List of Billboard Best Bets for Christmas 1963–1973 explained

American music chart publisher Billboard magazine began publishing annual Christmas singles and albums charts, the Billboard Best Bets for Christmas, in surveys from 1963 to 1973 for a total of 46 weeks. Each survey included a top-selling Christmas LP's and a Christmas Singles chart that ran for 3–5 weeks each holiday season expanding in size as sales activity increased. Before then, Christmas-themed hits were only included on the Hot 100 or on their other weekly charts.[1] Billboard charted Christmas albums and singles exclusively in this section until 1972.[2]

Billboard number one Best Bets For Christmas

These are Billboard's Best Bets for Christmas number-one albums and singles:

scope=col Issue datescope=col Albumsscope=col Artistscope=col Singlesscope=col Artistscope=col class=unsortable
"White Christmas"[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
"Blue Christmas" [8] [9]
"" [10] [11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
Merry Christmas[18]
[19]
Merry Christmas"Sleep in Heavenly Sleep (Silent Night)"[20]
"Snoopy's Christmas"[21]
[22]
[23]
[24]
[25]
Christmas Album & The Tijuana Brass"" [26] & The Tijuana Brass[27]
[28]
That Christmas Feeling[29]
""[30]
Give Me Your Love for Christmas"White Christmas" [31] Bing Crosby[32]
"" [33] [34]
Merry Christmas"Jingle Bell Rock" [35] [36]
Jim Nabors' Christmas Album [37] [38]
Jackson 5 Christmas Album[39] Jackson 5"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"Jackson 5[40]
"Merry Christmas, Darling"Carpenters[41]
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" / "Christmas Won't Be the Same This Year"Jackson 5[42]
"Merry Christmas, Darling"Carpenters[43]
Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas"Jingle Bells"[44]
"Please Come Home for Christmas" [45] [46]
Jackson 5 Christmas AlbumJackson 5""[47]
Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas"Merry Christmas, Darling"Carpenters[48]
Various artists"Step into Christmas"[49]
"Blue Christmas"[50]

Top 10 Christmas Albums

These are the LPs that reached the top 10 on Billboard's Christmas Record charts from 1958 until 1973. Record collectors[51] and holiday music fans[52] [53] believe that every contemporary holiday album owes a debt to one or more of the albums below.[54] [55] [56] [57] [58]

RankAlbumArtistYear
Rlsd.		Peak
Date		Peak
Pos.		Weeks
PeakTop 10Chart
1196311/30/1963
  1. 1
92330
2196712/2/196761620
3195912/5/196442535
4Merry Christmas196612/10/196631220
5Jackson 5 Christmas AlbumJackson 5197012/26/19701010
6196312/13/196922935
7Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas197112/9/197288
8Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Christmas Album196812/7/1968610
9That Christmas Feeling196812/21/196810
10197112/18/197135
11196612/3/196611419
12Jim Nabors' Christmas Album [59] 196712/27/19691321
13Give Me Your Love For Christmas196912/6/19691012
14Various Artists19732/15/197333
15Music of Christmas[60] And His Orchestra195711/24/195812
16Elvis' Christmas Album195712/11/1965
  1. 2
72331
17Merry Christmas195811/30/196362729
18Merry Christmas195512/26/196433440
19Sounds of Christmas196312/21/19632720
20Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! [61] 196712/9/19671510
21Christmas with Mahalia [62] 196812/13/196925
22Christmas Album [63] 197012/19/197023
23 195711/24/1958111
24John Gary Christmas Album [64] 196412/5/1964
  1. 3
1417
25Handel: Messiah / The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / Eugene Ormandy195912/13/196926
26 featuring Frank Sinatra Jr., Nancy Sinatra and Tina Sinatra196912/13/19694
27This Christmas I Spend With You [65] 196312/21/1963
  1. 4
2613
28Sound of Christmas196112/18/19651824
29197012/23/197255
30Merle Haggard's Christmas Present197312/8/197323
31Merry Christmas[66] 195611/24/195817
32We Wish You A Merry Christmas196212/9/1972
  1. 5
1320
33Season's Greetings from Perry Como195912/7/19631220
34O' Bambino — The Little Drummer Boy [67] 19652/3/19665
35Merry Christmas!New Christy Minstrels196312/28/196318
36Christmas CarolsMantovani195411/24/19581
37Noël196612/3/1966
  1. 6
4513
38Merry Christmas196512/11/19652312
39Snoopy And His Friends196712/23/196727
40196512/18/19651313
41Various Artists196312/23/19726
42Songs of Christmas[68] 195611/24/195811
43Merry Christmas from the Brady Bunch197012/25/1971
44Christmas Greetings From Mantovani And His Orchestra [69] Mantovani196312/21/1963
  1. 7
1314
45Merry Christmas from Brenda Lee196412/16/1972115
46Christmas with Conniff195912/27/196911
47196312/13/19695
48Now Is The Caroling Season[70] 195711/24/19581
49Handel's Messiah and Orchestra196612/7/1968
  1. 8
225
50Christmas in My Home Town197012/23/1972136
51More Sounds of Christmas196412/26/1964215
52Merry Christmas [71] 196412/19/196411
53Christmas with The King Family [72] 196512/18/19652
54 / The New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein196312/11/196511
55Soul Christmas (Atco Records 33-269) [73] Various artists196812/6/19696
56Beloved Choruses [74] / The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / Eugene Ormandy195812/18/19654
57Christmas '64196412/5/1964
58[75] 195511/24/19581
59Ventures' Christmas Album [76] 196512/18/1965
  1. 9
229
60Christmas Hymns & Carols [77] 195711/24/19588
6112 Songs Of Christmas, Bing Crosby and Fred Waring196412/19/19643
62Merry Xmas From José Feliciano197012/8/1973
63Navidad Means Christmas [78] & Trio Los Panchos196612/17/1966124
64Holiday Sing Along with Mitch and The Gang196112/28/1963117
65Christmas with The Chipmunks Volume 2 & The Chipmunks196312/21/196313
66 [79] with Andre Previn196712/2/19676
67 [80] & Boston Pops Orchestra197012/19/19702
68Joy to The World[81] 195611/24/19581
69Songs For A Merry Christmas [82] 196612/3/1966
  1. 10
3310
70Christmas Wonderland196312/7/19632213
71Christmas Present...And Past [83] 196712/9/1967115
72196812/14/19683
73196812/13/1969
74196812/26/1970
75 (Columbia Records 30763) [84] Various artists197212/8/1973

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Christmas Hit Records .
  2. Web site: Appendix E: All Time Christmas Countdown .
  3. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 48, November 30, 1963, p. 11.
  4. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 49, December 7, 1963, p. 8.
  5. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 50, December 14, 1963, p. 8.
  6. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 51, December 21, 1963, p. 8.
  7. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 52, December 28, 1963, p. 7.
  8. First released on the 1957 45 EP entitled Elvis Sings Christmas Songs (EPA-4108). It was first released as a commercially available single in 1964.
  9. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 76, no. 49, December 5, 1964, p. 25.
  10. First charted on the Hot 100 in 1958 peaking at #13
  11. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 76, no. 50, December 12, 1964, p. 22.
  12. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 76, no. 51, December 19, 1964, p. 34.
  13. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 76, no. 52, December 26, 1964, p. 36.
  14. “Billboard Top Christmas Sellers.” Billboard, vol. 77, no. 50, December 11, 1965, p. 7.
  15. “Billboard Top Christmas Sellers.” Billboard, vol. 77, no. 51, December 18, 1965, p. 15.
  16. “Billboard Top Christmas Sellers.” Billboard, vol. 77, no. 52, December 25, 1965, p. 12.
  17. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 78, no. 49, December 3, 1966, p. 56.
  18. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 78, no. 50, December 10, 1966, p. 40.
  19. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 78, no. 51, December 17, 1966, p. 36.
  20. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 78, no. 52, December 24, 1966, p. 33.
  21. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 48, December 2, 1967, p. 8.
  22. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 49, December 9, 1967, p. 92.
  23. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 50, December 16, 1967, p. 61.
  24. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 51, December 23, 1967, p. 50.
  25. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 52, December 30, 1967, p. 40.
  26. The flip side "My Favorite Things" peaked at #45 on the Hot 100 the same year.
  27. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 80, no. 49, December 7, 1968, p. 82.
  28. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 80, no. 50, December 14, 1968, p. 84.
  29. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 80, no. 51, December 21, 1968, p. 69.
  30. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 80, no. 52, December 28, 1968, p. 57.
  31. First released in 1942 peaking at #1 for 11 weeks
  32. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 81, no. 49, December 6, 1969, p. 11.
  33. The King Cole Trio version charted at #3 in 1946. This 1953 recording with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra first charted in 1954 peaking at #29.
  34. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 81, no. 50, December 13, 1969, p. 10.
  35. First charted on Billboard's Top 100 in 1957 peaking at #6.
  36. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 81, no. 51, December 20, 1969, p. 12.
  37. Web site: Jim Nabors - Jim Nabors Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  38. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 81, no. 52, December 27, 1969, p. 10.
  39. Web site: Jackson 5 gave love on Christmas Day but did not celebrate the holiday themselves .
  40. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 82, no. 51, December 19, 1970, p. 12.
  41. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 82, no. 52, December 26, 1970, p. 59.
  42. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 83, no. 51, December 18, 1971, p. 49.
  43. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 83, no. 52, December 25, 1971, p. 49.
  44. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 84, no. 51, December 9, 1972, p. 40.
  45. First charted on the Hot 100 in 1961 peaking at #76.
  46. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 84, no. 52, December 16, 1972, p. 51.
  47. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 84, no. 53, December 23, 1972, p. 4.
  48. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 85, no. 49, December 8, 1973, p. 28.
  49. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 85, no. 50, December 15, 1973, p. 25.
  50. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 85, no. 51, December 22, 1973, p. 22.
  51. Web site: Collecting Christmas records . 14 December 2022 .
  52. Web site: Billboard's Best Selling Christmas Albums of the 1960s . 9 January 2012 .
  53. Web site: Billboard's Top-Selling Christmas Album – 1970s . 16 January 2012 .
  54. "Deejay's Favorite Christmas Disks." The Billboard, vol. 70, no. 47, November 24, 1958, p. 2.
  55. "Christmas Records." Billboard, vol. 75-76, no. 48-52 & 49-52, November 30, 1963-December 26, 1964, pp. 11, 8, 8, 7, 25, 22, 22, 34 & 36.
  56. "Billboard Top Christmas Sellers." Billboard, vol. 77, no. 50-52, December 11, 1965-December 25, 1965, pp. 7, 15 & 12.
  57. "Billboard Best Bets For Christmas." Billboard, vol. 78-81, no. 49-52, 48-52, 49-52 & 49-52, December 3, 1966-December 27, 1969, pp. 56, 40, 36, 33, 8, 92, 61, 50, 40, 82, 84, 69, 57, 11, 10, 12, & 10.
  58. "Best Bets For Christmas." Billboard, vol. 82-85, no. 51-52, 51-52, 51-53 & 49-51, December 19, 1970-December 22, 1973, pp. 12, 59, 49, 49, 40, 51, 4, 28, 25 & 22.
  59. Web site: Jim Nabors - Jim Nabors' Christmas Album . . 1967 .
  60. Web site: Percy Faith and His Orchestra - Music of Christmas . . 1954 .
  61. Web site: Lou Rawls - Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  62. Web site: Mahalia Jackson - Christmas with Mahalia [Columbia] Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  63. Web site: Bobby Sherman - Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  64. Web site: John Gary - the John Gary Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  65. Web site: Robert Goulet - This Christmas I Spend with You Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  66. Web site: Jackie Gleason - Merry Christmas . . 1956 .
  67. Web site: Harry Simeone Chorale - O Bambino/The Little Drummer Boy Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  68. Web site: The Norman Luboff Choir - Songs of Christmas . . 1956 .
  69. Web site: Mantovani - Christmas Greetings from Mantovani and His Orchestra Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  70. Web site: Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians, Fred Waring - Now is the Caroling Season Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  71. Web site: Al Martino - Merry Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  72. Web site: King Family - Christmas with the King Family Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  73. https://www.hipchristmas.com/albums/s/soul.php
  74. https://music.metason.net/artistinfo?name=Mormon%20Tabernacle%20Choir%2C%20Richard%20P.%20Condie%20-%20The%20Philadelphia%20Orchestra%2C%20Eugene%20Ormandy&title=The%20Beloved%20Choruses
  75. Web site: The Voices of Walter Schumann - the Voices of Christmas . . 1955 .
  76. Web site: The Ventures - the Ventures' Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  77. Web site: Robert Shaw, Robert Shaw Chorale - Christmas Hymns and Carols, Vol. 1 Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  78. Web site: Eydie Gorme, Eydie Gorme y Trio los Panchos, el Trio los Panchos - Navidad Means Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  79. Web site: Julie Andrews - A Christmas Treasure Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  80. Web site: Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orchestra - A Christmas Festival [Polygram] Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  81. Web site: The Roger Wagner Chorale - Joy to the World . . 1956 .
  82. Web site: Wayne Newton - Songs for a Merry Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  83. Web site: Paul Revere & the Raiders - A Christmas Present...And Past Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic . .
  84. https://musicbrainz.org/release/80a8d1a9-09d6-4935-83fd-ea45a2d1ca0b

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