A Drummer Boy Christmas Explained

A Drummer Boy Christmas
Type:studio
Artist:For King & Country
Cover:A Drummer Boy Christmas by For King & Country (Official Album Cover).png
Alt:A Drummer Boy Christmas Album Cover
Recorded:2020
Genre:
Label:Word Entertainment
Producer:
  • Tedd Tjornhom
  • For King & Country
  • Benjamin Backus
Prev Title:Burn the Ships
Prev Year:2018
Next Year:2022

A Drummer Boy Christmas is the fourth studio album by For King & Country, an Australian Christian pop duo comprising brothers Luke Smallbone and Joel Smallbone, released via Word Entertainment on 30 October 2020.[1] It features appearances by Needtobreathe and Gabby Barrett. The album was produced by Tedd Tjornhom and For King & Country, co-produced by Benjamin Backus, and Matt Hales handling executive production.

A Drummer Boy Christmas became a commercially successful album upon its release, debuting at No. 2 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums Chart in the United States. A Drummer Boy Christmas received nominations for the GMA Dove Award Christmas / Special Event Album of the Year and Recorded Music Packaging of the Year at the 2021 GMA Dove Awards.

Background

In September 2020, For King & Country announced A Drummer Boy Christmas as their first full-length Christmas album,[2] due to be out on 30 October 2020 and availing the album for pre-order. The album was inspired by a concept that originated near the band's beginning, when they Joel and Luke Smallbone were rehearsing for a Christmas tour.[3] The album comprises two original Christmas songs: "Heavenly Hosts" and "The Carol of Joseph (I Believe In You)"; and contains guest appearances from Needtobreathe featuring on the track "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" while the song "Go Tell It On The Mountain" featuring guest vocals from Gabby Barrett.[4]

Release and promotion

Singles

On October 2, 2020, For King & Country announced that "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" featuring Needtobreathe and "Little Drummer Boy" would be serviced to Christian radio in the United States as the official singles from the album,[5] revealing the album's track-listing.[6]

"Heavenly Hosts" was serviced to Christian radio stations in the United States on 3 November 2021, becoming the album's third single.[7]

Promotional singles

On October 2, 2020, For King & Country released "Joy to the World" as the first promotional single from the album, accompanied with a lyric video.[8] On October 16, 2020, For King & Country released "Heavenly Hosts" as the second and final promotional single from the album,[9] accompanied with a lyric video.[10]

Touring

See main article: A Drummer Boy Christmas Tour. Through November and December in the years of 2020–2023, the band toured around the United States and Canada in promotion of the album.

Reception

Critical response

Jesus Freak Hideout's John Underdown noted the oddity in following up a successful album (Burn the Ships) with a holiday themed album, but acknowledged the band's success, saying: "Ultimately, what sets this album above its peers is the direction and purpose behind the songs picked and the way they're ordered. This thoughtfulness is felt and allows for deeper layers of reflection where other Christmas records only provide background fluff." In a positive review for NewReleaseToday, JJ Francesco opined that A Drummer Boy Christmas is "a reverent and intimate Christmas pageant of an album."[11]

Accolades

Awards! Year! Organization! Award! Result! Ref
2021GMA Dove AwardsChristmas / Special Event Album of the Year[12]
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year

Commercial performance

In the United States, A Drummer Boy Christmas earned 13,000 equivalent album units in its first week of sales, and as a result debuted at No. 2 on the Top Christian Albums Chart dated November 14, 2020, the band's sixth top ten release on the tally.[13] The album concurrently registered on the mainstream Billboard 200 chart at No. 50.[14]

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2020)! scope="col"
Position
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[15] 71
Chart (2021)Position
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[16] 34
Chart (2022)Position
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[17] 42
Chart (2023)Position
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[18] 48

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
Various30 October 2020Word Entertainment[19] [20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: For KING & COUNTRY Premieres 'A Drummer Boy Christmas' Album . Clarks . Jessie . 30 October 2020 . The Christian Beat . 30 October 2020 . 1 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201101040223/https://www.thechristianbeat.org/index.php/new-music/8826-for-king-country-releases-first-christmas-album . live .
  2. Web site: for KING & COUNTRY Announces Its First Ever Full-length Christmas Album, "A Drummer Boy Christmas" Freeccm.com . Clarks . Jessie . 10 September 2020 . Freeccm.com . 30 October 2020 . 1 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201101202410/https://freeccm.com/2020/09/10/for-king-country-announces-its-first-ever-full-length-christmas-album-a-drummer-boy-christmas/ . live .
  3. Web site: for KING & COUNTRY Announces Christmas Album – CCM Magazine . Cluver . Ross . 9 September 2020 . . 30 October 2020 . 1 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201101195519/https://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/for-king-country-announces-christmas-album/ . live .
  4. Web site: for KING & COUNTRY Reveal First-Ever Christmas Album Track List Including Collabs With Gabby Barrett and NEEDTOBREATHE – Music Mayhem Magazine . 2 October 2020 . Music Mayhem Magazine . 30 October 2020 . 30 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201030063329/https://musicmayhemmagazine.com/for-king-country-reveal-first-ever-christmas-album-track-list-including-collabs-with-gabby-barrett-and-needtobreathe/ . live .
  5. Web site: For KING & COUNTRY Announces Tracklist For First Christmas Album . Clarks . Jessie . 2 October 2020 . The Christian Beat . 30 October 2020 . With their forthcoming album and radio singles “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (feat. NEEDTOBREATHE) and “Little Drummer Boy,” fans will soon be able to start celebrating “the most wonderful time of the year” by listening to for KING & COUNTRY’s intimate and powerful interpretations of many Christmas classics. . 9 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409074341/https://www.thechristianbeat.org/for-king-country-announces-tracklist-for-first-christmas-album/ . live .
  6. Web site: for KING & COUNTRY Announces the Track Listing for "A Drummer Boy Christmas" : News : JubileeCast . 3 October 2020 . JubileeCast . 30 October 2020 . 30 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201030213856/http://www.jubileecast.com/articles/24907/20201003/for-king-country-announces-the-track-listing-for-a-drummer-boy-christmas.htm . live .
  7. Web site: Curb-Word Promo Team on Instagram: "On the 6th day of Christmas, CurbWord Entertainment gave to me... for KING & COUNTRY "Heavenly Hosts" Sara Reeves "Go Tell It On The…" . registration . November 3, 2021 . . 14 January 2021 . live . https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/curbwordpromo/2698564032473046253_2698564026961627015 . 13 January 2021.
  8. Web site: for KING & COUNTRY Drop 'Joy To The World'/Share Album Info – CCM Magazine . 2 October 2020 . . 30 October 2020 . 6 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201106172458/https://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/for-king-country-drop-joy-to-the-world-share-album-info/ . live .
  9. Web site: For KING & COUNTRY Premiere Original Christmas Song "Heavenly Hosts" . Longs . Herb . 16 October 2020 . The Christian Beat . 30 October 2020 . 9 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409074341/https://www.thechristianbeat.org/for-king-country-premiere-original-christmas-song-heavenly-hosts/ . live .
  10. Web site: for KING & COUNTRY Release 'Heavenly Hosts' – CCM Magazine . Cluver . Ross . 19 October 2020 . . 30 October 2020 . 31 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201031234224/https://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/for-king-country-release-heavenly-hosts/ . live .
  11. Web site: A Drummer Boy Christmas by for KING & COUNTRY Christian CD Book Reviews NRTeam Member JJFrancesco_NRT . Francesco . JJ . 29 October 2020 . NewReleaseToday . 30 October 2020 . 1 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201101131026/https://www.newreleasetoday.com/userprofile_reviewssinglepost.php?review_id=27194&user_id=7472 . live .
  12. 2021 GMA Dove Award Nominees: Full List Billboard . Grein . Paul . August 11, 2021 . . August 14, 2021 . 13 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210813182345/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9613134/2021-gma-dove-awards-nominations/ . live .
  13. For King & Country Snare No. 2 Debut on Top Christian Albums Chart With 'A Drummer Boy Christmas' Billboard . Asker . Jim . November 11, 2020 . . December 4, 2020 . 15 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201115145018/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9482304/for-king-country-top-christian-albums-chart-a-drummer-boy-christmas/ . live .
  14. Billboard 200 Chart Billboard . November 10, 2020 . Billboard. December 4, 2020 . 10 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201110101134/https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2020-11-14 . live .
  15. Top Christian Albums – Billboard . . Year-End Chart . December 2, 2021 . 23 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201223111615/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2020/christian-albums . live .
  16. Top Christian Albums – Billboard . . Year-End Chart . December 2, 2021 . 2 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211202170138/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2021/christian-albums/ . live .
  17. Top Christian Albums – Billboard . . Year-End Chart . December 4, 2022 . 1 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221201174748/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/christian-albums/ . live .
  18. Top Christian Albums – Billboard . . Year-End Chart . 11 February 2024.
  19. Web site: A Drummer Boy Christmas by for KING & COUNTRY on Amazon Music - Amazon.com . 30 October 2020 . . 30 October 2020 . 9 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409074340/https://www.amazon.com/music/player/browserWarning?0=%2Fplayer%2Falbums%2FB08HRC5DQC&1=player%2Falbums%2FB08HRC5DQC&subView=music&useHorizonte=true . live .
  20. Web site: A Drummer Boy Christmas by for KING & COUNTRY on Apple Music . 30 October 2020 . . Australia . . 30 October 2020 . 18 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201118120518/https://music.apple.com/au/album/a-drummer-boy-christmas/1531230210 . live .