Mannheim Steamroller
Encyclopedia
Mannheim Steamroller is an American music group founded by Chip Davis
and Jackson Berkey
, known primarily for its modern recordings of Christmas music
. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.
/composer
Chip Davis
. The name "Mannheim Steamroller" comes from an 18th-century German musical technique, Mannheim roller (ger.
: Mannheimer Walze), a crescendo passage having a rising melodic line over an ostinato bass line, popularized by the Mannheim school
of composition. Before the fame of Steamroller, Davis had been best known for creating the country music character "C. W. McCall
" (of "Convoy
" fame) for his friend Bill Fries. Even before Davis made McCall a star, he produced an unusual album of classical music performed entirely by Davis and musical collaborator and keyboardist Jackson Berkey, using electric bass (played by Eric Hansen) and synthesizers.
Since no major label would handle its distribution, Davis founded his own music label, American Gramaphone
(a play on the classical record label Deutsche Grammophon
), to release the album. The result, Fresh Aire
, was released in 1975 under the pseudonym
Mannheim Steamroller, in the hopes of the album being a best seller. Fresh Aire II
was subsequently released in 1977 and Fresh Aire III
was released in 1979. The first four Fresh Aire albums constituted a "four seasons" exploration, with Fresh Aire being spring, Fresh Aire II being fall (less obviously than the others), Fresh Aire III being summer, and Fresh Aire IV
being winter. All four of these albums maintained the blend of baroque classical music, light jazz, and a light sense of humor (Davis is credited as playing "more toys" on the Fresh Aire III album credits), and featuring Jackson Berkey's virtuosic keyboard work (for more examples, listen to Berkey's own Sunken Cathedral for master performances of classical works by Debussy, Persichetti and others). Davis and Berkey would use whatever instrument seemed appropriate to the piece, using toy piano
on one piece and full pipe organ on another, with copious interleaving of piano and harpsichord.
Davis then moved into exploring some other themes, with Fresh Aire V
being subtitled "To the Moon," Fresh Aire VI
exploring Greek mythology, Fresh Aire 7
being based on the number 7, and Fresh Aire 8
being based on the theme of infinity. A live tour of the early albums featured a prominent light show and multimedia components, along with spoken poetry by Almeda Berkey. While the music was slightly different from the album versions, the music was played in lockstep at each show, as it had to coordinate the live musicians with recorded tracks of strings and other orchestral parts.
In 1986, Mannheim Steamroller released music composed for a PBS special called Saving the Wildlife
, which featured one track from Fresh Aire VI and twelve new tracks. In 1987, Davis collaborated with guitarist/composer Mason Williams
for the album Classical Gas
. The music was composed entirely by Williams but produced and arranged by Davis. The album opens with a remake of Williams' 1968 instrumental "Classical Gas
", which used the original arrangement.
, featuring modern contemporary interpretations of Yuletide favorites. This was followed by A Fresh Aire Christmas
(1988) and Christmas in the Aire
(1995), which showcased creative approaches to old carols, as well as some new carol-like compositions. Steamroller had now become one of the most requested Christmas music artists of all time, in part by adopting a very radio-friendly approach. (In addition, their music was featured around Christmastime by Rush Limbaugh
, whose conservative talk radio program was gaining popularity around this time.) By the end of 1997, they had released a live album of Christmas music, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live
. 2001 saw the release of their fourth all-new Christmas album, Christmas Extraordinaire
. Christmas Celebration
, a compilation of favorite tracks from the previous studio albums (with one new song), was released in 2004. The studio album Christmas Song
was released in late 2007 and features guest vocals by Johnny Mathis
and Olivia Newton-John
. 2008 saw the release of the CD "Christmasville." Their newest release is a 25th anniversary Christmas box set consisting of previously released material.
Musically, as the 1990s progressed Davis moved into the mainstream of "New Age" music with a heavier reliance on synthesized instruments and less humor (titles like "Small Wooden Bach'ses" from Fresh Aire III were not seen, let alone the creative use of a cricket on the same album or the Gregorian chant on Fresh Aire II). His music became closer to the "light jazz" style that gained prominence in the 1990s, especially with the Day Parts albums.
Steamroller developed a full-length theatrical motion picture based on their Christmas albums, but the plans fell through. Instead, the following year, they collaborated with Olivia Newton-John for yet another Christmas album, a mostly spoken-word recording, scored with previously released material called The Christmas Angel: A Family Story
. In 2003, they released a CD entitled Halloween.
In addition to their Fresh Aire and Christmas collections, Steamroller has released an album of Disney
music (1999's Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse
), one celebrating his American heritage (2003's American Spirit
, which reunited Chip Davis with C.W. McCall and featured a remake of "Convoy"), and an album "Yellowstone," mixing prior Davis compositions and a series of classical pieces by Ottorino Respighi and others.
Mannheim Steamroller's An American Christmas is a 12-hour nationally broadcast special radio program of music and narrated stories, heard on over 250 stations across the United States. The program is hosted by the group's founder Chip Davis
, and is produced and distributed each year by WestStar TalkRadio Network
.
In 2008, Chip Davis underwent surgery which prevented him from touring or performing with the band. Rather than force the tour to stop completely while he recovered, Davis opted to hire additional musicians to temporarily replace him. He also decided to create two different lineups of the band, one of which toured in the Midwest, the other on the East Coast.
1 Billboard's "Top New Age Albums" chart became the "New Age Albums" chart in June 2009.
2 Billboard's "Top Holiday Albums" chart became the "Holiday Albums" chart in June 2009.
Chip Davis
Louis F. "Chip" Davis, Jr. is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller.He also wrote the music for C.W. McCall, including the 1975 hit "Convoy".-Biography:...
and Jackson Berkey
Jackson Berkey
Jackson Berkey is an American composer, pianist and singer, best known for his work with Mannheim Steamroller, which he co-founded with Chip Davis in 1974.-Early life and education:...
, known primarily for its modern recordings of Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.
Beginnings
Mannheim Steamroller began as an alias for record producerRecord producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
/composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Chip Davis
Chip Davis
Louis F. "Chip" Davis, Jr. is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller.He also wrote the music for C.W. McCall, including the 1975 hit "Convoy".-Biography:...
. The name "Mannheim Steamroller" comes from an 18th-century German musical technique, Mannheim roller (ger.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Mannheimer Walze), a crescendo passage having a rising melodic line over an ostinato bass line, popularized by the Mannheim school
Mannheim school
Mannheim school refers to both the orchestral techniques pioneered by the court orchestra of Mannheim in the latter half of the 18th century as well as the group of composers who wrote such music for the orchestra of Mannheim and others.-History:...
of composition. Before the fame of Steamroller, Davis had been best known for creating the country music character "C. W. McCall
C. W. McCall
C. W. McCall is the pseudonym of William Dale Fries, Jr. , an American singer, activist and politician known for his truck-themed outlaw country songs.-Biography:...
" (of "Convoy
Convoy (song)
"Convoy" is a 1975 novelty song performed by C. W. McCall that became a number-one song on both the country and pop charts in the US. Written by McCall and Chip Davis, the song spent six weeks at number one on the country charts and one week at number one on the pop charts...
" fame) for his friend Bill Fries. Even before Davis made McCall a star, he produced an unusual album of classical music performed entirely by Davis and musical collaborator and keyboardist Jackson Berkey, using electric bass (played by Eric Hansen) and synthesizers.
Since no major label would handle its distribution, Davis founded his own music label, American Gramaphone
American Gramaphone
American Gramaphone is an American record company, and was formed in 1974 by Chip Davis. It is best-known for releasing Davis' solo and Mannheim Steamroller albums...
(a play on the classical record label Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label...
), to release the album. The result, Fresh Aire
Fresh Aire
Fresh Aire was the first album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1975. It is also the title of one track on the album. It was followed by seven additional albums in the Fresh Aire series. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based...
, was released in 1975 under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Mannheim Steamroller, in the hopes of the album being a best seller. Fresh Aire II
Fresh Aire II
Fresh Aire II was the second album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1977. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season; Fresh Aire IIs theme is Fall....
was subsequently released in 1977 and Fresh Aire III
Fresh Aire III
Fresh Aire III was the third album released by the new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller . The album was originally released in 1979...
was released in 1979. The first four Fresh Aire albums constituted a "four seasons" exploration, with Fresh Aire being spring, Fresh Aire II being fall (less obviously than the others), Fresh Aire III being summer, and Fresh Aire IV
Fresh Aire IV
Fresh Aire 4 was the fourth album in new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire series. The album was originally released in 1981. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season; Fresh Aire 4s theme is Winter....
being winter. All four of these albums maintained the blend of baroque classical music, light jazz, and a light sense of humor (Davis is credited as playing "more toys" on the Fresh Aire III album credits), and featuring Jackson Berkey's virtuosic keyboard work (for more examples, listen to Berkey's own Sunken Cathedral for master performances of classical works by Debussy, Persichetti and others). Davis and Berkey would use whatever instrument seemed appropriate to the piece, using toy piano
Toy piano
The toy piano, also known as the kinderklavier , is a small piano-like musical instrument. The present form of the toy piano was invented in Philadelphia by a 17-year-old German immigrant named Albert Schoenhut. He worked as a repairman at Wanamaker's department store, repairing broken glass...
on one piece and full pipe organ on another, with copious interleaving of piano and harpsichord.
Davis then moved into exploring some other themes, with Fresh Aire V
Fresh Aire V
Fresh Aire V is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 1983. The music is inspired by Johannes Kepler's book The Dream. This is the first album in the Fresh Aire series to feature the London Symphony Orchestra...
being subtitled "To the Moon," Fresh Aire VI
Fresh Aire VI
Fresh Aire VI is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 1986. The music is inspired by Greek mythology. The album was the band's second album and first Fresh Aire album to peak on the Billboard album chart, reaching #155 in January 1987....
exploring Greek mythology, Fresh Aire 7
Fresh Aire 7
Fresh Aire 7 was the seventh album in new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire series. The album was originally released in 1990 and peaked at #77 on the Billboard album chart in December of that year. Its theme is based on the number seven...
being based on the number 7, and Fresh Aire 8
Fresh Aire 8
Fresh Aire 8 is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 2000. It is the final album in the Fresh Aire series and is based on the topic of infinity.-Track listing:#"Main Titles" – 2:43#"Day Party" – 3:09#"Interlude 8" – 3:12...
being based on the theme of infinity. A live tour of the early albums featured a prominent light show and multimedia components, along with spoken poetry by Almeda Berkey. While the music was slightly different from the album versions, the music was played in lockstep at each show, as it had to coordinate the live musicians with recorded tracks of strings and other orchestral parts.
In 1986, Mannheim Steamroller released music composed for a PBS special called Saving the Wildlife
Saving the Wildlife
Saving the Wildlife is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 1986. It was written for the soundtrack of a PBS special by the same name, except for "Dolphins and Whales," which originally appeared on Fresh Aire VI as "Come Home to the Sea"....
, which featured one track from Fresh Aire VI and twelve new tracks. In 1987, Davis collaborated with guitarist/composer Mason Williams
Mason Williams
Mason Williams is an American guitarist and composer, best known for his guitar instrumental "Classical Gas". He is also a comedy writer, known for his writing on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and Saturday Night Live...
for the album Classical Gas
Classical Gas
"Classical Gas" is an instrumental musical piece composed and originally performed by Mason Williams. Originally released in 1968 on the album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record, it has been re-recorded and re-released numerous times since by Williams...
. The music was composed entirely by Williams but produced and arranged by Davis. The album opens with a remake of Williams' 1968 instrumental "Classical Gas
Classical Gas
"Classical Gas" is an instrumental musical piece composed and originally performed by Mason Williams. Originally released in 1968 on the album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record, it has been re-recorded and re-released numerous times since by Williams...
", which used the original arrangement.
Christmas music success
Beginning in 1984 Steamroller found its greatest fame. Davis released his first holiday album, Mannheim Steamroller ChristmasMannheim Steamroller Christmas
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas was the first Christmas music album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The group has released five subsequent Christmas studio albums, most recently Christmasville in October 2008...
, featuring modern contemporary interpretations of Yuletide favorites. This was followed by A Fresh Aire Christmas
A Fresh Aire Christmas
A Fresh Aire Christmas was the second Christmas music album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1988....
(1988) and Christmas in the Aire
Christmas in the Aire
Christmas in the Aire was the third Christmas album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1995, and was the biggest-selling holiday album in the United States that year according to Nielsen/SoundScan....
(1995), which showcased creative approaches to old carols, as well as some new carol-like compositions. Steamroller had now become one of the most requested Christmas music artists of all time, in part by adopting a very radio-friendly approach. (In addition, their music was featured around Christmastime by Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, whose conservative talk radio program was gaining popularity around this time.) By the end of 1997, they had released a live album of Christmas music, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live is Mannheim Steamroller's fourth Christmas album and was first released in 1997. It is a recorded live performance which includes variations on the arranged tracks featured in previous Steamroller albums....
. 2001 saw the release of their fourth all-new Christmas album, Christmas Extraordinaire
Christmas Extraordinaire
Christmas Extraordinaire was the sixth Christmas album released by New Age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 2001...
. Christmas Celebration
Christmas Celebration
Christmas Celebration is Mannheim Steamroller's seventh Christmas album. A compilation, it was released in 2004 on CD and DVD by American Gramaphone. The album features eighteen Christmas songs in progressive rock and New Age styles, and includes two new tracks: "Celebration" and "Traditions of...
, a compilation of favorite tracks from the previous studio albums (with one new song), was released in 2004. The studio album Christmas Song
Christmas Song (album)
Christmas Song is Mannheim Steamroller's eighth Christmas album and the group's fifth Christmas studio album. It was released in 2007 on CD by American Gramaphone, and features twelve Christmas songs.-Track listing:...
was released in late 2007 and features guest vocals by Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
and 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...
. 2008 saw the release of the CD "Christmasville." Their newest release is a 25th anniversary Christmas box set consisting of previously released material.
Musically, as the 1990s progressed Davis moved into the mainstream of "New Age" music with a heavier reliance on synthesized instruments and less humor (titles like "Small Wooden Bach'ses" from Fresh Aire III were not seen, let alone the creative use of a cricket on the same album or the Gregorian chant on Fresh Aire II). His music became closer to the "light jazz" style that gained prominence in the 1990s, especially with the Day Parts albums.
Steamroller developed a full-length theatrical motion picture based on their Christmas albums, but the plans fell through. Instead, the following year, they collaborated with Olivia Newton-John for yet another Christmas album, a mostly spoken-word recording, scored with previously released material called The Christmas Angel: A Family Story
The Christmas Angel: A Family Story
The Christmas Angel: A Family Story is a 1998 Christmas album by the band Mannheim Steamroller, their fifth Christmas album released. The soundtrack accompanied by the narration of Chip Davis and Olivia Newton-John reveals the story of a decorative angel that is stolen from the top of a Christmas...
. In 2003, they released a CD entitled Halloween.
In addition to their Fresh Aire and Christmas collections, Steamroller has released an album of Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
music (1999's Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse
Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse
Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse: Unique Musical Creations Based on Disney Songs is a music album by Mannheim Steamroller, released by Walt Disney Records and American Gramaphone in 1999 on CD and DVD.-Track listing:# "Chim Chim Cher-ee" – 2:31...
), one celebrating his American heritage (2003's American Spirit
American Spirit (album)
American Spirit is an album released on American Gramaphone in 2003 as a collaboration between Mannheim Steamroller and country musician C. W. McCall. The album focuses on American patriotic songs, hence the title...
, which reunited Chip Davis with C.W. McCall and featured a remake of "Convoy"), and an album "Yellowstone," mixing prior Davis compositions and a series of classical pieces by Ottorino Respighi and others.
Mannheim Steamroller's An American Christmas is a 12-hour nationally broadcast special radio program of music and narrated stories, heard on over 250 stations across the United States. The program is hosted by the group's founder Chip Davis
Chip Davis
Louis F. "Chip" Davis, Jr. is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller.He also wrote the music for C.W. McCall, including the 1975 hit "Convoy".-Biography:...
, and is produced and distributed each year by WestStar TalkRadio Network
WestStar TalkRadio Network
WestStar TalkRadio Network is a privately held United States corporation operating as a live national radio broadcast network, program creator and program syndicator. Corporate offices and all studios are located at 2711 N. 24th Street, Phoenix, Arizona...
.
In 2008, Chip Davis underwent surgery which prevented him from touring or performing with the band. Rather than force the tour to stop completely while he recovered, Davis opted to hire additional musicians to temporarily replace him. He also decided to create two different lineups of the band, one of which toured in the Midwest, the other on the East Coast.
The "Fresh Aire" series albums
| Year | Album | Peak Chart Positions | RIAA Certification RIAA certification In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards... |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Age Albums1 | Billboard 200 Albums 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... |
|||
| 1975 | Fresh Aire Fresh Aire Fresh Aire was the first album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1975. It is also the title of one track on the album. It was followed by seven additional albums in the Fresh Aire series. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based... |
Gold | ||
| 1977 | Fresh Aire II Fresh Aire II Fresh Aire II was the second album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1977. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season; Fresh Aire IIs theme is Fall.... |
Gold | ||
| 1979 | Fresh Aire III Fresh Aire III Fresh Aire III was the third album released by the new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller . The album was originally released in 1979... |
Gold | ||
| 1981 | Fresh Aire IV Fresh Aire IV Fresh Aire 4 was the fourth album in new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire series. The album was originally released in 1981. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season; Fresh Aire 4s theme is Winter.... |
Gold | ||
| 1983 | Fresh Aire V Fresh Aire V Fresh Aire V is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 1983. The music is inspired by Johannes Kepler's book The Dream. This is the first album in the Fresh Aire series to feature the London Symphony Orchestra... |
25 (1994) | Gold | |
| 1986 | Fresh Aire VI Fresh Aire VI Fresh Aire VI is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 1986. The music is inspired by Greek mythology. The album was the band's second album and first Fresh Aire album to peak on the Billboard album chart, reaching #155 in January 1987.... |
155 | Gold | |
| 1990 | Fresh Aire 7 Fresh Aire 7 Fresh Aire 7 was the seventh album in new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire series. The album was originally released in 1990 and peaked at #77 on the Billboard album chart in December of that year. Its theme is based on the number seven... |
2 | 77 | Gold |
| 2000 | Fresh Aire 8 Fresh Aire 8 Fresh Aire 8 is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 2000. It is the final album in the Fresh Aire series and is based on the topic of infinity.-Track listing:#"Main Titles" – 2:43#"Day Party" – 3:09#"Interlude 8" – 3:12... |
2 | ---- |
Christmas albums
| Year | Album | Peak Chart Positions | RIAA Certification RIAA certification In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards... |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Age Albums1 | Holiday Albums2 | Billboard 200 Albums 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... |
|||
| 1984 | Mannheim Steamroller Christmas | 8 | 2 | 50 | 6x Platinum |
| 1988 | A Fresh Aire Christmas A Fresh Aire Christmas A Fresh Aire Christmas was the second Christmas music album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1988.... |
4 | 1 | 36 | 6x Platinum |
| 1995 | Christmas in the Aire Christmas in the Aire Christmas in the Aire was the third Christmas album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1995, and was the biggest-selling holiday album in the United States that year according to Nielsen/SoundScan.... |
1 | 1 | 3 | 4x Platinum |
| 1997 | Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live is Mannheim Steamroller's fourth Christmas album and was first released in 1997. It is a recorded live performance which includes variations on the arranged tracks featured in previous Steamroller albums.... |
1 | 1 | 24 | Platinum |
| 1998 | The Christmas Angel: A Family Story The Christmas Angel: A Family Story The Christmas Angel: A Family Story is a 1998 Christmas album by the band Mannheim Steamroller, their fifth Christmas album released. The soundtrack accompanied by the narration of Chip Davis and Olivia Newton-John reveals the story of a decorative angel that is stolen from the top of a Christmas... |
1 | 2 | 25 | Platinum |
| 2001 | Christmas Extraordinaire Christmas Extraordinaire Christmas Extraordinaire was the sixth Christmas album released by New Age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 2001... |
1 | 1 | 5 | 3x Platinum |
| 2004 | Christmas Celebration Christmas Celebration Christmas Celebration is Mannheim Steamroller's seventh Christmas album. A compilation, it was released in 2004 on CD and DVD by American Gramaphone. The album features eighteen Christmas songs in progressive rock and New Age styles, and includes two new tracks: "Celebration" and "Traditions of... |
1 | 1 | 19 | Platinum |
| 2007 | Christmas Song Christmas Song (album) Christmas Song is Mannheim Steamroller's eighth Christmas album and the group's fifth Christmas studio album. It was released in 2007 on CD by American Gramaphone, and features twelve Christmas songs.-Track listing:... |
1 | 2 | 5 | Platinum |
| 2008 | A Candlelight Christmas | 1 | 8 | 68 | ---- |
| 2008 | Christmasville Christmasville Christmasville is Mannheim Steamroller's ninth Christmas album overall. It was released in 2008 on CD by American Gramaphone and features 13 Christmas songs... |
2 | 8 | 48 | ---- |
| 2009 | Christmas: 25th Anniversary Collection Christmas 25th Anniversary Collection Christmas 25th Anniversary Collection is Mannheim Steamroller's tenth Christmas album overall. It was released in 2009 as a double CD by American Gramaphone, and features 25 Christmas songs... |
1 | 6 | 29 | Gold |
| 2011 | Christmas Symphony Christmas Symphony (Mannheim Steamroller album) Christmas Symphony is the eleventh Christmas music album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 2011... |
Ambience albums
- Bird Song (2001)Bird Song (2001)Bird Song is part of Mannheim Steamroller's Ambience collection. It was released in 2001 on CD by American Gramaphone and features 8 bird song tracks....
- Summer Song (2001)Summer Song (2001)Summer Song is part of Mannheim Steamroller's Ambience collection. It was released in 2001 on CD by American Gramaphone and features 7 summer-themed tracks....
- Autumn Song (2003)Autumn Song (2003)Autumn Song is part of Mannheim Steamroller's Ambience collection. It was released in 2003 on CD by American Gramaphone and features 8 autumnal tracks....
- Desert Song (?)
- Ocean Song (?)
- Night Song (?)
- The last three are mentioned in the liner notes for the existing Ambience CDs, but have not yet been released.
Other albums
| Year | Album | Peak Chart Positions | RIAA Certification RIAA certification In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards... |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Age Albums1 | Billboard 200 Albums 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... |
|||
| 1986 | Saving the Wildlife Saving the Wildlife Saving the Wildlife is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 1986. It was written for the soundtrack of a PBS special by the same name, except for "Dolphins and Whales," which originally appeared on Fresh Aire VI as "Come Home to the Sea".... |
---- | ||
| 1987 | Classical Gas Classical Gas "Classical Gas" is an instrumental musical piece composed and originally performed by Mason Williams. Originally released in 1968 on the album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record, it has been re-recorded and re-released numerous times since by Williams... |
Gold | ||
| 1989 | Yellowstone: The Music of Nature Yellowstone: The Music of Nature Yellowstone: The Music of Nature is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, released in 1989. The concept pays homage to nature and to Yellowstone National Park.... |
2 | 167 | Gold |
| 1991 | Day Parts: Sunday Morning Coffee | ---- | ||
| 1992 | Day Parts: Dinner | ---- | ||
| 1992 | Day Parts: Party - Music That Cooks | ---- | ||
| 1992 | Day Parts: Romance | ---- | ||
| 1993 | Chip Davis's Impressions | ---- | ||
| 1993 | Day Parts: Sunday Morning Coffee II | ---- | ||
| 1994 | To Russia with Love To Russia with Love -Track listing:#"The Goodwill Games" – 4:24#"Ruslan and Ljudmila" – 5:14#"Melodie" – 1:38#"Let's Go Home" – 1:04#"Dancing Flames" – 6:34#"Troika from Lieutenant Kizheh" – 2:51#"The Goose from Smolensk" – 2:04#"Chakra 3" – 3:20#"The Smolny Fanfare" – :29... |
9 | ---- | |
| 1995 | Day Parts: Party 2 - Music That Cooks | ---- | ||
| 1996 | Day Parts: Holiday Musik | ---- | ||
| 1997 | Huskers Musik | ---- | ||
| 1998 | Chip Davis's Renaissance Holiday | ---- | ||
| 1998 | Day Parts: Romance II | ---- | ||
| 1998 | Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse: Unique Musical Creations Based on Disney Songs is a music album by Mannheim Steamroller, released by Walt Disney Records and American Gramaphone in 1999 on CD and DVD.-Track listing:# "Chim Chim Cher-ee" – 2:31... |
1 | 89 | ---- |
| 1999 | 25 Year Celebration of Mannheim Steamroller 25 Year Celebration of Mannheim Steamroller 25 Year Celebration of Mannheim Steamroller is a two-disc anthology album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller in 1999, in honor of the group's 25th anniversary.-Disc A:#"The Steamroller" – 4:38... |
---- | ||
| 2002 | Romantic Melodies | 1 | 41 | ---- |
| 2003 | Halloween | 1 | 53 | ---- |
1 Billboard's "Top New Age Albums" chart became the "New Age Albums" chart in June 2009.
2 Billboard's "Top Holiday Albums" chart became the "Holiday Albums" chart in June 2009.
See also
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- Best selling music artists