Dear Friends,
As a result of the many requests I have received over the years, I am posting my entire Top Play of the 300 greatest Christmas albums in my entire collection.
My Top Play of 300 albums is actually divided into three separate entities: the 1st Tier, 2nd Tier and 3rd Tier. The reason for this is that as my Top Play grew over the years, I found there was no way I could play all of the albums that were included in it during my official holiday playing season, which traditionally ran from November 1st thru Christmas. So when my Top Play reached the 250 mark, I decided to split it in two creating two separate tiers: I put the very best of these albums in the 1st Tier (albums 1-125), and the rest went into the 2nd Tier (albums 126-250). Since then, during my official holiday playing season, I now concentrate on the albums that are in my 1st Tier; and then, as time permits, I play from my 2nd Tier.
Then, a few years back, I decided to expand my Top Play of 250 albums to a Top 300 by adding a small 3rd Tier for albums that were good, but just not quite good enough to make my Top 250. I only play from this 3rd Tier during the year outside my official holiday playing season, which now, because of the size of my collection, runs from October 1st thru Christmas.
Some notes about the Top Play:
Since I have a very eclectic taste in music, my Christmas album collection covers practically all musical genres: Easy Listening, Rock, Country, Jazz, Folk, R&B, Hawaiian, Gospel, Soul, and more. Consequently, in this Top Play, you will also find a very eclectic mix as well.
With only one exception, the great collector’s series compilation albums (Goodyear, Grants, etc.) are not as a general rule included in my Top Play, as it would have been unfair to deny a space in my Top Play to an artist’s album of original material for a compilation. That one aforementioned exception is the great 1966 RCA album, Music To Trim Your Tree By (album #51). This phenomenal album is the only compilation of previously released material that was awarded the distinction and honor of not only being included in my Top Play, but the 1st Tier. There are four other compilation albums in my Top 300; however, they were all compiled of original material. These albums include A Christmas Gift For You (album #121) by various Philles Records recording artists; Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (album #242) by various Reprise Records recording artists; Christmas With Arthur Godfrey (album #266) by various Columbia Records recording artists; and Merry Christmas To You (album #275) by various Capitol Records recording artists.
Also, in the Top Play-2nd Tier there are several reissue LPs that contain some newly recorded material, and for that reason they were awarded a spot in the Top Play, but as 2nd Tier status, as their original release predecessors already hold a spot in the 1st Tier. These albums include Perry Como’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Forever (album #132); Jo Stafford’s Happy Holidays (album #139); Peggy Lee’s Happy Holiday (album #150); and finally, The Living Strings/Voices’ The Most Beautiful Sounds of Christmas (album #160).
Then, too, because of their greatness, there two albums that are represented twice -- both in their original mono form and in their later re-recorded stereo form (the stereo version in the 1st Tier, and the mono version in the 2nd Tier). The first of these is the greatest of them all: Percy Faith’s Music of Christmas (album #1 for the 1958 stereo recording, and album #153 for the original 1954 mono recording). The second is Robert Shaw’s Christmas Hymns And Carols, Volume 1 (album #26 for the 1957 stereo recording, and album #135 for the original 1954 mono recording). The reason why Mantovani’s original 1953 mono recording of Christmas Carols was not included in the 2nd Tier is because it did not have different album cover artwork from the later 1958 stereo recording, as was the case with Percy Faith and Robert Shaw. So this was really just a way to honor and recognize the Faith and Shaw albums for their original packaging -- especially the Percy Faith album, for not only being the greatest of them all, but for that great artwork that the original 1954 album sported.
By the way, all of the albums that did not make my Top Play (1st, 2nd, or 3rd Tier) reside in my archives -- and that number, I might add, far exceeds the 300 albums in my Top Play.
Here now is how my Top Play is comprised:
*The 1st Tier is for albums 1-125; any album in this elite group will have a minimum rating of 8, but the vast majority are rated at 9 or 10.
*The 2nd Tier is for albums 126-250; any album in this group will have a minimum rating of 7, but most are rated at 8 or 9.
*The 3rd Tier is for albums 251-300; albums in this group have ratings of 6 or 7.
So now, after laying the background for you, here posted for the first time in its entirety is my Top Play; 1st Tier in Red, 2nd Tier in Green and 3rd Tier in Orange:
First Tier
1. Percy Faith – “Music Of Christmas”
2. Percy Faith – “Hallelujah” (re-released as “Music Of Christmas, Volume 2”)
3. Mantovani – “Christmas Carols”
4. Johnny Mathis – “Merry Christmas”
5. Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians – “’Twas The Night Before Christmas”
6. Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians – “Christmas Time”
7. Ray Conniff – “Christmas With Conniff”
8. Ray Conniff – “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
9. The Norman Luboff Choir – “Christmas With The Norman Luboff Choir”
10. Andy Williams – “The Andy Williams Christmas Album”
11. Jim Reeves – “Twelve Songs Of Christmas”
12. Al Hirt – “The Sound Of Christmas”
13. Mantovani – “Christmas Greetings From Mantovani”
14. Frank DeVol – “The Old Sweet Songs Of Christmas”
15. Andre Kostelanetz – “Wonderland Of Christmas”
16. The Living Strings – “The Spirit Of Christmas”
17. Leroy Anderson And His Orchestra – “A Christmas Festival”
18. Kate Smith – “The Kate Smith Christmas Album”
19. Jo Stafford – “Happy Holiday”
20. Patti Page – “Christmas With Patti Page” (Columbia album)
21. Kitty Wells – “Christmas Day With Kitty Wells”
22. Brenda Lee – “Merry Christmas From Brenda Lee”
23. The New Christy Minstrels – “Christmas With The Christies”
24. Ray Conniff – “Here We Come A-Caroling”
25. Mitch Miller – “Holiday Sing Along With Mitch”
26. The Robert Shaw Chorale – “Christmas Hymns And Carols, Volume 1”
27. The Jack Halloran Singers – “Christmas Is A-Comin’” (re-released as “The Little Drummer Boy”)
28. Leroy Anderson And His Orchestra – “Christmas Carols”
29. Bert Kaempfert – “Christmas Wonderland”
30. Stanley Black – “Christmas Holiday For Romance”
31. Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra – “Music For A Merry Christmas”
32. Ronnie Aldrich – “Christmas With Ronnie Aldrich”
33. The Living Strings – “The Sound Of Christmas”
34. John Gary – “The John Gary Christmas Album”
35. Perry Como – “The Perry Como Christmas Album”
36. Bing Crosby – “A Time To Be Jolly”
37. Burl Ives – “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” (original soundtrack recording)
38. Burl Ives – “Have A Holly Jolly Christmas”
39. Ella Fitzgerald – “Ella Wishes You A Swingin’ Christmas”
40. Ace Cannon – “Christmas Cheer”
41. Bing Crosby – “Merry Christmas”
42. Perry Como – “Season's Greetings From Perry Como”
43. Barbra Streisand – “A Christmas Album”
44. Sammy Kaye – “I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas”
45. The LeRoy Holmes Singers – “Snowflakes And Sweethearts”
46. Ferrante And Teicher – “Snowbound”
47. Ferrante And Teicher – “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
48. The Glad Singers – “Swing Bells”
49. Vincent Lopez – “Christmas Music”
50. The Hollyridge Strings – “Christmas Favorites”
51. RCA Recording Artists – “Music To Trim Your Tree By”
52. Andy Williams – “Merry Christmas”
53. Eddy Arnold – “Christmas With Eddy Arnold”
54. Jo Stafford – “Ski Trails”
55. Mitch Miller And The Gang – “Christmas Sing Along With Mitch”
56. The New Christy Minstrels – “Merry Christmas”
57. The Andrews Sisters – “Andrews Sisters Christmas”
58. Percy Faith – “Christmas Is”
59. Arthur Fiedler And The Boston Pops Orchestra – “Pops Christmas Party”
60. Arthur Fiedler And The Boston Pops Orchestra – “A Christmas Festival”
61. Arthur Fiedler And The Boston Pops Orchestra – “Pops Goes Christmas”
62. Ed Sullivan/John Gregory – “Ed Sullivan Presents Music Of Christmas”
63. Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians – “A-Caroling We Go”
64. Bing Crosby – “That Christmas Feeling”
65. Bing Crosby – “I Wish You A Merry Christmas”
66. Steve Lawrence And Eydie Gorme – “That Holiday Feeling”
67. Danny Davis And The Nashville Brass – “Christmas with Danny Davis And The Nashville Brass”
68. Sammy Kaye – “Christmas Day With Sammy Kaye”
69. Paul Mauriat – “The Christmas Album”
70. David Rose – “The David Rose Christmas Album”
71. Lenny Dee – “Happy Holi-dee”
72. Bobby Roberts – “Holiday Music For Happy People”
73. Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians – “Jingle Bells”
74. Jan Garber – “Christmas Dance Party”
75. Lawrence Welk – “Merry Christmas From Lawrence Welk”
76. Lawrence Welk – “Jingle Bells”
77. Big Tiny Little – “Christmas With Big Tiny Little”
78. The Pete King Chorale – “Christmas Time”
79. Henry Mancini – “A Merry Mancini Christmas”
80. Patti Page – “Christmas With Patti Page” (Mercury album)
81. Doris Day – “The Doris Day Christmas Album”
82. Tony Bennett – “Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album”
83. The McGuire Sisters – “Greetings From The McGuire Sisters”
84. Peggy Lee – “Christmas Carousel”
85. Buck Owens – “Christmas With Buck Owens And His Buckaroos”
86. Buck Owens – “Christmas Shopping”
87. Roger Whittaker – “The Roger Whittaker Christmas Album”
88. Nat King Cole – “The Christmas Song”
89. The Quinto Sisters – “Holly Jolly Christmas”
90. The Hugo And Luigi Children’s Chorus – “The Sound Of Children At Christmas”
91. Chet Atkins – “Christmas With Chet Atkins”
92. Floyd Cramer – “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
93. The Three Suns – “A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas”
94. Hugo Winterhalter – “Christmas Magic”
95. The Ralph Hunter Choir (aka The Living Voices) – “Christmas Surprises”
96. The Living Voices – “The Little Drummer Boy”
97. The Living Strings And Living Voices – “White Christmas”
98. The Living Voices – “A Christmas Songbook”
99. The Organ Orchestra – “That Happy Christmas Feeling”
100. The Four Aces – “Merry Christmas”
101. Wayne King – “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
102. Jimmie Rodgers – “It’s Christmas Once Again”
103. Bobby Vinton – “A Very Merry Christmas”
104. Mike Douglas – “My Kind Of Christmas”
105. Jack Jones – “The Jack Jones Christmas Album”
106. The Ames Brothers – “The Sounds Of Christmas Harmony”
107. The Ames Brothers – “There’ll Always Be A Christmas”
108. Ed Ames – “Christmas With Ed Ames”
109. Jo Stafford – “The Joyful Season”
110. Gisele MacKenzie – “Christmas With Gisele”
111. The Brothers Four – “Merry Christmas”
112. Perry Como – “Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music”
113. The Lennon Sisters – “Christmas With The Lennon Sisters”
114. Mahalia Jackson – “Sweet Little Jesus Boy”
115. Mahalia Jackson – “Silent Night”
116. Mahalia Jackson – “Christmas With Mahalia”
117. The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble – “A Festival Of Carols In Brass”
118. Lester Lanin – “Christmas Dance Party”
119. Pete Fountain – “Candy Clarinet”
120. Spike Jones – “Spike Jones Presents A Christmas Spectacular”
121. Philles Recording Artists – “A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector”
122. The Ventures – “The Ventures Christmas Album”
123. The Beach Boys – “The Beach Boys Christmas Album”
124. The Chipmunks With David Seville – “Christmas With The Chipmunks”
125. The Chipmunks With David Seville – “Christmas With The Chipmunks, Vol. 2”
Second Tier
126. Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians – “The Song Of Christmas”
127. Frank Sinatra – “Christmas Dreaming”
128. Frank Sinatra – “A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra”
129. Frank Sinatra – “The Sinatra Christmas Album”
130. Andy Williams – “Christmas Present”
131. The Williams Brothers – “The Williams Brothers Christmas Album”
132. Perry Como – “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Forever”
133. Harry Belafonte – “To Wish You A Merry Christmas”
134. Marian Anderson – “Christmas Carols”
135. The Robert Shaw Chorale – “Christmas Hymns And Carols” (Original Mono Version)
136. The Robert Shaw Chorale – “The Many Moods Of Christmas”
137. The John McCarthy Chorale – “Merry Christmas Sing Along”
138. Kate Smith – “Christmas With Kate”
139. Jo Stafford – “Happy Holidays”
140. Gordon MacRae/Jo Stafford – “Silent Night, Holy Night”
141. Rosemary Clooney – “Christmas With Rosemary Clooney”
142. The Norman Luboff Choir – “Songs Of Christmas”
143. The Norman Luboff Choir – “Christmas Carols”
144. Burl Ives – “Christmas Eve With Burl Ives”
145. Loretta Lynn – “Country Christmas”
146. Joni James – “Merry Christmas From Joni”
147. Connie Francis – “Christmas In My Heart”
148. Ella Fitzgerald – “Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas”
149. Nat King Cole – “Cole, Christmas, & Kids”
150. Peggy Lee – “Happy Holiday”
151. Hans Carste – “Noel Noel”
152. Al Caiola/Riz Ortolani – “Sound Of Christmas”
153. Percy Faith – “Music Of Christmas” (Original Mono Version)
154. Andre Kostelanetz – “Joy To The World: Music For Christmas”
155. Eugene Ormandy – “The Glorious Sound Of Christmas”
156. Eugene Ormandy – “A Christmas Festival”
157. Richard Clayderman – “A Romantic Christmas”
158. George Melachrino – “Christmas Joy”
159. The Three Suns – “The Sounds Of Christmas”
160. The Living Strings And Living Voices – “The Most Beautiful Sounds Of Christmas”
161. The Living Trio – “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
162. The Living Guitars – “The Joy Of Christmas”
163. Johnny Mathis – “Sounds Of Christmas”
164. Robert Goulet – “This Christmas I Spend With You”
165. Robert Goulet – “Robert Goulet’s Wonderful World Of Christmas”
166. Jerry Vale – “Christmas Greetings From Jerry Vale”
167. Jimmy Dean – “Jimmy Dean’s Christmas Card”
168. Marty Robbins – “Christmas With Marty Robbins”
169. Tex Beneke/Ray Eberle – “Christmas Serenade: In The Glenn Miller Style”
170. Jack Dorsey – “Christmas Roses”
171. Lawrence Welk – “Silent Night And 13 Other Best Loved Christmas Songs”
172. The Lennon Sisters – “Noel”
173. Billy Vaughn – “Christmas Carols”
174. Billy Vaughn – “Have Yourself A Merry Merry Christmas”
175. The Anita Kerr Singers – “Spend This Holiday With Me”
176. The Mills Brothers – “Merry Christmas”
177. Liberace – “A Liberace Christmas”
178. Keely Smith – “A Keely Christmas”
179. Jimmie Rodgers – “Christmas With Jimmie Rodgers”
180. Eddie Fisher – “Mary Christmas”
181. Pat Boone – “White Christmas”
182. Engelbert Humperdinck – “Christmas Time”
183. Engelbert Humperdinck – “A Merry Christmas With Engelbert Humperdinck”
184. Tammy Wynette – “Christmas With Tammy”
185. Lynn Anderson – “The Christmas Album”
186. Jimmy Roselli – “The Christmas Album”
187. Jack Jones – “A Jack Jones Christmas”
188. The Harry Simeone Chorale – “Sing We Now Of Christmas”
189. The Harry Simeone Chorale – “The Wonderful Songs Of Christmas”
190. The Harry Simeone Chorale – “O Bambino/The Little Drummer Boy”
191. The Harry Simeone Chorale – “It’s Christmas Once Again”
192. The Harry Simeone Chorale – “The Little Drummer Boy”
193. Roger Williams – “Christmas Time”
194. Raymond Lefevre – “Merry Christmas”
195. The Ray Charles Singers – “Winter Wonderland”
196. The Ray Charles Singers – “Here We Come A-Caroling”
197. David Rose – “A Merry Christmas To You”
198. Jackie Gleason – “Merry Christmas”
199. Jackie Gleason – “’Tis The Season”
200. Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians – “Now Is The Caroling Season”
201. Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians – “The Sounds Of Christmas”
202. Fred Waring And The Pennsylvanians – “The Meaning Of Christmas”
203. The Roger Wagner Chorale – “Joy To The World”
204. The Roger Wagner Chorale – “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”
205. The Voices Of Walter Schumann – “Christmas In The Air”
206. The Voices Of Walter Schumann – “The Voices Of Christmas”
207. Dean Martin – “A Winter Romance”
208. Dean Martin – “The Dean Martin Christmas Album”
209. Al Martino – “A Merry Christmas”
210. Tennessee Ernie Ford – “The Star Carol”
211. Tennessee Ernie Ford – “The Story Of Christmas”
212. Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Sing We Now Of Christmas”
213. Tennessee Ernie Ford – “O Come All Ye Faithful”
214. Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Christmas”
215. The Kingston Trio – “The Last Month Of The Year”
216. The Weavers – “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
217. Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass – “Christmas Album”
218. Ace Cannon – “A Holiday With Ace”
219. Boots Randolph – “Boots And Stockings”
220. Eddie Dunstedter – “Christmas Candy”
221. The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra – “The Music Of Christmas”
222. The Golddiggers – “We Need A Little Christmas”
223. The Ramsey Lewis Trio – “The Sound Of Christmas”
224. Jimmy McGriff – “Christmas With McGriff”
225. The Paradise Islanders – “Christmas In Hawaii”
226. The Waikikis – “Merry Christmas In Hawaii”
227. Arthur Lyman – “Mele Kalikimaka”
228. The Supremes – “Merry Christmas”
229. Lena Horne – “Merry From Lena”
230. The Johnny Mann Singers – “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
231. The Fantastic Strings Of Felix Slatkin – “Seasons Greetings”
232. Vince Guaraldi – “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
233. Esquivel/Ray Martin – “The Merriest Of Christmas Pops”
234. Bobby Helms – “Jingle Bell Rock”
235. Gene Autry – “The Original Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer & Other Favorites”
236. Gene Autry – “Gene Autry Sings Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”
237. Glen Campbell – “That Christmas Feeling”
238. Buck Owens/Susan Raye – “Merry Christmas From Buck Owens And Susan Raye”
239. Charley Pride – “Christmas In My Home Town”
240. Connie Smith – “Joy To The World”
241. Faron Young – “Country Christmas”
242. Frank Sinatra And His Friends – “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
243. Bing Crosby/Frank Sinatra/Fred Waring – “12 Songs Of Christmas”
244. Skitch Henderson And The New York Philharmonic – “Winter Holiday”
245. Ira Ironstrings – “Ira Ironstrings Plays Santa Claus”
246. Ronnie Aldrich – “Silver Bells/Winter Wonderland”
247. Carmen Cavallaro – “Christmas With Carmen Cavallaro”
248. Enoch Light – “Christmas Comes To Our House”
249. The Edward Carrington Chorale – “Christmas Chorale”
250. The Midnight String Quartet – “Christmas Rhapsodies For Young Lovers”
Third Tier
251. The Robert Shaw Chorale – “Christmas Hymns And Carols, Volume 2”
252. George Melachrino – “Christmas In High Fidelity”
253. Ed Ames – “Christmas Is The Warmest Time Of The Year”
254. Dick Leibert – “The Happy Hits Of Christmas”
255. The Piano Rolls And Voices – “All Time Christmas Hits”
256. Domenico Savino – “Hi-Fi Christmas Party”
257. Bob Ralston – “Christmas Hymns & Carols”
258. The Organ Masters – “Merry Christmas”
259. The Richard Wolfe Children’s Chorus – “Christmas Is For Children”
260. Andre Kostelanetz – “Wishing You A Merry Christmas”
261. Leonard Bernstein And The New York Philharmonic – “The Joy Of Christmas”
262. Marty Robbins – “A Christmas Remembered”
263. Frankie Yankovic – “Christmas Party”
264. The Chuck Wagon Gang – “Going Home For Christmas”
265. The Regency Choir – “Three Wise Men”
266. Arthur Godfrey – “Christmas With Arthur Godfrey”
267. Ken Darby – “The Spirit Of Christmas”
268. George Feyer – “Echoes Of Christmas”
269. Earl Grant – “Winter Wonderland”
270. Teresa Brewer – “Teresa Brewer At Christmas Time”
271. The Blenders – “Ring The Christmas Bells”
272. The Hollywood Pops Orchestra – “Great Instrumental Christmas Music”
273. Sonny James – “My Christmas Dream”
274. Merle Haggard – “Merle Haggard’s Christmas Present”
275. Capitol Recording Artists – “Merry Christmas To You”
276. The Sinatra Family – “The Sinatra Family Wish You A Merry Christmas”
277. Don Ho – “The Don Ho Christmas Album”
278. The Platters – “Christmas With The Platters”
279. Jan August – “Christmas Favorites”
280. Roger Williams – “Plays Christmas Songs”
281. The Somerset Strings – “Music For Christmas At Home”
282. Wally Stott – “Happy Holiday”
283. Tutti Camarata – “Winter’
284. Helen O’Connell – “Christmas With Helen O’Connell”
285. The Randy Van Horne Singers – “Sleigh Ride”
286. Yank Lawson/Bob Haggart – “Hark The Herald Angels Swing”
287. The Longines Symphonette Society – “Christmas Eve Favorites”
288. The Medallion Orchestra – “The Sound Of Christmas; Deck The Halls”
289. Johnny Kaye And The Abbey Choir – “White Christmas”
290. The Windsor Strings – “A Family Christmas”
291. The Knightsbridge Singing Strings – “Christmas Mood”
292. The Monterey Brass – “Christmas Brass”
293. Ron Goodwin – “Christmas Wonderland”
294. Geoff Love – “Christmas With Love”
295. Waldo De Los Rios – “Navidad Con”
296. Caravelli – “Noels”
297. Ralph Flanagan – “Holiday Inn”
298. The 50 Guitars – “Christmas With The 50 Guitars”
299. Booker T. And The MG’s – “In The Christmas Spirit”
300. James Last – “Christmas Dancing”
In the spirit of Billboard's Bubbling Under The Hot 100 chart, I present my Bubbling Under The Top 300 -- a list of Christmas albums that b~u~b~b~l~e under my Top 300:
Bubbling Under The Top 300
301. Elvis Presley – “The Wonderful World Of Christmas”
302. Morton Gould – “A Musical Christmas Tree”
