Under the Mistletoe explained

Under the Mistletoe
Type:studio
Artist:Justin Bieber
Cover:Under the Mistletoe.jpg
Border:yes
Released:November 1, 2011[1]
Recorded:2011
Genre:Christmas
Length:37:51
Prev Year:2011
Next Title:Believe
Next Year:2012

Under the Mistletoe is the first Christmas album and second studio album by Canadian singer Justin Bieber, released on November 1, 2011, by RBMG/Island Def Jam Music Group. The album features fifteen tracks, including seven original songs co-written by Bieber, along with cover versions of Christmas carols and standards. Fellow artists Usher, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, and the Band Perry all make guest appearances on the album.

The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart and the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart, selling 210,000 copies in its first week, becoming the first Christmas album by a male artist to debut at number one. This was Bieber's third number-one album on the Billboard 200, following earlier in the year. With this album he became the first artist to earn three number one albums on the chart before their 18th birthday. [2] The album is currently certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for sales of over two million units.

Background

On August 25, 2011, Bieber announced that he would be releasing his first Christmas album and second studio album later in 2011.[3] Manager Scooter Braun and vocal producer Kuk Harrell confirmed a week later that Bieber had collaborated with Sean Kingston and Taylor Swift, and worked with producers The Messengers.[4] Later that month, it was announced that Boyz II Men, Usher, and The Band Perry were also collaborating with Bieber on the album.[5] On September 30, 2011, Bieber released the official album cover and album name on Facebook.[5] On October 4, 2011, Mariah Carey revealed that she and Bieber recorded her song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" as a duet for the new album. Bieber's version of the song "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" from the motion picture Arthur Christmas, samples "I Want You Back" and "ABC" by the Jackson 5.[6]

Singles

The album's first single "Mistletoe", was written and produced with The Messengers, and it was released on October 17, 2011.[7] The album's second single, "All I Want for Christmas Is You (SuperFestive!)", was released as a radio airplay only single in Italy on December 9, 2011.[8]

Critical reception

Under the Mistletoe was met with generally mixed reviews. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 54, based on four critical reviews. AllMusic also assessed the critical consensus giving the album three stars.

Andy Kellman of AllMusic credited Bieber "for the effort he put in" and for not "sleepwalking" through the Christmas album like "most artists," although he did feel that Bieber "definitely sounds more enthused by the original songs" while calling Bieber's "Drummer Boy" goofy but complimenting his version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Adam Markovitz also felt that the original songs were much better than the covers, calling them "sleigh-ride-smooth R&B jangles" while writing that "the classics bring no cheer."[9] Jason Scott of The Seattle Post-Intelligencer gave the album a positive review, writing that Bieber "proves he is a mainstay in the industry by crafting a highly energetic and expressive album that is filled to the brim with eggnog flavored treats, ranging from straight up pop and R&B to country" and named it "a wonderful performance."[10]

Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian opined that "the guests are the album's saving grace" and felt that "they generally outclass his by quite a stretch," although she did feel that "holds his own" against Mariah Carey.[11] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote that Bieber "[hadn't] ever sounded this good" but also felt that he was at times overshadowed on the guest appearances.[12]

Commercial performance

Under the Mistletoe debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 210,000 copies in its first week.[13] This became Bieber's third US number one debut and his fifth US top ten album.[13] It also became the first Christmas album by a male artist to debut at number one and the first solo artist to have three number one albums before his 18th birthday.[13] In its second week, the album dropped to number six on the chart, selling an additional 97,000 copies, which was a 54% decrease.[14] In its third week, the album climbed to number five on the chart, selling 84,000 more copies.[15] In its fourth week, the album dropped to number six on the chart, selling 142,000 copies, which was a 69% increase.[15] By the end of 2011, the album totaled 1,245,000 copies in US sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and was the eleventh best-selling album of the year.[16] As of December 2015, the album had sold 1,510,000 copies.[17] On June 24, 2020, the album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over two million units in the United States.[18]

The album also debuted at number one in Canada, and within the top 10 in Ireland, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Australia, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

Track listing

Note: (*) denotes a co-producer

Personnel

Credits are adapted from liner notes[19]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011–2023)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Latvian Albums (LAIPA)[20] 11
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[21] 16

Year-end charts

Chart (2011)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] 31
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[23] 36
French Albums (SNEP)[24] 139
Mexican Albums (Top 100 Albums)[25] 20
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[26] 45
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 36
UK Albums (OCC)[28] 85
US Billboard 200[29] 94
Chart (2012)Position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[30] 5
US Billboard 20013
Chart (2013)Position
US Billboard 200[31] 172
Chart (2017)Position
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[32] 90

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Justin Bieber Shoots Christmas-Themed 'Mistletoe' Video. https://web.archive.org/web/20110930234630/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1671721/justin-bieber-mistletoe-music-video.jhtml. dead. September 30, 2011. October 1, 2011. September 29, 2011. Vena. Jocelyn. MTV News. MTV Networks.
  2. Caulfield . Keith . 2011-11-09 . Justin Bieber's 'Mistletoe' Brightens Billboard 200 With No. 1 Debut . 2023-11-25 . Billboard . en-US.
  3. Web site: Justin Bieber's Early Christmas Gift: A Holiday Album. https://web.archive.org/web/20111111090202/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1669695/justin-bieber-christmas-holiday-album.jhtml. dead. November 11, 2011. October 1, 2011. August 25, 2011. Schwartz. Terri. MTV News. MTV Networks.
  4. Web site: JUSTIN BIEBER'S "UNDER THE MISTLETOE", HIS FIRST CHRISTMAS ALBUM, SET FOR NOV 1 RELEASE. https://archive.today/20120527060057/http://universalmusic.ca/justin-bieber-christmas-album/. dead. May 27, 2012. Universal Music Canada. October 5, 2011. November 9, 2011.
  5. Web site: See Justin Bieber's Christmas Album Cover Art & Title Reveal. October 1, 2011. September 30, 2011. Talarico. Brittany. OK! Magazine. Buzz Media.
  6. Web site: Mariah Carey Remakes Christmas Classic with Justin Bieber. October 5, 2011. October 4, 2011. Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine.
  7. Web site: Zeibiz » Justin Bieber: Under the Mistletoe Album – This November!. October 7, 2011. December 15, 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111007054539/http://www.zeibiz.com/2011/10/justin-bieber-under-the-mistletoe-album-this-november/. October 7, 2011.
  8. Web site: Justin Bieber duet with Mariah Carey - "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (Radio Date: Friday 9 December) . EarOne . https://web.archive.org/web/20170701195509/https://www.earone.it/news/justin_bieber_duet_with_mariah_carey_all_i_want_for_christmas_is_you_radio_date_venerdi_9_dicembre_2799399/ . July 1, 2017 . it.
  9. Under the Mistletoe. Entertainment Weekly. November 19, 2011. November 12, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111112161011/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20541771,00.html. dead.
  10. Web site: Music Review: Justin Bieber - Under the Mistletoe. November 3, 2011.
  11. Web site: Justin Bieber: Under the Mistletoe – review. TheGuardian.com. December 8, 2011.
  12. News: Chestnuts Roasted, and Sometimes Burned. The New York Times. November 22, 2011. Caramanica. Jon. Ratliff. Ben. Chinen. Nate. Pareles. Jon. Holden. Stephen.
  13. Caulfield . Keith . Justin Bieber's 'Mistletoe' Brightens Billboard 200 with No. 1 Debut . . . November 9, 2011 . November 9, 2011.
  14. Mac Miller Moves In at No. 1 on Billboard 200. Keith Caulfield. Billboard. November 16, 2011. March 1, 2020.
  15. Drake's 'Take Care' Blasts Onto Billboard 200. Keith Caulfield. Billboard. November 23, 2011. March 1, 2020.
  16. Web site: Chart Watch Extra: The Year's Top Albums. Grein. Paul. Yahoo! Music. Nielsen Business Media. December 7, 2011. January 4, 2012.
  17. Justin Bieber's 'Purpose' Becomes His Fifth Million-Selling Album in U.S.. Caulfield . Keith. December 21, 2015. December 21, 2015. Billboard.
  18. Web site: RIAA Album Certifications - Justin Bieber. Keith Caulfield. Recording Industry Association of America. July 1, 2020.
  19. Bieber, Justin. Under the Mistletoe. Island Records/Island Def Jam Music Group. 2011.
  20. Web site: Mūzikas patēriņa tops gadu mijā. lv. LAIPA. November 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191010095638/https://www.parmuziku.lv/muzikas-zinas/latvija/muzikas-paterina-tops-gadu-mija-7661. October 10, 2019.
  21. Web site: 2023 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. December 29, 2023. January 4, 2024.
  22. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums 2011. ARIA. January 15, 2015.
  23. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2011. Billboard. January 2, 2013. January 14, 2021.
  24. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2011. SNEP. fr. April 16, 2021.
  25. Web site: Los más vendidos 2011 - Top 100 México. October 24, 2017. es. Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. https://web.archive.org/web/20120131103352/http://www.amprofon.com.mx/Archivos/PDF/top_anual/Top_100_Album_2011.pdf. January 31, 2012.
  26. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2011. Recorded Music NZ. February 8, 2022.
  27. Web site: Årslista Album – År 2011. Sverigetopplistan. sv. December 16, 2020.
  28. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2011. Official Charts Company. December 25, 2020.
  29. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2011. Billboard. January 2, 2013. October 2, 2021.
  30. Web site: Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End 2012. Billboard.com. December 15, 2017.
  31. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2013. Billboard. January 2, 2013. February 10, 2021.
  32. Web site: Album Top-100 2017. Hitlisten. January 11, 2018.

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