I ask this because Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge, two artists I usually buy a new album from sight unseen, are coming out with Christmas albums this season and I couldn't possibly be less interested even though usually a new Sheryl or Melissa album is exciting.

I like hearing Christmas songs in December, but with very very few exceptions (like John Lennon's Happy Christmas, Mariah's All I Want From Christmas Is You, Beach Boys' Little Saint Nick to name a few), I usually consider Christmas albums to be contract filler and nothing more. I like a lot of artists who have them and almost always I think their Christmas record is the weakest in their catalog (Mariah's Merry Christmas is one notable exception, her Xmas cd is one of her best albums)

I agree, i stick to the Xmas albums pre-1970

I ask this because Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge, two artists I usually buy a new album from sight unseen, are coming out with Christmas albums this season and I couldn't possibly be less interested even though usually a new Sheryl or Melissa album is exciting.

I like hearing Christmas songs in December, but with very very few exceptions (like John Lennon's Happy Christmas, Mariah's All I Want From Christmas Is You, Beach Boys' Little Saint Nick to name a few), I usually consider Christmas albums to be contract filler and nothing more. I like a lot of artists who have them and almost always I think their Christmas record is the weakest in their catalog (Mariah's Merry Christmas is one notable exception, her Xmas cd is one of her best albums)


I agree with you John, give me Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby anyday for classic Christmas songs. I like Mariah Carey's album too, another contemporary Christmas album that I really enjoy is Harry Connick Jr's album. He, to me, is a throwback to classic crooners of yesteryear.

I like some contemporary artists. Mariah Carey, Boys II Men, Nsync didn't have bad Christmas albums. I liked Mariah Carey's christmas album(s).

I agree with you John, give me Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby anyday for classic Christmas songs. I like Mariah Carey's album too, another contemporary Christmas album that I really enjoy is Harry Connick Jr's album. He, to me, is a throwback to classic crooners of yesteryear.
I agree. Elvis' Christmas stuff is good too. But I don't like that they're remixing his Christmas album to make it "duets" with todays country stars like Carrie Underwood.

Back when Elvis, Bing, Sinatra and the sort were doing Christmas albums, it had a lot more heart to it. Nowadays, anyone with a proper knowledge of the Christmas standards and a free afternoon in the studio can do their own recordings of Silent Night and Jingle Bells and almost always it's disposable and just done for a quick buck.

I think the all-time worst Christmas album I've had the "luxury" of hearing was Whitney's. I am sure a Christmas cd of hers would've been good had she done it in the 80's or early 90's, but her voice was almost gone by this album and it sounded like Debra Wilson (who did Whitney on MadTV) stepped in and recorded the album for her :lol:

It depends. Some like Martina McBride and Mariah's I love. Martina's is all traditional Christmas music, which is what I think a Christmas album should be. I'm also looking forward to Faith Hill's. However, as a massive Sheryl fan, I'm not too sure what I think about her releasing one. She's not really the type of artist who I'd enjoy hearing Christmas music from.

actually, Whitney's probably isn't the worst.... it may very well be Michael Bolton's Xmas cd. My mom used to torture me by playing that cd when doing housework during the Christmas season when I was 16-17, LOL. It was bad enough she blasted Celine Dion during the other 11 months of the year, but Bolton was worse... at least I grew to tolerate Celine :lol:

I know this might sound cheesy, but I really liked the disco Christmas album that came out in the 70's. I forget the name of it, but I grew up in the disco era, so it hold a special place in my heart. lol

I bet a disco Christmas cd would be fun, especially if it was done in a campy style, like Frosty The Cokeman (Snowman... since coke was so notorious during the disco era) and Disco Balls (to Jingle Bells)

I actually like some Christmas music from contemporaries, but the thing about it that I hate is song selection. I swear if I have to hear one more version(any version) of Winter Wonderland, Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow, and Silver Bells, I'm going to attack a Chirstmas tree!! It just always seems like those 3 are on the top of everybody's list to record and I'm like puke:

Mariah's All I want for Christmas is awesome and spectacular!!!

another contemporary Christmas album that I really enjoy is Harry Connick Jr's album. He, to me, is a throwback to classic crooners of yesteryear.
You have excellent taste! I am on the email list for his fan club and I was just informed that he has a new Christmas CD coming out. In fact, he's doing a mini tour in honor of it! So far there aren't any dates near Seattle, but I'm still hoping! I have both of his other Christmas albums.

As far as other's Christmas albums.... I actually like hearing star's versions of different Christmas songs. One of my favorites is Sting singing "Gabriel's Message". I LOVE that song! It's on that Very Special Christmas Album (Volume One). Another song I like on that one is Madonna's "Santa Baby". She was just perfect for that song!

Amy Grant has wonderful Christmas albums. Those are probably my favorites!

Andrea

As far as other's Christmas albums.... I actually like hearing star's versions of different Christmas songs. One of my favorites is Sting singing "Gabriel's Message". I LOVE that song! It's on that Very Special Christmas Album (Volume One). Another song I like on that one is Madonna's "Santa Baby". She was just perfect for that song!

A Very Special Christmas did have a solid lineup... as you said Sting and Madonna, plus Springsteen, U2, Pretenders, Stevie Nicks, Bon Jovi, Eurythmics and even Run-DMC.... such a nice 80's relic that still holds up

Bing Crosby's christmas music is awesome!! I love Nat King Cole's as well. I really like Randy Travis' An Old Time Christmas, one of my favs and it's just a great holiday mood music album. Anybody ever hear it?

Mariah's All I want for Christmas is awesome and spectacular!!!

I'm not a huge Mariah fan but that's one of my favorite "contemporary" Christmas songs.

As far as other's Christmas albums.... I actually like hearing star's versions of different Christmas songs. One of my favorites is Sting singing "Gabriel's Message". I LOVE that song! It's on that Very Special Christmas Album (Volume One).

I love that song, too, but the radio doesn't play it as much as they play his version of "I Saw Three Ships".

On A Very Special Christmas Volume 2, "Christmas Time Again" by Extreme is an awesome song. Very pretty and the harmonies are great.

Hey, it's not even Halloween and we're already talking about Christmas songs!!:D

Oh, well, the stores have already started putting their Christmas stuff out, so why not??!!:crazy:

Bing Crosby's christmas music is awesome!!


I especially love his duet with David Bowie of "The Little Drummer Boy". At the time that came out, I thought there couldn't be an odder couple pairing up to do a duet, especially for a Christmas song!!:p

I am not into Christmas music at all and when they play it at work during the holidays it is very frustrating, its like they play the same 5 songs over and over .:rolleyes:

I am not into Christmas music at all and when they play it at work during the holidays it is very frustrating, its like they play the same 5 songs over and over .:rolleyes:

See, that's what bugs me about the radio stations that play Christmas music 24 hours a day. They start playing the same freakin' songs over & over again. Now I love listening to Christmas music but that gets old quick. Especially when there's so much other good Christmas tunes!!

See, that's what bugs me about the radio stations that play Christmas music 24 hours a day. They start playing the same freakin' songs over & over again. Now I love listening to Christmas music but that gets old quick. Especially when there's so much other good Christmas tunes!!
that's free radio for you

almost all christmas music written/recorded after the romantic era sucks. long live sacred hymns and chants.

I meant to say that my favorite kinds of Christmas songs by celebrities are the "unique" ones; meaning the ones that were written for them, or by them. Like HCJ's "Must Have Been Old Santa Claus".

Andrea

I love country music, so I love listening to country singers' versions of Christmas songs. To me, they're so much more pleasant to listen to than some of the other contemporary stuff.

I love country music, so I love listening to country singers' versions of Christmas songs. To me, they're so much more pleasant to listen to than some of the other contemporary stuff.

I'm not much of a fan of Faith Hill but I really like the song she does for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". I think it's called "Where Are You Christmas?"

I really like contemporary Christmas music. The first and third Very Special Christmas volumes are essentials, and Jars Of Clay's Christmas Songs from last year is my favorite single-artist Christmas album since the Beach Boys' 1964 Christmas Album.

From Stevie Wonder's "What Christmas Means To Me" to Springsteen's "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" to Barenaked Laies and Sarah MacLachlan's "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" to Relient K's "12 Days Of Christmas," I'm a big sap for Christmas music.

Some are OK. The Carpenters' Christmas Collection and Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift for you are the 2 CDs I play most during the season. The guys in our church band tackled the Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Carol of the Bells/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" last year and brought the house down. I LOVE that song!!!

The guys in our church band tackled the Trans Siberian Orchestra's "Carol of the Bells/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" last year and brought the house down. I LOVE that song!!!

My brother plays in a handbell choir called The Raleigh Ringers and they an awesome version of that piece, too!! They also do a great version of TSO's "Wizards in Winter". It's even on YouTube.

My brother plays in a handbell choir called The Raleigh Ringers and they an awesome version of that piece, too!! They also do a great version of TSO's "Wizards in Winter". It's even on YouTube.
Awesome!!!! :cool: