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| alt = Portrait of a man in a white sweater leaning over a chair near a fireplace
| alt = Portrait of a man in a white sweater leaning over a chair near a fireplace
| released = {{Start date|1992|09|22}}
| released = {{Start date|1992|09|22}}
| recorded = January - August 1992
| recorded = January – August 1992
| venue =
| venue =
| studio =
| studio =
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{{Album reviews
{{Album reviews
|rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
|rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Allmusic|class=album|id=mw0000086460}}</ref>
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000086460}}</ref>
|noprose=yes
|noprose=yes
}}
}}


'''''The Christmas Album''''' is the twentieth studio [[album]] by [[Neil Diamond]] and his first to feature [[Christmas music#Popular Christmas songs|Christmas music]]. It features orchestral and choir [[arrangement]]s by [[David Campbell (composer)|David Campbell]]. The album reached No. 8 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] album sales chart, No. 50 on the [[UK Albums Chart|UK album sales chart]], and No. 30 on [[Kent Music Report|Australian music chart]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/312095/neil+diamond/chart |first=Neil |last=Diamond |title=Neil Diamond Billboard Charts|publisher=Billboard |accessdate=March 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/neil%20diamond/ |title=Neil Diamond &#124; Artist |publisher=Official Charts |date= |accessdate=March 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Neil+Diamond |title=Discography Neil Diamond |publisher=australian-charts.com |date= |accessdate=March 4, 2014}}</ref>
'''''The Christmas Album''''' is the twentieth studio [[album]] by [[Neil Diamond]] and his first to feature [[Christmas music#Popular Christmas songs|Christmas music]]. It features orchestral and choir [[arrangement]]s by [[David Campbell (composer)|David Campbell]]. The album reached No. 8 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] album sales chart, No. 50 on the [[UK Albums Chart|UK album sales chart]], and No. 30 on [[Kent Music Report|Australian music chart]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/312095/neil+diamond/chart |first=Neil |last=Diamond |title=Neil Diamond Billboard Charts|publisher=Billboard |access-date=March 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/neil%20diamond/ |title=Neil Diamond &#124; Artist |publisher=Official Charts |access-date=March 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Neil+Diamond |title=Discography Neil Diamond |publisher=australian-charts.com |access-date=March 4, 2014}}</ref>


In his review music critic Johnny Loftus states, "While Neil Diamond's ''The Christmas Album'' is designed almost exclusively for his adult contemporary constituency, the vocalist still manages to light up most of the obviousness of these standards with his trademark gritty soul and flair for inflection."<ref>{{Allmusic|class=album|id=mw0000086460|label=The Christmas Album|first=Johnny |last=Loftus|accessdate=March 4, 2014}}</ref>
In his review music critic Johnny Loftus states, "While Neil Diamond's ''The Christmas Album'' is designed almost exclusively for his adult contemporary constituency, the vocalist still manages to light up most of the obviousness of these standards with his trademark gritty soul and flair for inflection."<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000086460|label=The Christmas Album|first=Johnny |last=Loftus|accessdate=March 4, 2014}}</ref>


On August 7, 2001, ''The Christmas Album'' was certified [[RIAA certification|Double Platinum]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]] for shipment of two million copies in the United States since its 1992 release.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&title=The_Christmas_Album&artist=Diamond,_Neil&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=25|title=RIAA Searchable Database |publisher=riaa.org |date= |accessdate=2014-12-02}}</ref> As of November 2014, it is the twenty-fifth [[List of best-selling Christmas/holiday albums in the United States|best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the United States]] during the [[Nielsen SoundScan|SoundScan]] era of music sales tracking (March 1991 – present), having sold 1,910,000 copies according to SoundScan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6334706/holidays-biggest-radio-and-album-hits |title=The Gifts That Keep on Giving: Biggest Radio and Album Hits of the Holidays |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] |date=December 1, 2014 |accessdate=December 2, 2014}}</ref>
On August 7, 2001, ''The Christmas Album'' was certified [[Platinum (RIAA certification)|Double Platinum]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]] for shipment of two million copies in the United States since its 1992 release.{{Certification Cite Ref|title=The Christmas Album|artist=Neil Diamond|type=album|region=United States|access-date=20 September 2022}} {{As of|2014|11|alt=By November 2014|post=,}} it was the twenty-fifth [[List of best-selling Christmas/holiday albums in the United States|best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the United States]] of the [[Nielsen SoundScan|SoundScan]] era of music sales tracking (March 1991–present), having sold 1,910,000 copies according to SoundScan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6334706/holidays-biggest-radio-and-album-hits |title=The Gifts That Keep on Giving: Biggest Radio and Album Hits of the Holidays |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] |date=December 1, 2014 |access-date=December 2, 2014}}</ref>


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
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}}
}}


==Personnel==
== Personnel ==
* Neil Diamond – lead vocals (all tracks)
* Neil Diamond – lead vocals
* [[David Campbell (composer)|David Campbell]] – arrangements (1-6, 11, 12, 13), conductor (1-6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14), choir arrangements (7), orchestra arrangements and conductor (7), BGV arrangements (8, 10)
* [[David Campbell (composer)|David Campbell]] – arrangements (1–6, 11, 12, 13), conductor (1–6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14), choir arrangements (7), orchestra arrangements and conductor (7), BGV arrangements (8, 10)
* Bob Mann – guitar (1, 5), acoustic guitar (3, 12), electric guitar (7)
* Robbie Buchanan – acoustic piano (2, 14), keyboards (3–6, 8, 13)
⚫
* Ladd Thomas – [[Hammond organ]] (6, 11)
* [[Dean Parks]] – electric guitar (3), guitar (6, 8, 13), mandolin (6)
⚫
* Alan Lindgren – acoustic piano (7, 12), acoustic piano intro (8), BGV arrangements (8), orchestra arrangements (14)
* Andrew Gold – acoustic guitar (4, 10)
* [[Waddy Wachtel]] – electric guitar (4, 10), guitar (13)
* [[Bob Mann (guitarist)|Bob Mann]] – guitars (1, 5), acoustic guitar (3, 12), electric guitar (7)
* Louis Gutierrez – guitar solo (7)
* [[Dean Parks]] – electric guitar (3), guitars (6, 8, 13), [[mandolin]] (6)
* Dan Dugmore – pedal steel guitar (12)
* [[Andrew Gold]] – acoustic guitar (4, 10)
* Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar (3, 6, 8)
* [[Waddy Wachtel]] – electric guitar (4, 10), guitars (13)
* [[Bob Glaub]] – bass guitar (4, 10, 13)
* [[Mary's Danish|Louis Gutierrez]] – guitar solo (7)
* [[Dan Dugmore]] – [[pedal steel guitar]] (12)
* [[Jimmy Johnson (bassist)|Jimmy Johnson]] – bass guitar (3, 6, 8)
* [[Bob Glaub]] – bass (4, 10, 13)
* [[Bob Magnusson]] – double bass (5)
* [[Bob Magnusson]] – double bass (5)
* [[Leland Sklar]] – bass guitar (7, 12)
* [[Leland Sklar]] – bass guitar (7, 12)
* [[Peter Asher]] – drum programming (3), tambourine (7, 10), rhythm track arrangement (7, 10)
* [[Peter Asher]] – drum programming (3), [[tambourine]] (7, 10), rhythm track arrangements (7, 10)
* [[Russ Kunkel]] – drums (4-8, 13)
* [[Russ Kunkel]] – drums (4–8, 13)
* Nathaniel Kunkel – drums (10)
* Nathaniel Kunkel – drums (10)
* Michael Fisher – percussion (3, 8)
* Michael Fisher – percussion (3, 8)
* Marvin B. Gordy – percussion (3)
* Marvin B. Gordy – percussion (3)
* [[Robbie Buchanan]] – piano (2, 14), keyboards (3-6, 8, 13)
* [[Warren Ham]] – [[harmonica]] (4)
⚫
* Ladd Thomas – Hammond organ (6, 11)
⚫
* Alan Lindgren – piano (7, 12), piano intro (8), BGV arrangements (8), orchestra arrangements (14)
* Warren Ham – harmonica (4)
* [[Plas Johnson]] – tenor saxophone solo (5)
* [[Plas Johnson]] – tenor saxophone solo (5)
* [[Gavyn Wright]] – concertmaster (1, 2, 7, 10, 13, 14)
* [[Gavyn Wright]] – concertmaster (1, 2, 7, 10, 13, 14)
* [[The London Symphony Orchestra]] – orchestra (1, 2, 7, 10, 13, 14)
* [[London Symphony Orchestra]] – orchestra (1, 2, 7, 10, 13, 14)
* [[Libera (choir)|The Angel Voices Choir]] – choir (1, 7)
* [[Libera (choir)|The Angel Voices Choir]] – choir (1, 7)
* [[The Ambrosian Singers]] – choir (2, 7, 14)
* [[The Ambrosian Singers]] – choir (2, 7, 14)
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* Frank Lindgren – choir arrangements (14)
* Frank Lindgren – choir arrangements (14)


==Production==
== Production ==
* Producer – Peter Asher
* Producer – Peter Asher
* Production Coordinator – Ivy Skoff
* Production Coordinator – Ivy Skoff
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* Cover Photography – Eugine Adibari
* Cover Photography – Eugine Adibari
* Liner Notes – Neil Diamond
* Liner Notes – Neil Diamond

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! Chart (1992–1993)
! Peak<br>position
|-
{{album chart|Australia|30|artist=Neil Diamond|album=The Christmas Album|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 4, 2023}}
|-
{{album chart|Canada|23|artist=Neil Diamond|album=The Christmas Album|chartid=1834|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 4, 2023}}
|-
{{album chart|UK|50|artist=Neil Diamond|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 4, 2023}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|8|artist=Neil Diamond|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 4, 2023}}
|}

==Certifications==
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Australia|artist=Neil Diamond|title=The Christmas Album|award=Platinum|certyear=1993|relyear=1992|accessdate=14 July 2021}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Canada|artist=Neil Diamond|title=The Christmas Album|award=Platinum|certyear=1994|relyear=1992|accessdate=8 March 2019}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Neil Diamond|title=The Christmas Album|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2001|relyear=1992|accessdate=20 September 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}


==See also==
==See also==
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{{Neil Diamond}}
{{Neil Diamond}}

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Christmas Album}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christmas Album}}

Latest revision as of 11:04, 12 November 2024

The Christmas Album
Portrait of a man in a white sweater leaning over a chair near a fireplace
Studio album by
Neil Diamond
ReleasedSeptember 22, 1992 (1992-09-22)
RecordedJanuary – August 1992
GenreChristmas
Length44:58
LabelColumbia
ProducerPeter Asher
Neil Diamond chronology
Lovescape
(1991) 		The Christmas Album
(1992) 		Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The Christmas Album is the twentieth studio album by Neil Diamond and his first to feature Christmas music. It features orchestral and choir arrangements by David Campbell. The album reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200 album sales chart, No. 50 on the UK album sales chart, and No. 30 on Australian music chart.[2][3][4]

In his review music critic Johnny Loftus states, "While Neil Diamond's The Christmas Album is designed almost exclusively for his adult contemporary constituency, the vocalist still manages to light up most of the obviousness of these standards with his trademark gritty soul and flair for inflection."[5]

On August 7, 2001, The Christmas Album was certified Double Platinum by the RIAA for shipment of two million copies in the United States since its 1992 release.[6] By November 2014, it was the twenty-fifth best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the United States of the SoundScan era of music sales tracking (March 1991–present), having sold 1,910,000 copies according to SoundScan.[7]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."O come, O come, Emmanuel" / "We Three Kings of Orient Are"Traditional2:57
2."Silent Night"Franz Gruber, Joseph Mohr4:03
3."The Little Drummer Boy"Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati, Harry Simeone3:58
4."Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"John Frederick Coots, Haven Gillespie3:25
5."The Christmas Song"Mel Tormé, Robert Wells3:33
6."Morning Has Broken"Eleanor Farjeon, Cat Stevens3:02
7."Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"John Lennon, Yoko Ono4:19
8."White Christmas"Irving Berlin3:55
9."God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"Traditional1:20
10."Jingle Bell Rock"Joe Beal, Jim Boothe1:51
11."Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"Felix Mendelssohn, Charles Wesley2:50
12."Silver Bells"Ray Evans, Jay Livingston3:06
13."You Make It Feel Like Christmas"Neil Diamond3:39
14."O Holy Night"Adolphe Adam, John Sullivan Dwight3:28

Personnel

[edit]
  • Neil Diamond – lead vocals
  • David Campbell – arrangements (1–6, 11, 12, 13), conductor (1–6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14), choir arrangements (7), orchestra arrangements and conductor (7), BGV arrangements (8, 10)
  • Robbie Buchanan – acoustic piano (2, 14), keyboards (3–6, 8, 13)
  • Ladd Thomas – Hammond organ (6, 11)
  • Alan Lindgren – acoustic piano (7, 12), acoustic piano intro (8), BGV arrangements (8), orchestra arrangements (14)
  • Bob Mann – guitars (1, 5), acoustic guitar (3, 12), electric guitar (7)
  • Dean Parks – electric guitar (3), guitars (6, 8, 13), mandolin (6)
  • Andrew Gold – acoustic guitar (4, 10)
  • Waddy Wachtel – electric guitar (4, 10), guitars (13)
  • Louis Gutierrez – guitar solo (7)
  • Dan Dugmore – pedal steel guitar (12)
  • Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar (3, 6, 8)
  • Bob Glaub – bass (4, 10, 13)
  • Bob Magnusson – double bass (5)
  • Leland Sklar – bass guitar (7, 12)
  • Peter Asher – drum programming (3), tambourine (7, 10), rhythm track arrangements (7, 10)
  • Russ Kunkel – drums (4–8, 13)
  • Nathaniel Kunkel – drums (10)
  • Michael Fisher – percussion (3, 8)
  • Marvin B. Gordy – percussion (3)
  • Warren Ham – harmonica (4)
  • Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone solo (5)
  • Gavyn Wright – concertmaster (1, 2, 7, 10, 13, 14)
  • London Symphony Orchestra – orchestra (1, 2, 7, 10, 13, 14)
  • The Angel Voices Choir – choir (1, 7)
  • The Ambrosian Singers – choir (2, 7, 14)
  • John McCarthy – choir director (2, 7, 14)
  • The Lower School Chorus of Viewpoint School – choir (7)
  • Robert Prizeman – boys’ choir conductor (7)
  • Marcie Parker – children’s choir conductor (7)
  • Donny Gerard, Raven Kane, Josef Powell, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters and Oren Waters – doo-wop backing vocals (8)
  • 139th Street Quartet – vocals and arrangements (9)
  • Jim Hass, Jon Joyce, Gene Morford and Jerry Whitman – doo-wop backing vocals (10)
  • L.A. Mass Choir – choir (11)
  • Donald Taylor – choir director (11)
  • Frank Lindgren – choir arrangements (14)

Production

[edit]
  • Producer – Peter Asher
  • Production Coordinator – Ivy Skoff
  • Project Coordinator – Sam Cole
  • Recorded and Mixed by Frank Wolf
  • Assistant Recording and Mixing by Nathaniel Kunkel and Brett Swain.
  • Additional Recording and Mixing by Chad Blinman, Alec Marcou, Gil Morales, Marnie Riley and Eric Rudd.
  • Recorded at Arch Angel Studios, The Complex, Studio 55 and Ocean Way Recording (Los Angeles, CA); Conway Studios (Hollywood, CA); The Hit Factory (New York, NY): Abbey Road Studios (London, England).
  • Mixed at Conway Studios
  • Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Art Direction – David Kirschner
  • Design – Jan Weinberg
  • Cover Photography – Eugine Adibari
  • Liner Notes – Neil Diamond

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[8] 30
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[9] 23
UK Albums (OCC)[10] 50
US Billboard 200[11] 8

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[12] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[13] Platinum 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[6] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

[edit]

The Christmas Album, Volume II

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Christmas Album at AllMusic
  2. ^ Diamond, Neil. "Neil Diamond Billboard Charts". Billboard. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  3. ^ "Neil Diamond | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  4. ^ Steffen Hung. "Discography Neil Diamond". australian-charts.com. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  5. ^ Loftus, Johnny. The Christmas Album at AllMusic. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "American album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Christmas Album". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  7. ^ "The Gifts That Keep on Giving: Biggest Radio and Album Hits of the Holidays". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 1, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  8. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Neil Diamond – The Christmas Album". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  9. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1834". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  10. ^ "Neil Diamond | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  11. ^ "Neil Diamond Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1993 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Christmas Album". Music Canada. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
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