New Holiday Albums for 2012

Looking for some new holiday or Christmas music to add to your collection? According to CBS News, here are the albums to have an ear out for this year!

Lady Antebellum, "On This Winter's Night"
Lady Antebellum released its holiday album, "On This Winter's Night," in Oct. 22. Features "country pop" renditions of several classics like "I'll Be Home for Christmas," and "Silent Night." I've previewed the album and can endorse their version of "All I Want for Christmas is You," to country and non-country fans. The rest of the songs will require the love of country music to appreciate!
$9.99 on Amazon

Colbie Caillat, "Christmas in the Sand"
Colbie Caillat duets with Gavin DeGraw and Brad Paisley on this album.  She features 10 classics and 5 original numbers. She pulls off a version of "Auld Lang Syne" that's pretty enough to actually get people to listen all the way through this often ignored classic.
$9.99 on Amazon

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, "This Christmas"
Yes, this is happening. The"Grease" stars have reunited for a holiday collection. They include guest performances from Barbra Streisand, James Taylor, and Kenny G. There are classics and original songs as well.  In my quick preview of the album I didn't find anything to hate, and have to admit "This Christmas" will probably find its way quickly into mall repeats.

Cee Lo Green, "Magic Moment."
Nothing says Christmas quite like the guy who brought us hits like, "F--- You." But in case you think the world needs more renditions of "Baby, It's Cold Outside," "White Christmas," and "The Christmas Song" Actually, I've previewed this album as well, and as much as I want to hate it, I have to admit, it's pretty good. I love Christmas music with full instrumentation and big voices, and he delivers. And I will probably download "Run Rudolph Run," just for fun. And the "Merry Christmas, Baby" duet with Rod Stewart is pretty fun too.

Scotty McCreery, "Christmas With Scotty McCreery"
Apparently what the world needs is another country Christmas album and another American Idol alum album. This album features 10 classics, including, "First Noel," "Winter Wonderland" and "Let It Snow," and 2 originals. This is about as twangy as a Christmas album can get! If you like banjos, steel guitars, fiddles, and the ability to turn the word "their" (as in "watching their sheep") into a 2 syllable word, you'll like this album.


Blake Shelton, "Cheers, It's Christmas"
I'm going to go ahead and say it, am I the only one disappointed he didn't do his own cover of "Grandmas Got Run Over by a Reindeer?" Wasn't that song just waiting for Blake's touch?? The album features duets with Michael Buble and Reba McEntire, as well as one with his mother, Dorothy Shackleford, and one with his wife. The album is definitely country, but not too twangy, and several have full orchestral accompaniment.


 

Rod Stewart, "Merry Christmas, Baby."
It wasn't enough to guest duet on most of the above albums! Mr. Rod Stewart also released his first-ever holiday album this year. The duet-heavy set features a slew of guest stars.
Michael Buble sings on "Winter Wonderland"; Mary J. Blige appears on "We Three Kings"; "Merry Christmas, Baby" is a duet with Cee-Lo Green; "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" features Dave Koz on saxophone; and "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" is a "virtual" duet with Ella Fitzgerald, featuring Chris Botti.





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Best Selling Christmas Albums of All Time

Do you know what the best selling holiday (Christmas) albums of all time are?
According to Billboard Magazine the top-selling holiday albums in the U.S. dating to the advent of Nielsen Soundscan data in 1991:

1, "Miracles - the Holiday Album," Kenny G, 1994 (7.23 million)

2, "Noel," Josh Groban, 2007(5.28) (I know this is my favorite album! I listen to it every year!)

3, "These Are Special Times," Celine Dion, 1998 (5.17) (individual mp3s available on Amazon for the first time this year, including her incredible duet with Andrea Bocelli on "The Prayer")


 
4, "Merry Christmas," Mariah Carey (5.12) (including her amazing "All I Want for Christmas Is You" for 99 cents)


 
5, "Christmas in the Aire," Mannheim Steamroller, 1995 (3.73)

6, "A Fresh Aire Christmas," Mannheim Steamroller, 1990 (3.61)

7, "Christmas," Mannheim Steamroller  1990(3.48)
(If you don't have the money to buy all 3 Mannheim Steamroller albums and are wondering which one is best, my money is on Fresh Aire, because it has "Carol of the Bells" on it, and it really just is not Christmas for me until I've had my own air drum solo and conducted my invisible orchestra to that song!)

8, "Now That's What I Call Christmas!, 2001" various artists (3.39)
Features classics from Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Perry Como, Elvis, Beach Boys, and others. This is also possibly the album played on repeat non-stop in every mall across America ad nauseum. And yet, is still awesome!


9, "Christmas Eve and Other Stories," Trans-Siberian Orchestra, 1996 (3.19)


10, "When My Heart Finds Christmas," Harry Connick, Jr., 1993 (3.08)
For some crazy reason this album is only $6.53 on Amazon right now! (I just checked and it is $9.99 on iTunes.)
Including my personal favorites- 
"I Pray on Christmas" (Love me some gospel swing at Christmastime!), "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" and his estimable "O Holy Night."

Albums that just missed the top ten are Andrea Bocelli's "My Christmas" 2009 (2.59 million) and Susan Boyle's "The Gift" 2009 (1.9 million) (currently only $5.75 on Amazon). I'm surprised to see that Michel Buble isn't anywhere on the list. He's earned the nickname "Mr. Christmas" for his beautiful albums, Michael Buble's Christmas, and Let It Snow. My guess is that we'll see Bocelli, Boyle, and Buble all move up into the top ten with time.









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Best and Worst Christmas Songs

(Video: Erin's Top 6 or 7 or 8 Worst Christmas Songs Ever)

So now that you know what I consider to be the worst Christmas songs ever to be, I thought I'd share what I think are the best of the Christmas musical offerings!
I found this list of the 99 most essential Christmas masterpieces on Amazon today ($5 instant download!), and it is just beautiful. The kind of music you want to be playing in the background as you watch the glowing yule log on the TV.

Harry Connick, Jr "When My Heart Finds Christmas"   My favorite song? "I Pray on Christmas" #11 I sing that song all Christmas long. (My secret love and talent- thanks to my high school and elementary music teacher, I can sing gospel and swing with the best of them!)

Christmas isn't Christmas without a gorgeous version of "O Holy Night." And every year I find myself searching for the perfect rendition. This year that goes to Nathan Pacheco , who's older sister I grew up with. His mother was even my voice teacher for a while. So maybe I'm a little biased. But the boy can sing!! (Seriously, check him out!)

My overall favorite Christmas album also changes from year to year. This year that place in my heart goes to Josh Groban's Noel album

If you haven't heard the Josh Groban "duet" with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on "O Come All Ye Faithful" you are missing out! It gives me chills!

One of my absolute most favorite Christmas songs will forever and always be I'll Be Home for Christmas by Frank Sinatra. Another secret love of mine (not so secret if you were ever my roommate) is belting this song loudly whenever I hear it.

We listened to a Fresh Aire Christmas a thousand times over as a family when I was younger. I still love this album. And I still, not so secretly, like to pretend I'm conducting my imaginary symphony when I hear Carol of the Bells.

A new album out this year that is pop in nature, but is actually tolerable and enjoyable is a Very She and Him Christmas.  She and Him is voiced by the popular Zooey Deschanel of "New Girl" fame. But if you haven't caught her there yet, you may remember her from "Elf?" Remember when she sings "Baby Its Cold Outside?" If you like her voice in this clip, you'll love her (much better) version on the Very She and Him Christmas CD, which I might add, you can download instantly for $3.39!

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