The Top 5 Typical Christmas Albums

Seasons Greetings fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Much like last year, I don’t have a top 5 movies of the year list, and it’s very obvious as to why. Probably by next year, I may finally get a top 5 movies list up for you all to enjoy! In the meantime, it’s the holiday season, so why not talk about a few more album that are typical of this time of year? However, since this year was a little more normal than 2020, I won’t be talking about weirder records. This time around, I want to talk the more typical Christmas albums. The albums that are well established in the pantheon of the holidays, and the ones we often think of when we enjoy the season. So, grab a big comfy blanket, get a nice warm cup of cocoa or tea, and enjoy my list of the top 5 typical Christmas albums. Let’s begin!

5) The Very Best of Lou Monte (Song)

We begin the list with a rather odd choice, and one that may not be typical for some of you. Italian American singer Lou Monte was always played in my Dad’s household, and while not a Holiday/Christmas musician per se, he has done a number of songs in that style. Lou always has a great ton of energy when he sings, and even if you don’t like the seasonal tracks on this compilation, everything else will be up your alley. So why not embrace your inner Italian, and listen to some Lou Monte!?

4) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Soundtrack (Song)

Much like a typical movie soundtrack, a Christmas film’s soundtrack can be just as memorable, and one from the older generation that’s a classic would be the one for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer! Even though the older generation is more familiar with this feature that some of the newer ones, those from a certain time (Like myself) will probably recognize the music as well. A lot of the songs are very simple: none of them ever go over 3 minutes, but there’s a shocking amount of love & care in each of them. The emotions go in a variety of directions, but you all feel them under a nice gentle snowfall. Certainly a classic set of songs, but my generation has a Christmas movie we call our own as well!

3) The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack (Song)

What Rudolph to the generations before mine, The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack is to mine and past that. For almost 30 years, the saga of Jack Skellington wanting to bring his own brand of Holiday magic to the world has been nothing short of demented awesomeness! With this kind of warped story, it pays to have someone equally strange craft some classically spooky songs, and that’s exactly what Danny Elfman did! Across 20 classic songs (On the original version), we’re told a warped and demented tale. One in which can be used not only for Halloween, but for Christmas as well. Even though my generation & the ones after are definitely the target audience of this film, there’s plenty of older people that definitely find something about The Nightmare Before Christmas that they can enjoy as well.

2) Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve (Song)

Heavy Metal & Christmas goes together like peanut butter & jelly, American politics & corruption, and rum & fruit juices. It may seem silly at first, but it’s funny to hear the holidays alongside pounding guitar & drums, not to mention occasionally loud vocal work. Trans-Siberian Orchestra is all of that, yet not. Though firmly in the realm of Christmas, their metallic roots with Savatage (Sample here) still come to the forefront when the Prog metal elements show up. Not only that, but there’s Blues, a little bit of Jazz, and even a hint of Gospel throughout the holiday festivities! The Ghosts of Christmas Eve has managed to age incredibly well since it’s release back in 1999, and both older & newer generations still enjoy it to this day. However, as wondrous and badass as this record is, there is another that’s just a little bit better.....and you may laugh as to what it is.

1) John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together (Song)

Go ahead. Laugh. I totally get it.

I’m just going to come out & say it: I’m not a folk guy. Never have been, and outside some of Devin Townsend’s material, I never will be. However, the one lone exception to this would be John Denver’s collaboration with the Muppets. I actually reviewed this album nearly 4 years ago (Link here), so I won’t repeat too much in this post. I will say that John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together is one of the most important album in my family’s life. Every Christmas (Most of them to be honest), we play this as we decorate the tree & do other seasonal things around the house. Just the sheer amount of love & soul not just from John Denver, but from the Muppets as well, is an incredible thing to feel. Even on the off time where a song takes a more hysterical turn, there’s a warmth that’s felt. Like I said at the beginning, I’m not a folk guy in any way, but for one month out of the year.....I can make an exception.

And these were what I consider to be the top 5 typical Christmas albums. There are definitely way more out there, but these are the ones that came to my mind first, and so they got onto the list. Well, I got one last review for 2021 next Monday.....and it may be the strangest thing I’ve looked at yet. See you soon!



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If you’d like to know what I thought were the more atypical Christmas albums, then click on the link below:

The Top 5 Atypical Christmas Albums

Also, if you’d also like to listen to these albums, then click on the links below:

The Very Best of Lou Monte

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Soundtrack

The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together