Christmas | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 20, 2023 | |||
Recorded | Mid-2023 | |||
Length | 39:48 | |||
Label | Warner | |||
Producer |
| |||
Cher chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Christmas | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
BroadwayWorld | 5/5 [2] |
Retropop | [3] |
Slant Magazine | [4] |
Christmas is the twenty-seventh studio album by American singer Cher. It was released on October 20, 2023, through Warner Records. It is her first album featuring original material in ten years, following Closer to the Truth (2013). It Is her first Christmas album.
Cher first announced a plan to record a Christmas album in 2018. [5] However, no progress was made at this time, and she did not comment again on this album until hinting at its production in July 2023, when she announced that she was already working on material for it. [6] On Twitter, she shared that she never wanted to do a festive album but it came out "as good as any record" she has made. [7] In an interview with Good Morning Britain in September, Cher expressed her pride over the record, saying that it is "a Cher Christmas album. It's not your mother's Christmas album". [8] On September 7, Cher unveiled the album's artwork, accompanied by a caption asking the reader if they wanted to share Christmas with her. The cover depicts a simple shot of the singer surrounded by Christmas ornaments. [9] She is seen wearing a white shirt and bedazzled blue jeans. [10] Target exclusive versions of the album consists of 4 different colored versions of Cher's name. [11] An alternative cover with Cher in pink version of her outfit on the standard album and kicking a splash of water was released exclusively to Cher's official store, [12] while Amazon versions had another exclusive alternative cover with Cher in a silver bejeweled dress surrounded by water and icebergs. [13]
The project features guest appearances by Darlene Love, Michael Bublé, Tyga, Cyndi Lauper, and Stevie Wonder. [14] Cher shared her excitement over the fact that there are "millions of people" on it and that she never released an album with duets. [7] According to her, the decision to include guest artists was "last-minute". [15]
Four songs from the album are original works: "DJ Play a Christmas Song", "Angels in the Snow", "Drop Top Sleigh Ride, and "Christmas Ain't Christmas Without You". [16]
On October 6, 2023, Cher released "DJ Play a Christmas Song" as the lead single from the album. [17] "DJ Play a Christmas Song" debuted at number 94 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated December 30, 2023, becoming Cher's first entry on the Hot 100 since "Song for the Lonely" in May 2002. [18] On the week ending October 21, 2023, the song entered the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart at number three, reaching the number one position six weeks later (on the week-ending December 2, 2023). [19] On the week ending November 18, 2023, the song entered the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart at number 22, attaining the number one position three weeks later (on the week-ending December 9, 2023). [20] In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. [21]
In Canada, the album tracks "DJ Play a Christmas Song", "What Christmas Means to Me" with Stevie Wonder, "Run Rudolph Run", and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" with Darlene Love gained airplay, charting on the Canadian AC chart, peaking at numbers nine, four, twenty-one, and twenty-five respectively. [22] "DJ Play a Christmas Song" reached number 53 on the Canadian Hot 100. [23]
Christmas debuted at number 32 on the US Billboard 200 and number one on the Top Holiday Albums chart with 21,000 album-equivalent units, from which 20,000 comprised album sales. [24] Christmas was declared by Billboard the top-selling seasonal collection of 2023 by traditional album sales, with 133,000 copies sold in the US during the Nov. 4, 2023 through Jan. 6, 2024 period. [25]
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 42 on the UK Albums Chart. [26] In the week of December 22, 2023, it rose to number 5. [27]
All tracks produced by Mark Taylor; except "Drop Top Sleigh Ride" produced by Alexander Edwards, Ryan OG, and Mike Crook.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "DJ Play a Christmas Song" |
| 3:29 |
2. | "What Christmas Means to Me" (with Stevie Wonder) |
| 2:35 |
3. | "Run Rudolph Run" |
| 2:53 |
4. | "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" (with Darlene Love) | 2:43 | |
5. | "Angels in the Snow" |
| 2:52 |
6. | "Home" (with Michael Bublé) |
| 3:44 |
7. | "Drop Top Sleigh Ride" (with Tyga) |
| 3:20 |
8. | "Please Come Home for Christmas" |
| 2:55 |
9. | "I Like Christmas" |
| 2:59 |
10. | "Christmas Ain't Christmas Without You" |
| 2:55 |
11. | "Santa Baby" |
| 3:21 |
12. | "Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart" (with Cyndi Lauper) |
| 3:07 |
13. | "This Will Be Our Year" | Chris White | 2:14 |
Total length: | 39:48 |
Chart (2023–2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [28] | 40 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [29] | 7 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [30] | 49 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [31] | 45 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [32] | 37 |
Croatian International Albums (HDU) [33] | 16 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [34] | 54 |
French Physical Albums (SNEP) [35] | 47 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [36] | 9 |
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ) [37] | 17 |
Irish Albums (IRMA) [38] | 66 |
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA) [39] | 55 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [40] | 18 |
Poland Streaming Albums (ZPAV) [41] | 71 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [42] | 4 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [43] | 60 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [44] | 23 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [45] | 12 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade Romandy) [46] | 10 |
UK Albums (OCC) [27] | 5 |
US Billboard 200 [47] | 32 |
US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard) [48] | 1 |
Merry Christmas is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, and her first Christmas album. Released by Columbia Records on October 28, 1994, at the peak of the initial stretch of Carey's career, between Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995), the album features cover versions of popular Christmas songs in addition to original material. Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote all of the original tracks, as well as producing Carey's interpretations of the covered material. Three singles were released from the album, of which "All I Want for Christmas Is You" went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time and the best-selling Christmas ringtone in the United States.
Believe is the twenty-second studio album by American singer and actress Cher, released on October 22, 1998, by WEA and Warner Bros. Records. Following the commercial disappointment of her previous studio album It's a Man's World (1995), her record company encouraged her to record a dance-oriented album, in order to move into a more mainstream sound. Cher started working on the album in the spring of 1998 with British producers Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling at the Dreamhouse Studios in London. The album was dedicated to her former husband Sonny Bono, who had died earlier that year.
These Are Special Times is the seventeenth studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, and her first English-language Christmas album. It was first released in Europe on 30 October 1998, by Columbia Records. In the United States, it was released on 3 November 1998 through Epic Records. The album features cover versions of popular Christmas songs and original material, including "I'm Your Angel" and "The Prayer". Dion worked with David Foster and Ric Wake, who produced most of the album. These Are Special Times was released after two of Dion's most successful albums, Falling into You (1996) and Let's Talk About Love (1997).
American singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson has released ten studio albums, eight extended plays, one compilation album, one remix album, and 56 singles. In 2002, she won the inaugural season of the television competition American Idol and was immediately signed to a recording deal with 19 Recordings, and RCA Records. She made her chart debut in September 2002 with the double A-side single "Before Your Love"/"A Moment Like This", latter of which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and eventually became the year's best-selling single in the United States. Her debut album, Thankful, was released in April 2003 and entered the US Billboard 200 chart at number one. Thankful produced the hit lead single "Miss Independent" and was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
American entertainer Cher has released 27 studio albums, 10 compilation albums, two soundtrack albums, and three live albums. Widely recognized as the Goddess of Pop, Cher has sold over 100 million records worldwide and a further 40 million as part of Sonny & Cher, making her one of the best-selling female recording artists in history. Billboard ranked her as the 109th Greatest Artist of all time and the 49th Greatest Hot 100 Artist of all time. According to RIAA, she has sold 12.5 million albums in the United States. Her signature hit "Believe" has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, and it is the UK's best-selling single by a female artist in history, and one of the best-selling physical singles of all time.
"Believe" is a song by American singer Cher from her 22nd studio album, Believe (1998). It was released as the album's lead single on October 19, 1998, by Warner Bros. Records. After circulating for months, a demo written by Brian Higgins, Matthew Gray, Stuart McLennen and Timothy Powell, was submitted to Warner's chairman Rob Dickins, while he was scouting for songs to include on Cher's new album. Aside from the chorus, Dickins was not impressed by the track so he enlisted two more writers, Steve Torch and Paul Barry in order to complete it. Cher also later did some adjustments herself to the lyrics but did not get a songwriting credit. Recording took place at Dreamhouse Studio in West London, while production was handled by Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling.
"It's in His Kiss" is a song written and composed by Rudy Clark. It was first released as a single in 1963 by Merry Clayton that did not chart. The song was made a hit a year later when recorded by Betty Everett, who hit No. 1 on the Cashbox magazine R&B charts with it in 1964. Recorded by dozens of artists and groups around the world in the decades since, the song became an international hit once again when remade by Cher in 1990.
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a pop song originally sung by Darlene Love and included on the 1963 seasonal compilation album, A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. The song was written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Phil Spector.
And Winter Came... is the seventh studio album by Irish singer, songwriter, and musician Enya, released on 7 November 2008 by Warner Bros. Records internationally and by Reprise Records in the United States on 11 November 2008. After recording new Christmas songs for her fourth EP Sounds of the Season: The Enya Collection (2006), Enya started work on a Christmas album of traditional carols and original tracks, but the idea was changed to a collection of songs with a Christmas or winter theme as it better suited the style of the new material. It was recorded with her longtime collaborators, arranger and producer Nicky Ryan and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan.
American entertainer Cher has released 80 official singles, 24 promotional singles and appeared in 22 other songs. On the Billboard Hot 100, she has achieved: 4 number 1 singles, 12 Top 10 singles, 22 Top 40 singles and a total of 34 charted singles as a solo artist. Combined with the entries she had as part of Sonny & Cher: 5 number 1 singles, 17 Top 10 singles, 32 Top 40 hits and a total of 52 singles which charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Under the Mistletoe is the first Christmas album and second studio album by Canadian singer Justin Bieber, released on November 1, 2011, by RBMG/Island Def Jam Music Group. The album features fifteen tracks, including seven original songs co-written by Bieber, along with cover versions of Christmas carols and standards. Fellow artists Usher, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, and the Band Perry all make guest appearances on the album.
American actress and singer Idina Menzel has released seven studio albums, fifteen singles and two live albums. She is dubbed as the "Streisand of her generation" by various media outlets. She became the first artist with both a Billboard Top 10 hit and a Tony Award for acting with her global smash hit "Let It Go". Her album "Holiday Wishes" remains her highest charting album on Billboard 200, peaking at #6 and also debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Holiday Albums Chart. Let It Go stormed the charts and became a pop culture phenomenon. It became the fifth biggest-selling song of 2014, selling 10.9 million worldwide via IFPI. Menzel was Billboard's 48th top performing artist of 2014 and she also the 9th Top Hot 100 artist of the same year. Let It Go is certified 8× Platinum in the US, according to RIAA and has sold a million units in South Korea and United Kingdom.
American a cappella group Pentatonix (PTX) has released 11 studio albums, six compilation albums, six extended plays (EPs), 34 singles and 58 music videos. The group won the third season of The Sing-Off in 2011, and subsequently received a recording contract with Sony. In June 2012, Pentatonix released their first extended play, PTX, Volume 1 through Sony-owned independent record label Madison Gate Records. The EP debuted at number 14 on the US Billboard 200, selling 18,401 copies in its first week of sales. A Christmas EP, PTXmas, was released in November 2012. It was re-released in November 2013 with one of its new tracks, "Little Drummer Boy", debuting at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charting in other countries such as Austria, Canada and New Zealand. The EP became the sixth highest-selling Christmas album of 2013, selling over 168,000 copies. In November 2013, Pentatonix released their third EP, PTX, Vol. II which debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200, selling 31,000 copies in its first week of sales.
Everyday Is Christmas is the eighth studio album and first Christmas album by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, released on 17 November 2017 by Atlantic Records and Monkey Puzzle. Her first album with Atlantic, it features original Christmas songs. Initially released with ten tracks in 2017, the album has since been reissued in 2018, 2021, and 2022 with new bonus tracks each time. The lead single, "Santa's Coming for Us", was released on 30 October 2017, and "Snowman" was released as the second on 9 November.
Dancing Queen is the twenty-sixth studio album by American singer Cher, released by Warner Bros. Records on September 28, 2018. It is Cher's first album in five years, following Closer to the Truth (2013). The album contains cover versions of songs recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, with the title referencing their 1976 song "Dancing Queen". The album follows Cher's appearance in the 2018 musical film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, based on the music of ABBA.
Happy Xmas is the first Christmas album by Eric Clapton as well as his twenty-first solo studio album which was released on 12 October 2018. It includes 13 covers of Christmas-themed songs, both well-known and relatively obscure ones, arranged in a predominantly blues style, and one new composition by Clapton and producer Simon Climie.
A Holly Dolly Christmas is the forty-seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 2, 2020, by Parton's Butterfly Records in partnership with 12-Tone Music Group. The album was produced by Kent Wells, with Parton serving as executive producer. It is Parton's third Christmas album, following 1984's Once Upon a Christmas with Kenny Rogers and 1990's Home for Christmas. The album features guest appearances by Michael Bublé, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, and Parton's brother Randy. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, becoming Parton's eighth album to top the chart. The album also peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart and number 16 on the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
A Very Trainor Christmas is a Christmas album and the fourth major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Honest OG Recording and Epic Records released it on October 30, 2020. Trainor involved her family members in the creation, co-writing its songs with her brothers, Ryan and Justin, among others. Featured artists include Earth, Wind & Fire, Seth MacFarlane, Trainor's cousins Jayden, Jenna, & Marcus Toney, and her father, Gary. The album includes cover versions of Christmas standards, such as "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (1951) and "Last Christmas" (1984), as well as six original recordings.
A Very Backstreet Christmas is the tenth studio album and the first Christmas album by the Backstreet Boys. Initially slated for release in 2021, it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was released on October 14, 2022. It entered the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart at number 1, and debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart. A related television special, "A Very Backstreet Holiday," was pulled from airing and streaming debuts after sexual assault allegations against Nick Carter, who has since filed a defamation lawsuit.
"DJ Play a Christmas Song" is a song by American singer and actress Cher, released as the lead single of her 2023 album Christmas. The song was digitally released on October 6, 2023, by Warner. It was produced by Mark Taylor, with lyrics written by Sarah Hudson, Jessie Saint John, Brett McLaughlin, James Abrahart, Mark Schick and Lionel Crasta. It became Cher's first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 21 years, peaking at number 90 on the chart.