List of best-selling Christmas albums in the United States explained

This page shows the best-selling Christmas albums in the United States. It includes artists from all over the world, but it only includes sales in the United States of America.

Prior to March 1, 1991, the only means of tracking sales figures for record albums and singles in the United States was via the certification system of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), based specifically on shipments (less potential returns) on a long-term basis. According to the most recent record album certifications, the holiday album title that has shipped the most copies in the United States is Elvis Presley's 1957 LP Elvis' Christmas Album, which is certified by the RIAA for shipment of 17 million copies in the U.S. (3 million copies of the original 1957 release on RCA Victor Records, plus 10 million copies of a "budget" edition first released by RCA Camden in 1970 and then by Pickwick Records in 1975, and 4 million copies of another RCA reissue titled It's Christmas Time released in 1985).[1]

From March 1, 1991, through the present day, the Nielsen SoundScan tracking system has been more widely used to accurately track sales of record albums and singles at the point of sale (POS) based on inventory bar code scans.

Best-selling Christmas albums (using RIAA certifications and Nielsen SoundScan sales through December 2023)

In November 2016, Billboard has compiled a list of the top ten selling Christmas albums, using both RIAA certification information and actual point-of-sale data from Nielsen SoundScan. For albums released before SoundScan started collecting data in 1991, Billboard used their RIAA certification to determine sales.[2] As of December 8th, 2023, Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas" certified 9,000,000 album sales in the United States.

  1. Elvis's Christmas Album (1970 version) / Elvis Presley ~ 10,000,000[2]
  2. Merry Christmas / Mariah Carey ~ 9,000,000[3]
  3. / Kenny G ~ 7,370,000[2]
  4. The Christmas Song / Nat King Cole ~ 6,000,000[2]
  5. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 6,000,000[2]
  6. A Fresh Aire Christmas / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 6,000,000[2]
  7. Noël / Josh Groban ~ 5,890,000[2]
  8. These Are Special Times / Celine Dion ~ 5,440,000[2]
  9. A Christmas Album / Barbra Streisand ~ 5,370,000[2]
  10. Merry Christmas / Johnny Mathis ~ 5,240,000[2]

Best-selling Christmas albums from Nielsen SoundScan tracking data (through December 1, 2014)

This is a list of the 25 best-selling Christmas albums of the Nielsen SoundScan era in the United States for cumulative sales as tracked by Nielsen SoundScan through December 1, 2014.[4] Nielsen Music began tracking sales data for Billboard on March 1, 1991. As of December 8th, 2023, Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas" certified 9,000,000 album sales in the United States

  1. Merry Christmas / Mariah Carey ~ 9,000,000[5]
  2. / Kenny G ~ 7,310,000
  3. Noël / Josh Groban ~ 5,710,000[4]
  4. These Are Special Times / Celine Dion ~ 5,310,000[4]
  5. Christmas in the Aire / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 3,740,000[4]
  6. A Fresh Aire Christmas / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 3,660,000[4]
  7. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 3,500,000[4]
  8. Now That's What I Call Christmas! / various artists ~ 3,480,000[4]
  9. Christmas Eve and Other Stories / Trans-Siberian Orchestra ~ 3,430,000[4]
  10. A Charlie Brown Christmas / Vince Guaraldi Trio ~ 3,410,000[4]
  11. Christmas / Michael Bublé ~ 3,390,000[4]
  12. When My Heart Finds Christmas / Harry Connick, Jr. ~ 3,150,000[4]
  13. My Christmas / Andrea Bocelli ~ 3,010,000[4]
  14. Christmas Extraordinaire / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 2,920,000[4]
  15. Home for Christmas /
    • NSYNC
     ~ 2,760,000[4]
  16. / Kenny G ~ 2,750,000[4]
  17. Beyond the Season / Garth Brooks ~ 2,650,000[4]
  18. Home for Christmas / Amy Grant ~ 2,540,000[4]
  19. A Very Special Christmas / various artists ~ 2,520,000[4]
  20. The Lost Christmas Eve / Trans-Siberian Orchestra ~ 2,380,000[4]
  21. A Very Special Christmas 2 / various artists ~ 2,200,000[4]
  22. The Gift / Susan Boyle ~ 2,180,000[4]
  23. Christmas Portrait / The Carpenters ~ 1,950,000[4]
  24. White Christmas / Bing Crosby ~ 1,950,000[4]
  25. The Christmas Album / Neil Diamond ~ 1,910,000[4]

Best-selling Christmas albums by RIAA certification

This is an incomplete list of the best-selling Christmas albums in the United States based on shipment certification by the RIAA. This list provides a more complete representation of the best-selling Christmas albums in history, as it includes those released well before the Nielsen/SoundScan era of music sales.

Year of ReleaseArtist(s)TitleLabel(s)Certification Award[6]
1970Elvis' Christmas Album
(budget reissue of 1957 LP with altered track listing)		RCA Camden/PickwickDiamond
1994Merry ChristmasColumbia9× Platinum
1994Arista8× Platinum
2011Christmas143/Reprise6× Platinum
2007NoëlWEA/Reprise6× Platinum
2001VariousNow That's What I Call Christmas!UTV6× Platinum
1998These Are Special TimesEpic6× Platinum
1988Mannheim SteamrollerA Fresh Aire ChristmasAmerican Gramaphone6× Platinum
1984Mannheim SteamrollerMannheim Steamroller ChristmasAmerican Gramaphone6× Platinum
1963The Christmas Song
(originally released in 1960 under the title The Magic of Christmas)		Capitol6× Platinum
1967A Christmas AlbumColumbia5× Platinum
1965A Charlie Brown ChristmasFantasy5× Platinum
1958Merry ChristmasColumbia5× Platinum
1995White Christmas
(originally released in 1945 under the title Merry Christmas)		Decca4× Platinum
1995Mannheim SteamrollerChristmas in the Aire American Gramaphone4× Platinum
1987VariousA Very Special ChristmasA&M4× Platinum
1985It's Christmas Time
(retitled reissue of 1970 budget edition of Elvis' Christmas Album)		BMG4× Platinum
1984VariousChristmas Through the YearsReader's Digest Music4× Platinum
2010The GiftSyco/Columbia3× Platinum
2001Mannheim SteamrollerChristmas ExtraordinaireAmerican Gramaphone3× Platinum
1999Arista Records3× Platinum
1996Trans-Siberian OrchestraChristmas Eve and Other StoriesLava3× Platinum
1993When My Heart Finds ChristmasSony/Columbia3× Platinum
1992Beyond the SeasonLiberty3× Platinum
1992Home for ChristmasA&M3× Platinum
1982DecemberWindham Hill3× Platinum
1971Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of ChristmasRCA3× Platinum
1957Elvis' Christmas Album
(original release)		RCA Victor3× Platinum
2011Under the MistletoeIsland2× Platinum
2014PentatonixThat's Christmas to MeRCA2× Platinum
2009My ChristmasDecca2× Platinum
2004Trans-Siberian OrchestraThe Lost Christmas EveLava2× Platinum
2003VariousCapitol2× Platinum
1998White ChristmasRCA2× Platinum
1998
  • NSYNC
Home for ChristmasRCA2× Platinum
1998Trans-Siberian OrchestraThe Christmas AtticLava2× Platinum
1993Boyz II MenChristmas InterpretationsMotown2× Platinum
1993Let There Be Peace on EarthMCA Nashville2× Platinum
1992The Christmas AlbumColumbia2× Platinum
1992VariousA Very Special Christmas 2A&M2× Platinum
1989New Kids on the BlockMerry, Merry ChristmasColumbia2× Platinum
1987Merry Christmas to YouMCA Nashville2× Platinum
1986Merry Christmas Strait to You!MCA Nashville2× Platinum
1985AlabamaAlabama ChristmasRCA2× Platinum
1984 & Once Upon a ChristmasRCA2× Platinum
1981Christmas WishesCapitol2× Platinum
1981ChristmasLiberty2× Platinum
1979VariousDisney's Christmas FavoritesDisneyland2× Platinum
1975Rocky Mountain ChristmasRCA2× Platinum

Best-selling Christmas albums by year

In 1963, Billboard magazine began publishing a special weekly sales charts for Christmas album sales named "Christmas Albums" for three to four weeks during each holiday season. Titles that appeared on these charts were excluded from the regular Billboard 200 album sales charts. These special, year-end "Christmas Albums" charts were published from 1963 to 1973. The chart was discontinued from 1974 to 1982, when holiday titles were once again included in the regular Billboard 200 chart. "Christmas Albums" started up again in 1983 and appeared each year until 1985 (during these three years, holiday titles were eligible for inclusion on the weekly Billboard 200 chart). It was discontinued in 1986, but resumed in 1987 under the name "Christmas Albums". In 2000, the chart was renamed to "Top Holiday Albums" and has been published by Billboard each year since. Billboards special Christmas albums sales charts have varied in size over the years, from a low of 5 chart positions to a high of 117 chart positions.[7]

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gold & Platinum Advanced Search. Recording Industry Association of America. July 3, 2018.
  2. Web site: What Are the Top-Selling Christmas Albums of All Time?. Keith Caulfield. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. November 24, 2016. November 24, 2016.
  3. Web site: Gold & Platinum . 2023-12-28 . RIAA . en-US.
  4. Web site: The Gifts That Keep on Giving: Biggest Radio and Album Hits of the Holidays . Billboard Staff. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2014-12-01. 2014-12-01.
  5. Web site: Gold & Platinum . 2023-12-28 . RIAA . en-US.
  6. Web site: RIAA Gold & Platinum . . 2011-11-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130225031458/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS . 2013-02-25 .
  7. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 106 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  8. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 203 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  9. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 191, 203 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  10. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 166, 191, 203 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  11. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 195 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  12. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 153 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  13. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 179 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  14. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 182 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  15. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 209 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  16. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 136 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  17. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 188 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  18. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 124 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  19. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 169 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  20. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 186 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  21. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 176 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  22. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 113 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  23. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 229 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  24. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 164, 229 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  25. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 175 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  26. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 163 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  27. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 164 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  28. Web site: Chart Watch Extra: Bring On Christmas! . . 2009-12-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091211194511/http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/43185/chart-watch-extra-bring-on-christmas . December 11, 2009 .
  29. http://www.harryconnickjr.com/discography/detail.asp?id=11 She, by Harry Conick, Jr.
  30. http://www.neosoul.com/music/1997/christmas.html The Best Selling Christmas Albums of 1997
  31. http://www.neosoul.com/music/1999/christmas.html The Best Selling Christmas Albums of 1999
  32. https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E2DE113CF932A35757C0A9679C8B63 The Major Minor
  33. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2004_Sept_29/ai_n6215563 IDT Entertainment's DPS Film Roman and Harry Connick Jr. Team For 3D Animated Christmas Special
  34. http://emol.org/emclub/?q=clayaikenthousanddifferentwayscd Clay Aiken Releases New RCA Records Album 'A Thousand Different Ways'
  35. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100106007077&newsLang=en 2009 U.S. Music Purchases up 2.1% over 2008; Music Sales Exceed 1.5 Billion for Second Consecutive Year
  36. Web site: Eminem's 'Recovery' Is 2010's Best-Selling Album; Katy Perry's 'California Gurls' Top Digital Song. Kaulfield. Keith. Billboard. Billboard.com. 2011-01-05. 2011-12-29.
  37. Web site: Week Ending Dec. 25, 2011. Albums: A Very Jeezy Christmas. Grein. Paul. Yahoo! Music. Nielsen Business Media. 2011-12-28. 2011-12-28.
  38. Web site: Chart Watch Extra: Top Albums of 2012. Grein. Paul. Yahoo! Music. Nielsen Business Media. 2013-01-03. 2013-01-03.
  39. Web site: The Top 10 Albums and Songs of 2013. Grein. Paul. Yahoo! Music. Nielsen Business Media. 2014-01-03. 2014-01-03.
  40. Web site: Taylor Swift's '1989' Beats 'Frozen' as Top Selling Album of 2014. Caulfield. Keith. Billboard. Billboard.com. 2014-12-31. 2015-01-01.
  41. Web site: Chart Watch: Pentatonix Celebrate 'Christmas' at No. 1. Grein. Paul. Yahoo! Music. Yahoo Entertainment. 2016-12-27. 2017-11-29.
  42. Web site: Drake's 'Views' Is Nielsen Music's Top Album of 2016 in the U.S.. Caulfield. Keith. Billboard. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. 2017-01-05. 2017-11-29.

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