Elvis album tops Christmas hit list

Out here, there is no contest. Jose Mari Chan’s (JMC) Christmas In Our Hearts, now 26 years old, remains the No. 1 selling Christmas album of all time. And the figures continue to increase what with JMC continually getting all those requests to perform songs from the album in assorted Christmas shows year after year. So until a song that will rival the enduring appeal and lively sparkle of Christmas In Our Hearts comes along, the album will remain our Christmas No. 1.

Out there, too, in the U.S. of A., the competition has bowed down before a former teen idol whose rocking album is the all-time top seller, The Elvis Christmas Album. 

This is according to Billboard Magazine, which has come out with a list of The Top 10 Christmas Albums of all time. It is an eclectic line-up that goes from the traditional classical collections to pop, jazz and with Elvis on top, also rock and roll. Note that save for one or two new compositions, the albums are made up mostly of old songs. Silent Night, Joy To The World, etc.

But it is to the credit of the artists and their producers and arrangers and I must add their engineers, because the mix is very crucial in holiday albums, that they made those songs sound new and made us listen and enjoy them again. Come to think of it, that is very much like Christmas, which feels like new every year. 

Perched on top of the stellar heap is the Elvis Christmas Album by Elvis Presley from 1957 with 10 million copies sold. I am not surprised at all. This is a fine example of a pop album that just happens to have Christmas songs. And because it is pop, it also has great singles like Blue Christmas and Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me that were radio friendly and got excellent airplay.

Next is Miracles by Kenny G, 7.37 million from 1994. The big surprise here is how the saxophone, which is not traditionally considered a Christmas instrument came out full of Christmas warmth. That is how I feel when I listen to the album, all safe and toasty inside.

The Christmas Song by Nat “King” Cole has already sold six million copies since it was released in 1960 as The Magic of Christmas. This is another great album but it cannot be denied that its main selling point is the title track, which is also known as Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire. This is really an old song when Cole decided to do a new version in 1961. It was in fact his third, including one recording where he sings “if reindeers really know how to fly.” That has since then been corrected.

Christmas and A Fresh Aire Christmas, two albums by the instrumental group Mannheim Steamroller that have truly become a Holiday staple in America at six million copies each.  Check out any Christmas hit list these past years and you will surely find these albums.

Noel by Josh Groban, 5. 89 million. Popera and Groban were hot in 2007 and this album defeated High School Musical and became the No. 1 seller of the year. Produced by David Foster, it is a mix of the pop and traditional with A Christmas Song, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, a new original Thankful keeping company with Panis Angelicus, O Come All Ye Faithful and Angels We Have Heard On High.

Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey, 5.5 million since 1994. If Nat Cole has his Chestnuts song then Mariah has All I Want For Christmas Is You to propel the sales of the album to the top. The song is, in fact, the most downloaded and most streamed Christmas song ever with a record of 2.6 million. 

These Are Special Times by Celine Dion which has sold 5.44 million since 1998. Also produced by Foster, this is another good example of how to produce a good Christmas album that will sell but without sacrificing the charm of the traditional. New songs here are I’m Your Angel, a duet with R. Kelly; The Prayer with Andrea Bocelli; and Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day. Then there are O Holy Night, Adeste Fidelis, Happy Christmas (War Is Over), Feliz Navidad and others.

A Christmas Album by Barbra Streisand with 5.37 million from 1967. The big selling factor here, of course, is Streisand herself and her singing is at its absolute best. Big surprise is the inclusion of My Favorite Things, the song from the musical The Sound of Music that has since then become a Yuletide carol. There is also the new original The Best Gift and killer rendition of the Bach-Gounod Ave Maria.

Merry Christmas by Johnny Mathis with 5.24 million copies sold. This was released in 1958 when Mathis was the hot, young balladeer with hits like Warm and A Certain Smile. Several cuts turned out to be very effective singles that helped make the album a big hit. Silver Bells, O Holy Night, White Christmas, The First Noel, Silent Night and that ubiquitous Chestnuts Roasting song.