A big part of holiday cheer comes with the music that we hear during these festive days! Have you ever noticed how it just puts a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart? Whether you are decorating your tree or baking oodles of Christmas cookies, some joyful music will add a special touch. Your favorites are probably the songs you heard as a child. Our memories are tightly linked to those familiar songs and melodies.
Wonder what the best-selling Christmas album in the United States is? It’s Bing Crosby’s album Merry Christmas with 15 million copies sold. The second best-selling Christmas album of all time (per January 2008), is Elvis’ Christmas Album by Elvis Presley, with nine million sold in 50 years.

Best-Sellers in the Last Decade

• The best-selling Holiday album of 2000 was Dream a Dream, by Charlotte Church
• The best-selling Holiday album of 2001 was Now That’s What I Call Christmas!, by Various Artists.
• The best-selling Holiday album of 2002 was Wishes: A Holiday Album, Kenny G.
• The best-selling Holiday album of 2003 was Harry for the Holidays, by Harry Connick, Jr.
• The best-selling Holiday album of 2004 was Merry Christmas with Love, by Clay Aiken
• The best-selling Holiday album of 2005 was The Christmas Collection, by Il Divo
• The best-selling Holiday album of 2006 was a Wintersong, by Sarah McLachlan
• The best-selling Holiday album of 2007 was Noël, by Josh Groban (also best selling album of 2007)
• The best-selling Holiday album of 2008 was also Noël

Bring in the New
There are so many new noteworthy albums that come out each year, too. Make it a point to not only bring out your old favorites, but to also add to your holiday music collection.

The 2010 crop brings a new host of music. Did you catch America’s Got Talent this year to hear 10-year-old Jackie Evancho’s angelic voice? Her holiday cd is packaged with a DVD of her AGT performances. Other new releases for this year include:

• Christmas in Harmony by Wilson Phillips: It’s the ’90s all over again, thanks to a holiday reunion of pop’s most earnest female trio.
• A Christmas Cornucopia by Annie Lennox: A lushly produced affair, and several songs are aided by thundering percussion and the African Children’s Choir.
• Happy Christmas by Jessica Simpson: She keeps things simple and fun on her second holiday disc, highlighted by a loose and bluesy Willie Nelson duet (Merry Christmas Baby) and a lovely reading of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
• Merry Christmas II You by Mariah Carey: Her disc includes a rousing live performance of O Holy Night and an extra-festive version of All I Want for Christmas Is You (which isn’t much different from the original, aside from a few extra chimes).



Whatever you decide to play for music this holiday season, be sure to share it with the ones you love! And when you stop in to see us we will have the holiday music on, so HAPPY HOLIDAYS from all of us at Belladerm! Make it sparkle!