the song takes a more laid-back approach, stretching Garland’s original words into a hazy, mellow rumination over a stringy trip-hop-like trance. DeMarco shared his cover alongside a lo-fi music video. In the clip, the Here Comes the Cowboy singer c...
Andrea Bocelli Delivers Stunning Christmas Performance from Inside Italy’s Frasassi Caves: Watch
Andrea Bocelli is truly the gift that keeps on giving. The famed singer has already delivered two inspiring performances in 2020 — first an Easter Sunday concert in Milan titled “Music For Hope”, followed by “Believe in Christmas”, a holiday show done in collaboration with his own young daughter Virginia. But it turns out Bocelli has been saving the best for last. To close out the year, the Grammy-nominated opera legend performed a magical Christmas set from inside Italy’s famed Frasassi Caves. Surrounded by stunning and surreal limestone formations, Bocelli sung timeless classics like “White Christmas” and “Silent Night”. He also did “Caro Gesù Bambino”, “Pianissimo”, and “Fratello Sole Sorella Luna (Dolce è sentire)”. What’s more, Bocelli also gave a special poetry reading. His piece cau...
Dean & Britta and Sonic Boom Cover John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”: Stream
Earlier this week, Alanis Morissette festively covered the timeless John Lennon single “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Now, Dean & Britta, the musical duo comprised of Galaxie 500’s Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, have put their own spin on the holiday classic in collaboration with English producer Sonic Boom. Additionally, Sonic Boom has released his own song dedicated to the season. Jingling bells rattle throughout the warm and faithful rendition of “Happy Xmas”. But there’s also an echoing effect draped over the entire cover, giving it an almost trippy wall-of-sound sensation. According to a statement, Sonic Boom, a.k.a. Pete Kemper of Spacemen 3, came up with the idea for this version and mixed it himself at New Atlantis Studios in Portugal. As for Sonic Boo...
