Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album
Encyclopedia
Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album is the fourth soundtrack album
by the cast of the American musical television series Glee
. The album was released on November 9, 2010 and accompanies the season two
Christmas
episode "A Very Glee Christmas
", aired December 7, 2010. Dante Di Loreto
and Brad Falchuk
serve as the album's executive producers. Critical reception has been mixed, with the majority of professional reviews praising the cover version
of "Baby, It's Cold Outside
" performed by Chris Colfer
and guest star Darren Criss
, as well as the vocals of Lea Michele
and Amber Riley
, but questioning the arrangements of some other tracks. The album debuted at the top position of the Billboard
Soundtracks chart, as well as peaking at number three on the Billboard 200
.
episode, which aired on December 7, 2010 on Fox
as the last episode for the year. The tracks are "We Need a Little Christmas
", "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", "Merry Christmas Darling
", "Baby, It's Cold Outside
", "Last Christmas", and "The Most Wonderful Day of the Year". The cover of Wham!
's "Last Christmas
" was previously released on November 24, 2009 as a charity record
exclusively to the iTunes Store
; part of the proceeds went to the Grammy Foundation to fund school education programs. It was never used in any season one episode, and marked the first appearance of the song on the Billboard Hot 100
, at number sixty-three. It also charted on the Australian Singles Chart at number sixty, on the Canadian Hot 100
at number forty-six, and on the Billboard
Adult Contemporary chart at number twenty-seven. On Billboard Holiday Songs chart, which measures sales and airplay, "Last Christmas" charted at number twenty for the 2009 holiday season.
The album's official track listing was revealed in a press release on October 26, 2010. Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang
makes a featured appearance with Matthew Morrison
on the track "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
", covered with the original lyrics—unlike the television version which changed the opening lyric from "Mr. Grinch" to "Sue
the Grinch". Additionally, guest star Darren Criss
makes a vocal appearance on "Baby, It's Cold Outside". A Glee Christmas card
featuring the cast in Christmas sweaters was released to accompany the album.
praised the "underappreciated" opening track "We Need a Little Christmas
" and gave a B rating for what they opined as Glees best album hitherto. Andrew Leahey of allmusic gave the album three out of five stars, unsurprised by the songs being "performed in Glees familiar Broadway
-pop style". He enjoyed "Baby, It's Cold Outside
" and its unorthodoxy of being duetted between two males—Chris Colfer
and guest star Darren Criss
—as "a refreshingly risqué move for Fox TV". Tanner Stransky of Entertainment Weekly
noted it as a standout track on the album, as did About.com
's Bill Lamb, calling it "charm-filled", and E! Online's Jennifer Arrow, using the word "marvelous". Stransky gave The Christmas Album a B+ rating, calling it "plenty joyful, in that silly, Kidz Bop
-for-adults way." He also called Amber Riley
's rendition of "Angels We Have Heard on High
" "soaring" while Arrow deemed it "amazing". Lea Michele
's vocals on "O Holy Night
" were complimented by both Arrow and Leahey; the latter compared them to those of Kristin Chenoweth
. Bruce Ward writing for the Ottawa Citizen
, however, didn't like the track, and thought the song was uncomfortably slow.
Lamb gave the album a four-star rating, calling it "an enduring collection" of "solid holiday music", and was delighted by the animated "Deck the Rooftop", a blend of "Deck the Halls" and "Up on the House Top
". Ward agreed, but Leahey questioned the arrangement of this "urban mash-up
", likening it to a song that would be performed by a Disney
actress. Vanity Fair
s Brett Berk decided the record was "not able to be categorized as good or bad", leaving it open for the listener to decide on the "twelve candy cane
-sweetened tracks". Writing for the New York Post
, Jarett Wieselman thought the album overall sounded like the soundtrack of an advertisement for Gap
, but praised the vocal work of Colfer, Michele, and Riley. Jonathan Takiff of the Philadelphia Daily News
felt the tracks were too artificial and was disappointed the cast didn't cover more songs outside the realm of pop music
. Kyle Buchanan of New York
lamented the fact that Jane Lynch
was not the one singing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
", calling it a "missed opportunity", while Wieselman was confused at Lang's appearance on the track, wondering if previous guest star Olivia Newton-John
would have been a better choice.
the week of November 24, 2010, with 161,198 copies sold, and the cover of "O Holy Night" debuted that week at number one on the Holiday Digital Songs chart. Also that week, the album saw a debut at number three on the Canadian Albums Chart
, selling 16,000 copies. The following week, the album dropped two spots in the US, with sales of 108,000, but held the same spot in Canada with 18,000 copies. Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album peaked in both Australia and Ireland at number thirteen, in New Zealand at number thirty-two, and in the Netherlands at number fifty. Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album debuted on the UK Albums Chart
at number thirty-seven the week of December 11, 2010. On December 15, 2010, the album climbed to number one in Canada, with sales totalling 81,000; it also reached its highest point on the US charts at number three, selling 193,000 copies that week. The album was certified platinum with over one million in sales, Glee second-best selling album behind their debut
.
"We Need a Little Christmas" debuted on Billboard
s Adult Contemporary chart the week of December 6, 2010 at number twenty. "Deck the Rooftop" debuted on the same chart a week later, at number twenty-nine, as did "The Most Wonderful Day of the Year" the week after that, at number twenty-eight.
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
by the cast of the American musical television series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
. The album was released on November 9, 2010 and accompanies the season two
Glee (season 2)
The second season of the musical comedy-drama television series Glee originally aired between September 21, 2010 and May 24, 2011 on Fox in the United States...
Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
episode "A Very Glee Christmas
A Very Glee Christmas
"A Very Glee Christmas" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 32nd episode overall. It was written by series co-creator Ian Brennan, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, and premiered on Fox on December 7, 2010...
", aired December 7, 2010. Dante Di Loreto
Dante Di Loreto
Dante Di Loreto is an American writer and producer, best known for executive producing the 20th Century Fox series Glee.-Career:Prior to joining Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk to create Glee, Di Loreto produced several shows for cable and broadcast television as well as a selection of films...
and Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk
Brad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...
serve as the album's executive producers. Critical reception has been mixed, with the majority of professional reviews praising the cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Baby, It's Cold Outside
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Baby, It's Cold Outside may refer to:*"Baby, It's Cold Outside", a 1948 song by Frank Loesser*"Cold Outside", a song by country music band Big House from their self-titled debut album*"Baby, It's Cold Outside", a 1991 short story by Isaac Asimov...
" performed by Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer
Christopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
and guest star Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
, as well as the vocals of Lea Michele
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...
and Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
, but questioning the arrangements of some other tracks. The album debuted at the top position of the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Soundtracks chart, as well as peaking at number three on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
Background
Six of the songs on the album are heard in "A Very Glee Christmas", a ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
episode, which aired on December 7, 2010 on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
as the last episode for the year. The tracks are "We Need a Little Christmas
We Need a Little Christmas
"We Need a Little Christmas" is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical, Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production....
", "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", "Merry Christmas Darling
Merry Christmas Darling
"Merry Christmas, Darling" by The Carpenters was written by Richard Carpenter & Frank Pooler and originally recorded in 1970. At the time, it was first available on a 7" single from A&M Records and later in 1974 reissued as A&M 1648 and in 1977 as A&M 1991...
", "Baby, It's Cold Outside
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Baby, It's Cold Outside may refer to:*"Baby, It's Cold Outside", a 1948 song by Frank Loesser*"Cold Outside", a song by country music band Big House from their self-titled debut album*"Baby, It's Cold Outside", a 1991 short story by Isaac Asimov...
", "Last Christmas", and "The Most Wonderful Day of the Year". The cover of Wham!
WHAM!
Wham! were a short-lived British musical duo formed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with an American band....
's "Last Christmas
Last Christmas
"Last Christmas" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released on Epic Records in 1984, on a double A-side with "Everything She Wants". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo...
" was previously released on November 24, 2009 as a charity record
Charity record
A charity record is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause. Some of the earliest charity records came from the Music for UNICEF Concert, with ABBA's Chiquitita and the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven among them released as singles, with all the royalties going to UNICEF...
exclusively to the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
; part of the proceeds went to the Grammy Foundation to fund school education programs. It was never used in any season one episode, and marked the first appearance of the song on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, at number sixty-three. It also charted on the Australian Singles Chart at number sixty, on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
at number forty-six, and on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Adult Contemporary chart at number twenty-seven. On Billboard Holiday Songs chart, which measures sales and airplay, "Last Christmas" charted at number twenty for the 2009 holiday season.
The album's official track listing was revealed in a press release on October 26, 2010. Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
makes a featured appearance with Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison
Matthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...
on the track "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is a Christmas song that was originally written and composed for the 1966 cartoon special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The lyrics were written by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, the music was composed by Albert Hague, and the song was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft...
", covered with the original lyrics—unlike the television version which changed the opening lyric from "Mr. Grinch" to "Sue
Sue Sylvester
Susan "Sue" Sylvester is a fictional character of the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Jane Lynch, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Sue was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian...
the Grinch". Additionally, guest star Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
makes a vocal appearance on "Baby, It's Cold Outside". A Glee Christmas card
Christmas card
A Christmas card is a greeting card sent as part of the traditional celebration of Christmas in order to convey between people a range of sentiments related to the Christmas and holiday season. Christmas cards are usually exchanged during the weeks preceding Christmas Day by many people in Western...
featuring the cast in Christmas sweaters was released to accompany the album.
Critical reception
Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album was met with mixed criticism upon its release. Writers for The Detroit NewsThe Detroit News
The Detroit News is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival Free Press's building. The News absorbed the Detroit Tribune on February 1, 1919, the Detroit Journal on July 21, 1922, and on November 7, 1960,...
praised the "underappreciated" opening track "We Need a Little Christmas
We Need a Little Christmas
"We Need a Little Christmas" is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical, Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production....
" and gave a B rating for what they opined as Glees best album hitherto. Andrew Leahey of allmusic gave the album three out of five stars, unsurprised by the songs being "performed in Glees familiar Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
-pop style". He enjoyed "Baby, It's Cold Outside
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Baby, It's Cold Outside may refer to:*"Baby, It's Cold Outside", a 1948 song by Frank Loesser*"Cold Outside", a song by country music band Big House from their self-titled debut album*"Baby, It's Cold Outside", a 1991 short story by Isaac Asimov...
" and its unorthodoxy of being duetted between two males—Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer
Christopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
and guest star Darren Criss
Darren Criss
Darren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
—as "a refreshingly risqué move for Fox TV". Tanner Stransky of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
noted it as a standout track on the album, as did About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
's Bill Lamb, calling it "charm-filled", and E! Online's Jennifer Arrow, using the word "marvelous". Stransky gave The Christmas Album a B+ rating, calling it "plenty joyful, in that silly, Kidz Bop
Kidz Bop
Kidz Bop is a brand of compilation albums featuring child session musicians performing contemporary music. The series was developed by Razor & Tie co-founders Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam in 2001...
-for-adults way." He also called Amber Riley
Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
's rendition of "Angels We Have Heard on High
Angels We Have Heard on High
"Angels We Have Heard on High" is a Christmas carol. The song commemorates the story of the birth of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel of Luke, in which shepherds outside Bethlehem encounter a multitude of angels singing and praising the newborn child....
" "soaring" while Arrow deemed it "amazing". Lea Michele
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...
's vocals on "O Holy Night
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau , a wine merchant and poet, who had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem...
" were complimented by both Arrow and Leahey; the latter compared them to those of Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
. Bruce Ward writing for the Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Citizen
The Ottawa Citizen is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Canada. According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, the paper had a 2008 weekly circulation of 900,197.- History :...
, however, didn't like the track, and thought the song was uncomfortably slow.
Lamb gave the album a four-star rating, calling it "an enduring collection" of "solid holiday music", and was delighted by the animated "Deck the Rooftop", a blend of "Deck the Halls" and "Up on the House Top
Up on the House Top
"Up on the House Top" is a Christmas song written by Benjamin Hanby in 1864 in the town of New Paris, Ohio.. It has been recorded by a multitude of singers, among the most notable Gene Autry, who is also known for his version of the classic "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".-History:According to...
". Ward agreed, but Leahey questioned the arrangement of this "urban mash-up
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
", likening it to a song that would be performed by a Disney
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
actress. Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
s Brett Berk decided the record was "not able to be categorized as good or bad", leaving it open for the listener to decide on the "twelve candy cane
Candy cane
A candy cane is a hard cane-shaped candy stick. It is traditionally white with red stripes and flavored with peppermint or cinnamon; however, it is also made in a variety of other flavors and may be decorated with stripes of different colors and thicknesses...
-sweetened tracks". Writing for the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, Jarett Wieselman thought the album overall sounded like the soundtrack of an advertisement for Gap
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
, but praised the vocal work of Colfer, Michele, and Riley. Jonathan Takiff of the Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
felt the tracks were too artificial and was disappointed the cast didn't cover more songs outside the realm of pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. Kyle Buchanan of New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
lamented the fact that Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
was not the one singing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is a Christmas song that was originally written and composed for the 1966 cartoon special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The lyrics were written by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, the music was composed by Albert Hague, and the song was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft...
", calling it a "missed opportunity", while Wieselman was confused at Lang's appearance on the track, wondering if previous guest star Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
would have been a better choice.
Chart performance
The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
the week of November 24, 2010, with 161,198 copies sold, and the cover of "O Holy Night" debuted that week at number one on the Holiday Digital Songs chart. Also that week, the album saw a debut at number three on the Canadian Albums Chart
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
, selling 16,000 copies. The following week, the album dropped two spots in the US, with sales of 108,000, but held the same spot in Canada with 18,000 copies. Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album peaked in both Australia and Ireland at number thirteen, in New Zealand at number thirty-two, and in the Netherlands at number fifty. Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album debuted on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
at number thirty-seven the week of December 11, 2010. On December 15, 2010, the album climbed to number one in Canada, with sales totalling 81,000; it also reached its highest point on the US charts at number three, selling 193,000 copies that week. The album was certified platinum with over one million in sales, Glee second-best selling album behind their debut
Glee: The Music, Volume 1
Glee: The Music, Volume 1 is the debut soundtrack album by the cast of the musical television series Glee, which airs on Fox in the United States. It features cover versions from the first nine episodes of the first season and was released on November 2, 2009 by Columbia Records and 20th...
.
"We Need a Little Christmas" debuted on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Adult Contemporary chart the week of December 6, 2010 at number twenty. "Deck the Rooftop" debuted on the same chart a week later, at number twenty-nine, as did "The Most Wonderful Day of the Year" the week after that, at number twenty-eight.
Track listing
Personnel
- Dianna AgronDianna AgronDianna Agron is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Quinn Fabray on the television series Glee.-Early life:Dianna Agron was born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in San Antonio, Texas and San Francisco, California. She is the daughter of Mary and Ronald S. Agron, a general...
– vocals - Adam AndersAdam AndersAdam Anders is a music producer who has sold more than 60 million albums and developed songs for motion pictures and television programs.Anders’ work has earned him Grammy Award nominations, a People’s Choice Award and two Golden Globe Awards...
– arranger, digital editing, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, soundtrack producer, vocal arrangement, vocals - Alex Anders – digital editing, engineer
- Nikki Anders – vocals
- Peer ÅströmPeer ÅströmPeer Åström Peer Åström Peer Åström (born in Ljusdal, Sweden is a Swedish composer, lyricist, musician and record producer and partner with Anders Bagge. The two songwriters / producers are known as Bagge & Peer. They have together written and produced songs for Lara Fabian, Celine Dion, Madonna,...
– arranger, engineer, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, producer - Kala Balch – vocals
- Dave Bett – art direction
- PJ Bloom – music supervisor
- Ravaughn Brown – vocals
- Geoff Bywater – executive in charge of musicMusic executiveA music executive or record executive is person within a record label who works in senior management, making executive decisions over the label's artists...
- Deyder Cintron – assistant engineer, digital editing
- Chris ColferChris ColferChristopher Paul "Chris" Colfer is an American actor and singer known for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television series Glee, for which he won a 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and was also nominated twice for an Emmy...
– vocals - Kamari Copeland – vocals
- Darren CrissDarren CrissDarren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
– vocals - Tim Davis – vocal arrangement, vocal contractor, vocals
- Dante Di LoretoDante Di LoretoDante Di Loreto is an American writer and producer, best known for executive producing the 20th Century Fox series Glee.-Career:Prior to joining Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk to create Glee, Di Loreto produced several shows for cable and broadcast television as well as a selection of films...
– soundtrack executive producer - Brad FalchukBrad FalchukBrad Falchuk is a television writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the television series Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story.-Early life:...
– soundtrack executive producer - Heather Guibert – coordinationCoordinationCoordination is the act of coordinating, making different people or things work together for a goal or effect to fulfill desired goals in an organization.Coordination is a managerial function in which different activities of the business are properly adjusted and interlinked.Coordination may also...
- Missi Hale – vocals
- Jon Hall – vocals
- Nikki Hassman – arranger
- Jerry HermanJerry HermanJerry Herman is an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway musical theater. He composed the scores for the hit Broadway musicals Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles. He has been nominated for the Tony Award five times, and won twice, for Hello, Dolly! and La Cage...
– composer - Tobias Kampe-Flygare – assistant engineer
- k.d. langK.D. LangKathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
– vocals - Storm Lee – vocals
- Frank LoesserFrank LoesserFrank Henry Loesser was an American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and scores to the Broadway hits Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, among others. He won separate Tony Awards for the music and lyrics in both shows, as well as sharing the Pulitzer Prize for...
– composer
- David Loucks – vocals
- Jane LynchJane LynchJane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
– vocals - Meaghan Lyons – coordination
- Dominick Maita – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Johnny MarksJohnny MarksJohnny Marks was an American songwriter. Although he was Jewish, he specialized in Christmas songs and wrote many standards, including "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" , "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" , "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" , and "A Holly...
– composer - Maria Paula Marulanda – art direction
- Jayma MaysJayma MaysJayma Suzette Mays is an American television and film actress, and singer. Mays' most prominent roles include that of Emma Pillsbury on the American television series Glee, recurring appearances on Ugly Betty and on Heroes as characters named Charlie.- Life and career :Mays was born Jamia Suzette...
– vocals - Kevin McHale – vocals
- George MichaelGeorge MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
– composer - Lea MicheleLea MicheleLea Michele Sarfati , known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays...
– vocals - Cory MonteithCory MonteithCory Allan Monteith is a Canadian actor and musician, best known for his role of Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee.-Early life:...
– vocals - Heather Morris – vocals
- Matthew MorrisonMatthew MorrisonMatthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...
– vocals - Ryan Murphy – producer, soundtrack producer
- Chord OverstreetChord OverstreetChord Overstreet is an American actor, singer and musician, best known for his role as Sam Evans on the television series Glee.-Early life:...
– vocals - Martin Persson – arranger, orchestrationOrchestrationOrchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock... - Stefan Persson – horn arrangements
- Nicole Ray – production coordination
- Amber RileyAmber RileyAmber Patrice Riley is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.-Early life and career:...
– vocals - Naya RiveraNaya RiveraNaya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
– vocals - Mark Salling – vocals
- Onitsha Shaw – vocals
- Jenny Sinclair – coordination
- Kerstin Thörn – string arrangements
- Jenna Ushkowitz – vocals
- Windy Wagner – vocals
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart | 13 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
1 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 50 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
13 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 32 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
37 |
| Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
3 |
| Holiday Albums (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
2 |
| Soundtracks (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
1 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Gold |
| Ireland Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... |
Gold |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |
Release history
| Country | Release date | Format(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | November 9, 2010 | CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
| Australia | November 16, 2010 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
| Canada | ||
| Mexico | ||
| Ireland | ||
| Netherlands | ||
| Switzerland | ||
| United States | CD, digital download | |
| Australia | November 19, 2010 | CD |
| Ireland | Digital download | |
| Taiwan | CD | |
| Denmark | November 22, 2010 | Digital download |
| Finland | ||
| New Zealand | ||
| Norway | ||
| Portugal | ||
| Spain | November 23, 2010 | |
| United Kingdom | November 29, 2010 | CD, digital download |
| Poland | December 6, 2010 | CD |
External links
- Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album at GleeTheMusic.com
- [ Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album] at allmusic