If you’re tired of traditional Christmas music, why not try a joke CD like “Dr. Demento’s Twisted Christmas Carols”, featuring “Wreck the Malls” (instead of “Deck the Halls”), “We Wish You Werent Living With Us” (instead of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”) and “The Twelve Pains of Christmas” (instead of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”). For those difficult teens who may not have fully grasped the concept of family time and tradition yet, these songs will at least get you in the jolly Christmas spirit. There are plenty of other sensible picks for mature audiences, too.
For millions of Americans, Elvis Presley still perfectly embodies the spirit of Christmas. The 1957 “Elvis Christmas Album” still tops the charts with 9 million in sales. Elvis sings songs like “Blue Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Silent Night” on this two-disc compilation. Johnny Mathis is another popular voice of the Christmas season, who released his album “Merry Christmas” in 1958, earning 5 million in sales.
She sings “Winter Wonderland,” “The Christmas Song,” “White Christmas,” “O Holy Night,” and “Silver Bells,” to name a few. At Christmas, a number of artists are shoppable on a massive two-disc compilation titled “Now That’s What I Call Christmas,” featuring classic favorites from Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and Johnny Mathis, as well as as well as modern favorites from Bruce Springsteen, Gloria Estefan, Paul McCartney, Britney Spears and Harry Connick Jr. Separate holiday season albums are also available for purchase for Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Perry Como.
For fans of more instrumental Christmas music, a popular choice is jazz saxophonist Kenny G’s “Miracles: the Holiday Album,” which was released in 1994 and has sold 8 million copies. Not everyone is in the mood to sing all the time, so it’s nice to have that one CD that can play comfortably in the background and draw everyone in the family gathering together with soft saxophone notes from “Greensleeves,” “Away in a Manger “. and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” playing.
New age progressive rock group Mannheim Steamroller uses guitars, synthesizers and jazz interludes to develop their interpretation of “Greensleeves”, “Carol of the Bells”, “Hark the Herald” and others on their album “A Fresh Aire Christmas”, which sold 6 million copies. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra offers a classic rock and metal orchestral interpretation of Christmas music, sure to captivate young listeners and their parents alike.
Over the years, modern Christmas music has gained great popularity among young people. For example, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra sold out performances across the country and headlined the 14th album of the 2007 Christmas season with its sixty-piece “Rock Orchestra” and choir. These long-haired musicians were brought together by Paul O’Neill, who led bands like Aerosmith and The Scorpions. Mixing classical music with progressive rock and symphonic heavy metal, they play classics like “O Come All Ye Faithful” as well as modern wonders like “Wizards in Winter.”