Reviews (page 7 of 17)
It’s famous artist of the time doing standard Christmas covers. The singers are great, and it makes some of the numbers better then what we normally hear but you can only really listen at a certain time of year.
It’s christmas, duh
Già non sono un fan delle canzoni di natale. Poi ascoltarlo fuori tempo massimo male male
Brecht said something along the lines of this: there is no good or bad art, only correct or false art. Almost all festive pop music is false, recorded in the summer with an eye on Q4. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard, at least, acknowledges its purpose with the cash register ding that opens the song. Fairytale of New York is honest and artful in its depictions and is dragged into the circle of commerce only because there is nowhere else for pop music to go. Phil Spector’s Christmas gift, however, is not a gift at all. It is all about commerce. He expects you to pay for it and that is hardly in the spirit of the season, is it. As far as I can hear, this record has nothing to do with Christmas at all. And, yet, it has greater longevity than any other Spector album - as opposed to single - precisely because it is a seasonal product. Indeed, are there other Spector albums rather than albums by artists he produced? This is Spector’s gift to himself, knowing that it will have more windows in which to sell than the usual pop single’s shelf life. The slimy eye of the producer was not just on Q4 1963, but every Q4 hereafter. Canny, but hardly an act of goodwill. 1.5 I hate Phil Spector’s production. Apart from that this wasn’t terrible. It enjoyed the advantage of being listened to on Christmas Day. 2/5
For an X-mas album it slaps.
I like Christmas music. These are largely not arrangements that speak to me. Sleigh Ride was great, The Ronettes were the most consistent. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers is new to me but fun. I enjoyed how the message at the end was presented sonically. Best: sleigh ride, winter wonderland, parade of the wooden soldiers, here comes santa claus, silent night
Un par de classicsss Da nostalgia y facil lo ponen en mood de navidad Pero si no es navidad esta mas o menos
this is a hard one to rate or make comments about because this is classic christmas. the ronettes, darlene love, the crystals. phil spector (despite being a very questionable person) did a good one here.
Thx Phil Spector - great classic Christmas hitz - not murdering
This had me shimmying and shaking my booty in the shower. Love it. Merry Christmas
Just a very standard Christmas album
It’s definitely Christmas music, very old timey. Sounds like the classic version of these songs. Just not my kinda music. Faves: Sleigh Ride, Winter Wonderland Least Faves: Marshmallow World, Saw Mommy Kissing Santa
En klassiker! Hört och kört många jular.
This is definitely of an era... A relentless onslaught of Christmas.
This was the first album I listened to where I really understood what Phil Spector's Wall of Sound exemplified. I really wish he had at least one extra bass player in there because it is really hard to hear. I think this is an iconic album. Aside from William Shatner's Christmas album, I think this is the best Christmas album released by humans. Obviously there are some cartoon and puppet bangers out in the world. -1 stars for Phil Spector as a person, which I feel will become a common theme as I listen to more albums.
If you ignore the producer, it's a great Xmas album.
It's ...a pop Christmas album.
I’m going to be a bit harsh, I just don’t like listening to Christmas music. Every rendition just kinda flattens out to the same, and this album just blends with the others. Nothing really stuck out to me, especially to a point that I would save this rendition of the songs over others.
So many bangers, would have been 5 stars if it was all Darlene Love and Supremes songs
Christmas classics
Decent renditions of some classic and some new Christmas songs. A twist of blues and R&B gives the songs a unique flavor, but I didn't feel that any of the songs exuded wintery or Christmas vibes.
clásicos, pero todos cantados muy del mismo estilo
AMOOOO músicas de natal AMOOOO sleigh rideeeeee ringa linga dinga ding dong ding
Não curto muita música de natal mas acabei gostando bastante das músicas das ronettes
Classic christmas songs but might not feel so awkward if they took Phil Spectors name off the cover.
Giving it a 3 stars as probably set bar for change in Christmas music avail from contemporary artists. But style of music not to my taste
not bad. It works.
Very Christmassy - got the vibe going
Норм кристмас
tem alguma coisa sobre essa qualidade quie as musiccas antigas tem... acho que é o port de vinil pra mp3 muito legal... mas difiicl eu me conectar com as musicas, eu acho que elas sao tipo tradiçao lá nos estados unidos e eu moro em campo grande ms Porem... muitas parecidas irei dar 2 estrelas pq é mt circunstancial e nao gostei lá tanto das musicas
AMOOOO MUSICA DE NATALL AMOO SLEIGH RIDE RINGA LINDA DINGA DING DONG DING
cute that they put a christmas album but i wanted something else LOL merry christmas im ngl i skipped through this cause all the songs sound the same and im tired of christmas songs but its solid for a christmas album
Can’t really fault it, it does what it says on the tin. Just some really great covers. Won’t be listening again for a while now though 😂
Solid classic Christmas
dolce ascoltarlo l’undici gennaio
Thank you 1001 Albums for teaching me about Phil Spector.
I can't imagine how hard this went in '62. Imagine being a kid and bopping to this beautifully produced vibe.
Some classics, some boring songs
Classic
Fun classic christmas
Kultureller Einfluss auf Ritualebene nach 60 Jahren in Ländern auf anderen Kontinenten. Meilenstein.
Kitsch
Phil Spector was a genius producer at a time when most releases were likely single. Compiled all in one album all the songs sound pretty much the same and the “wall of sound” becomes tiresome.
Awesome compilation of songs that capture the essence of Christmas. I love it but I can't give it a hight rating because I will be playing it only once a year. I recommend it.
umm don’t care
A classic! I love a lot of these songs and didn’t realise they were all on one album for me to access!
One of my favourite Xmas albums for a while now, great for background Xmas party listening
not really my kind of christmas music, but not terrible
Christmas or whatever
ho-ho-homicide!
Lot of fun. I have heard so many of these songs over the years without ever realizing they came from one album. Would play again!
Great Christmas songs, but nothing really different here.
It’s a perfect Christmas album. What else is there to say? Songs added to the playlist: Nine, but this album will be played every holiday season.
Motown + Christmas = SOLD
I never listen to Christmas music on my own, but this was filled with classic bangers and I appreciate the cuteness
Merry Christmas from a freak! Songs are great though
For a Christmas album, this is a banger - rating reflects this specificity.
Some Christmas favorites on here! Darlene Love = Queen of Christmas.
Took me back to my childhood! Interesting that Leon Russell was on piano and Sonny Bono on drums on all of the songs. Sad that Phil Spector went off the rails later in life. He did produce some wonderful music. Thank you for this Christmas gift!
Great Christmas album! Would be perfect for a party.
Actually good Christmas music wow Modern artists have lowkey ruined these songs.
A Christmas classic, would give 4.5 if I could.
Will add the album to this year's Christmas Playlist.
It's great, It's the Phil Spector wall of sound, but i left it a day too late. 3 points for now, but added to next year's Xmas listening!
I love the creepy Phil Spector speech on the last track. The rest, not so much.
I found it a real challenge. Like being trapped in a busy shopping mall in December. Appreciate the genre but not into Christmas songs at all.
Not the best collection of Christmas songs I’ve ever heard but got the job done on a Xmas day drive
Very apropo
Christmas innit.
Classic
Fun! But creepy when he speaks over Silent Night.
Christmas music is pure torture for me.
Good for Christmas day that's for sure!
Various artists… great album. Having these hazy voice recordings and song with lots of xylophone and horns and violin feels real and organic and warming brass is lovely . Christmas is a winner!
After years of customer service jobs I am back to loving Christmas music :))
Best Christmas album
AYEEEEE FELIZ NAVIDAD GANG LOVE IT
Sleigh ride
Christmas. 60/100 Score edited 28/01/26
They're Christmas songs. Can't bash them, very good. Always nice to listen to during christmas i suppose, soo maybe it was a mistake leaving it for a couple days. Reading through Phil Spectors wikipedia page is a wild ride.
Solid entries I guess but not my go-to if I were needing this fix.
Good solid Christmas album!
i hate christmas music with a burning passion
5/10 - A Christmas album that’s probably as good as a Christmas album can be.
A fairly fun, middle of the road Christmas record. Don't really want to rate a holiday album out of 10.
Tough to evaluate these without the retroactive nostalgia but Ronettes’ version of Sleigh Ride and Darlene Love’s Christmas might be the two best Christmas songs out there
As long as this was the only gift Spector had for me, I'm good with it. Christmas Classics. Can't complain.
0 songs added to my favorites. Hate christmas music, still, this is the best I ever heard.
It killed Kennedy?! Needs more sleigh bells?! Hätte ich wahrscheinlich im April besser gefunden
Warum ist das überhaupt ein Album? Alles für sich schön und gut aber das kann doch wohl nicht der ernst sein.
Absolute Christmas banger. Can’t be beaten, in my opinion.
I think almost every track is a hit! This album has some of the most classic Christmas songs of all time. Phil Spector was a weirdo but this album is perfect for the holidays.
As far as Christmas music goes, this is about as good as it gets. Bonus points for the creepy as hell Phil Spector VO at the end.
Yeah nah, miss me with the Christmas music However the background and production style of this record is interesting. Whole thing is in mono. If there’s such thing as anti-transparency this is it. Good luck hearing the difference between each instrument easily. A huge ass wash of sound and diffusion. The wall of sound technique tied to Phil Spector is worth looking into. Pretty interesting stuff. Not sure that I like it but creates an undeniably unique sound which no doubt created a niche and success. That takes on the classics are unique and fun. It’s just fuck Christmas music, I hope you understand
This is a good Christmas album however, just like every other Christmas album, nothing special. At least these songs are more original than the usual slop you hear though. I don't think this is top 1000 of all time but it's not bad to have on in the background
Nice shot, Phil!
Love these renditions of great Christmas songs. A little torn on what to rate it because at Christmas time it’s a five star but any other time of the year it’s two or three I’ll settle on four.
Classic Christmas Musc
it's a Christmas album
Classic Christmas music. However I don’t think I want a gift from Phil Spector. 4 musically.
Classic Christmas made stuffing a turkey much better!
I mean, all killer no filler right?
As far as christmas albums go this is a fairly cool one....
Maby not everyones cup of thea but for christmas songs, they are by far the most digestable. Lets say i had a family christmas this year, some would maby get played. For that a 4/5
I have listened to 2.5 song before I gave up. I abhor Christmas music. Instead I will be listening to Tyler The Creators Igor, which is a wonderful album, perhaps even his best. This wonderful concept album follows the story of tyler in a very toxic cycle of love and rejection. This album solidified his title as the creator. It's art it barely has any rap and still slaps. If it was not for the track Boyfriend, it would get a 10/10. Oh yeah and this christmas music gets a 1.
Album review 033 A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector by Various Artists (1963) Rating 4/5 Arguably THE definitive Christmas album. Whilst Phil Spector takes the credit, for me it’s Darren Love who steals the show and gives us one of the greatest songs - and that’s not just Christmas songs - of all time with Christmas (baby please come home). There are a few skipable songs on A Christmas Gift For You but with 5 or 6 of the best Christmas songs ever, it’s still an album I’m guaranteed to listen to at least once a year. Merry Christmas everyone xx
Holiday albums aint it
Christmas music - whatever
fun christmas music, but I felt some of the less interesting songs made the hits hit less
I mean, it's a bunch of classics. Not sure how to really rate this -- all well performed songs, not all my favorite renditions but certainly many that I know and enjoy hearing.
All the old feel good bangers. No Michael Buble to be seen. So only the Grinch would give it a weak mark.
Don’t think it should’ve been in top 1001 albums but still good if at Christmas time
Impeccable timing with the album but a little too old-sounding. Not the biggest fan of US-christmas songs.
Hard to make a judgement on this one, sounds like most other Christmas themed albums to me. Good job I was given this album to listen to today though, or I suspect this would have been a lower rating, aha.
A great classic Christmas album.
Classic A 5 star classic Christmas Alblum. A 4 star alblum overall
Very nice pick for Christmas. Took me back to simpler times.
Great album for the season, but it's probably not fair to compare a Christmas album with famous singers and groups playing all well known songs verses a single group playing all their own work.
Great Christmas album
This was like being at my nans on Christmas. It’s warm, I can smell cigarettes and party food and the Christmas lights are flashing red blue and green. Honestly didn’t know some of these were by the same group. Don’t like Phil Spector tho x
Very confused when Phil started speaking in the last track. Not my thing but interesting to hear lots of supposedly different groups all with the same sound created by one man.
fine Christmas songs, nothing offensively bad
Was bumping this one the whole Xmas season!
Full of the best Christmas cheer! Spector and the crew don’t miss on this one.
Good music. A new take for Christmas for the release year. Cringy message at end knowing the history.
This has all the Christmas hits! I didn’t realize these were all on the same album. It’s cool to listen to an album that probably helped revolutionize pop/rock music, and then realize that it’s a Christmas album. Fun listen. And also fuck Phil Spector.
As far as Christmas albums with various singers, the album was an enjoyable listen. Best song: "A Marsh mellow World" and worst song: "Silent Night" because I thought the harmonies sounded off.
Classic Christmas songs that I was already playing to please my elders every year during the holidays. For that I’m grateful, but they’re sugar-sweet pop songs and they’ve only survived because they were written to cloy and not offend.
The best Christmas album?
That was a Christmas album
it’s a wonderful album and is extremely culturally significant, the Ronettes are amazing and it’s all such a fun time! getting a 4 tho bc a few of these songs were real duds
One of the better Christmas albums for sure. 3.5-4
This album is so incredibly unique and you can easily play any song from it and undeniably identify it as belonging to this album. I always find myself really stunned by the drums across the tracks in particular, but Darlene Love’s vocals also make stop in amazement. Certainly some songs to leave off.
Really not a Christmas music guy and I kinda want to punch anyone who is; I do not understand the interaction I have every November with people who say “I’m so excited to ‘get to’ listen to Christmas music” as if there is some force field that prevents you from listening to Nat King Cole in March. I also have strong opinions on the concept of “breakfast foods” BUT, what I do enjoy is ~good~ music and that features in abundance on this album. Phil Spector’s wall of sound production was so far ahead of the curve it isn’t even funny and I credit him with being among the first to understand that a recording could itself ~be~ a work of art, rather than just a document of a work of art. He’s also like history’s greatest monster so yeah (like every single story about this dude will invariably involve a gun being pointed at someone and, in one tragic case, fired) So, in short, I find it hard to envision Phil Spector giving anyone a Christmas gift that did not involve threats or violence, but I will take it. I love the vintage girl group sound of the Ronettes and the Crystals, particularly the former, who I praise probably 8 times a day to anyone who will listen. The version of “Sleigh Ride” on this album is the objective best Christmas song. Aside from that, Darlene Love is the star here and we probably could/should have stopped making new Christmas songs after “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” though I would consider issuing a single waiver for Mariah Carey.
The best Christmas album by a convicted murderer
Meh. Jula er over for lenge siden.
Phil Spector created a sound that has been expounded upon for generations of people that will never even know his name. Great Christmas listen
I'm sorry ladies, you all seem great, I'm just really not a fan of Christmas music. This wasn't Different enough from what's played in every convenience store in 2025 to be memorable to me :/
Fuck you 100 album generator and your inability to save properly. Cant remember what i wrote but something about compilation albums and can they be great, and why not it is about albums not 1001 greatest artists or whatever. Also the Ronettes sound like the Sopranos and its hilarious once you have tht in your head.
This def would not hit as hard if I wasn’t somewhere where it was snowing or for any other day of the year obv. But for today only this is perfectly nostalgic and pleasant 🙂↕️🙂↕️ I like how layered all of the songs sound. And I love the ronettes, etc. fav songs: white Christmas, Santa clause is coming to town, Christmas (baby please come home)
It's full of bangers and super fun, but to call this an album is cheating. It is at best a compilation, a great one at that
Ei vaan joululaulut lähtenyt yhtään. Vaikka olis kuinka hyviä sovituksia
Tällee tammikuun lopulla pikakelaten aika paskaa joulumeininkiä
Oli vähän huono hetki Joulun jälkeen tää kuunnella ku on korviaan myöten täynnä joululauluja. Ei nyt kai sinällään kai biiseissä mitään vikaa mutta nyt ei vaan jaksanu yhtään.
En tiiä mitä joululaulut ol ennen tätä levyä, mut kauhee vouhaus tän ympärillä on. Omaan korvaan kuulostaa tylsiltä klassisilta joululauluita ison maailman sovituksilla, jotka sit kuitenkin jää aika erikoiseks (joulu)puuroks. Pisteitä ei nosta se, että Phil Spectorkin ol ihmisenä melko raju kaveri (joka tosin lienee kantava teema aika monenkin tän listan artisteista, mutta harvempi niistä on sentään murhasta tuomittu). Eli joulumieltä kehiin ja kakkosta tiskiin dingalingalingdingdongsongtralalaa.
Ei nämä nyt niin jouluisilta versioilta kuulosta. Perinteiset joululaulut mielestäni parempia rauhallisella temmolla ja ilman turhaa kikkailua.
Joudun töissä kuuntelemaan joululauluja marraskuun puolivälistä aattoon, niin nyt täytyy kyllä tunnustaa että en kuunnellut koko levyä, jokaisesta biisistä pieni pätkä sai riittää. Varmaan ihan hyviä ja taidokkaita versioita, mutta ei vaan saatana pysty! Jouluyö juhlayö sentään nauratti Phil Spectorin terveisineen. Protestiykkönen.
Classic
Phil Spector delivered the most aggressively, killing, joyfully, shooting, his, victim, Christmas album. 7.5/10.
very awkward now…. but this was a jam
Pretty solid holiday fare from a …MURDERER!
Pretty groovy collection. It’s still a Christmas album though.
I prefer more classical takes on these Christmas songs
On one hand, it's just Christmas music. On the other, it's Christmas music with the Phil Spector wall of sound treatment. With his stable of singers, supported by the Wrecking Crew and Sonny Bono on percussion, Phil delivers holiday gold.
The benchmark for these Christmas songs.
Not really my favorite era of Christmas music (2.5)
Some classics.
Frábær jólaplata
Bara solid jólaplata. Pottþétt geggjuð þegar hún kom út, en í dag virkar þetta bara sem safnplata með vinsælum jólalögum 🧐
Was not expected to know so many, he really produced a lot of christmas classics. The Ronette's sound was my favorite of the groups, a very unique tone and fun harmony. The layers of instrumentation were consistently high on every track in the album. Unfortunately unlistenable 99% of the year
Have listened to this a bit too much. Its a near perfect album - spoiled only by small fact that Phil Spector shot someone in the head.
A pleasant surprise for Christmas Day. Lots of classics on here, enjoyed the listen overall. Read more about Phil Spector as a result, very interesting…
Super tired of Christmas music right now. But it's cool they did something special today
i love christmas music, and i feel like every single one of these versions of songs were worse than what you would hear normally.
This one definitely gets heavy rotation around the holidays for me, and despite Phil Spector's wild and sordid back story I've always loved his Wall of Sound production style. Some classics here for sure.
A no nonsense Christmas album, gets the day going, doesn’t get annoying. What more do you want? 4.5/5.0 Best Song: they’re all the same
It's a classic
It does what it says on the tin.
Awesome compilation. Honestly amazing how much this set the tone for every single Christmas movie soundtrack for the next 60 years. Absolutely incorporating into the rotation
This was a straight down the middle Christmas album. It didn't try to do anything fancy, just gave you the hits and got out quicker than Santa up a chimney.
What?
I was ready to love this - but honestly it was a collection of not favourite versions of my not favourite Christmas songs.
Great! I love Christmas music!
This is probably a 5 (Darlene Love could sing the phone book and it would be spectacular) but Phil Spector coming on the end of the record to tell me he had a good time making the record drops it just a notch.
Enjoyable Christmas album
A lorra, lorra Kristmas klassics but I’m too bored to finish my thought
Saturnalian
Well it is Christmas
Probably the best Christmas album of all time.
Festive and fun!
Yay Christmas!
Mdr
ANNIVERSARY EVENT TRAUMA RESPONSE ACTIVATED. 🚨
Man I wish I had actually listened to this on Christmas. Good Christmas album.
for the album cover
Probably the best Christmas album of all time.
This was absolutely wonderful, even catching up 4 days after Christmas. I love me some Ronettes and Christmas (Baby Please Come) may be the greatest Christmas song of the rock n roll era. I remember seeing a video of U2s version of it one Christmas morning on MTV waiting for my parents to wake up so we could open Christmas presents and they slept in so long we had to leave for Grandma's and didn't open gifts til the next day. Don't do that to your kids, folks. Not that you would. Also don't hate me for liking the U2 version better but maybe that's just trauma bonding.
7/10 I’m sort of approaching this in a unique way, as a Christmas album, by its very nature, is not something designed for year-round appreciation. It’s also a ‘various artists’ album, so doesn’t really fall under the same umbrella as a more traditional album either. Phil Spector’s ‘wall of sound’ production techniques are something that often jar with me. I need a bit of space in my music, and his inclination to fill every part of the audio spectrum often makes his production feel overly muddy or cluttered to my ears. When he leaves space for things to breathe, it can really work, but there were times on this album where it all became a bit too much. The most difficult parts for me were when the drums were overplayed (and sometimes swamped in reverb) compared to the rest of the instrumentation, and it just didn’t’t feel reflective of the tone of a track. These were fairly rare though, so it wasn’t a complete dampener. Other than that, there are some absolute classic tracks on here. The vocal performances, both lead and backing are pretty much flawless throughout. There’s also plenty of nice little instrumental sections too that break up the tracks well. When Spector gets out of his own way, his production is great and everything gels together fantastically. It’s a slightly uneven album, but none of the tracks are long, so the unevenness doesn’t stick out too much. Overall, it’s an excellent Christmas album, and an ok album in general, so a 7 seems fair for what is a fairly specialist pick. White Christmas - This has got a nice pace to it. It’s laid back, but still has enough energy to keep it moving nicely. Darlene Love has obviously got a fantastic voice and her delivery is excellent, although the spoken word bit is a tiny bit strange. But she collects everything back together after that. A very pleasant rendition. Frosty The Snowman - The rhythm of this swells in a slightly strange way. The drums are bit too overplayed here for me and the wall of sound production makes it all a bit too busy. The vocals, both lead and backing are great, but it feels like there’s too much attempt to add weight and drive to a good, but deliberately lightweight song. The Bells Of St. Mary - I’m less keen on this. Again, the rhythm section feels like it’s adding too much pace to a track that otherwise is quite laid back, which creates a strange juxtaposition of style. It’s not got a very substantial melodic hook to it either. It might have worked as more of a tonal wash, but the overdone production and drumming just don’t connect it together in that way. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Everyone is singing off the same hymn sheet here. The drums are energetic, but the rest of the track matches that energy. There’s a great sax solo in here too, followed by a solid breakdown. There’s space in the mix and a real drive and groove to the performances. Solid work. Sleigh Ride - This follows on perfectly from the last track. Good pace, a nice bouncing groove to it, and a superb lead vocal. Again, there’s space in the mix and the backing vocals are a perfect Christmas treat. The string part is really well written, in particular and adds an extra dimension to the basic song. A Marshmallow World - Another one with good pace, but there’s an extra bit of swagger here too. The instrumental solo parts are great and break the song up nicely. Darlene Love’s vocal is excellent again. It’s a lesser known Christmas song but works really well here. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - This is a classic song, but it’s not my favourite version of this track. Again, I feel like the drumming is perhaps a bit too energetic and forward for a track that could have done with a slightly more toned down presentation. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer - And another example of that strange juxtaposition of a fairly plodding chord structure with the rhythmic elements playing at twice the speed of everything else. It’s all a bit weird, and this is another where it just feels overproduced and too full, which overwhelms the actual song. Winter Wonderland - Some actually toned down drums? Colour me shocked. There’s still energy there, but it all syncs up in a more successful way. The vocals are top notch and the general energy is great, but it all feels a bit too muddy from a production point of view. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers - Ah, what says Christmas more than a military parade? I’llm half joking, but it’s not really my kind of thing. There are some nice enough moments, but the general feel of it is all a bit too regimented and parade ground for me, even if they are trying to invoke a children’s toy solider theme. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Now this is what we’re here for. There’s actually some good dynamic range to this one (see Phil, it’s possible!). The lead vocal is spectacular, the instrumentation is fantastic and it’s got such a pleasing swing to it. It gets very full in places, but when there’s range, the can really work. Excellent. Here Comes Santa Claus - There are some really fantastic elements to this, but it’s quite one-paced. That being said, that pace is decent enough. It’s an enjoyable enough experience, even if it’s not quite as hooky as the better songs on the album, but it’s well performed and produced. Silent Night - Ah, the man himself. What says Christmas more than a direct message from a murderer and all-round monster like Phil Spector? Merry Christmas one and all!
Better than some of the "gifts" Phil could give you! Xmas music largely annoys me but this album has a lot of all-star vocal talent with one epic track on it. Top tracks: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
Definitely a Christmas album. The Ronettes prevented total boredom
Amazing vocals, exquisite production. Spector may be a murdering asshole, but damn he was a musical mastermind!
Would be a 5 on Christmas Day, but I didn't listen to it that day. Will definitely revisit during the festive season
Most Christmas music is kinda meh, but this is certainly above average all things considered. I'd listen to it again around holiday time.
Phil Spector was a genius and this is such a classic - my second fave xmas album (after Ella Fitzgerald)
Thanks, generator, for this sparkly gift.
A little behind on my albums. Good thing we can have Christmas in July. A collection of a bunch of great Christmas music that put me in the Christmas spirit.
So this is just where the most famous version of every Christmas song came from. Got it. DMX's Rudolph still reigns superior but this was delightful.
Oof, Clapton right into Spector. Taking him out of it, this album is incredible, especially the sax playing driving so much of it.
Nostalgic Christmas hits that remind me immediately of my childhood. These tracks are timeless, my kids will listen to them, and they represent the bar that "good Christmas music" must meet.
All the hits! Great musical performances, just a shame it sounds like it was recorded off a vinyl player at the end of a hallway, with 0 bass, dynamics, highs, or stereo separation
The fact that Spector ended up dying in prison a convicted murderer somewhat taints the festive shimmer of this one. It also doesn't help that I'm listening to it in January. They're perfectly charming Christmas songs though, and there's no denying 'that' production style does bring a certain something to proceedings.
Welll... it's Christmas and this is a Christmas album. Was it so cheesey when it was released?
I'm catching up, so it's been 20 days since Christmas. I probably should have tossed this one on when I had the chance, but I didn't realize it was here. Anyway. I'm over this kinda music so I skimmed just to see how good it was. It's a banger of an album. I'm always on the look for more christmas vinyl to add to the collection.
Classic Christmas tunes. It's got that 60s sound that SNL mimics in their Christmas shorts.
Will be my go to Christmas album next year!
it's a christmas album but i can't get over the fact that it's a 13 year old singing some of those tracks Would I listen again: Technically Deserves to be on this list: Not even the best Xmas album 3.4
Classical Christmas music two weeks after Christmas doesn't go down well. Okay, I'll give a...
Favs: White Christmas Sleigh Ride Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Least Fav: Silent Night
I don't think I want a gift of any kind from Phil Spector. It's a shame, cuz these are some classic Christmas songs from some of the greatest R&B soul artists of the time.
Pretty average Christmas album, and definitely not the one I would choose to put on this list.
So, I have been informed that for the first time Christmas Day rolls around per project, the website has it set up so that this album comes up automatically. Pretty funny stuff. Makes sense, naturally. It’s been a very, very cool and rewarding first year on this website and I’m looking forward to finishing the fight to the very end. I know I still have a long way to go, but I’m going to keep going, and review every single album on here. Who’d have thought that my first album on the website put together by a convicted murderer would be a classic, upbeat Christmas album. For those unaware, that is unfortunately the legacy of Phil Spector. So just hearing his jovial voice in the last song on the album is honestly a bit haunting, obviously unintentionally so. What happened man… As far as the album goes, it’s 3 stars. It’s just a bunch of Christmas Songs and nothing more. If I was more of a Grinch I’d give it a 2 because Christmas songs are just boring and kind of annoying to me, but I can’t do it. You definitely know what you’re getting in to with this one, and even still I just can’t dislike it all that much because of how talented and happy everyone is performing these classic songs. “Sleigh Ride” is the best of the bunch for sure. That song is just way too happy and catchy to hate and I think the Ronettes sing it wonderfully here. There are a few songs on here I actually haven’t heard of at all before, so that’s a bit notable I guess. For instance, I’ve never heard of “A Marshmallow World” or “The Bells of St. Mary” before. Overall, this album was a very appropriate and fun time, and I’m thankful I got to check it out while opening up presents with the family. Merry Christmas everyone!! Don’t kill people. Murder is generally frowned upon.
Ranking: - down to the waterline - Setting me up - Sultans of swing - Water of love - Southbound again - Six blade knife
Quite a nice collection of Christmas songs. Some enjoyable versions of some classic songs. But a Christmas album is just never going to be my thing. Fav song: Sleigh Ride Least fav: Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
Really odd listening to this on Boxing Day. Very happy I didn’t leave it later. Some god songs even though the guy is a murderer. Specific rating - 3.4 Fav song - Christmas (baby please come home) Least fav- silent night
This album deserves its spot on the list for the wikipedia read alone- at my count this guy has five albums he produced on the list, and then you reach the murder section. The album itself was exactly what you'd expect- lovely to listen to on Christmas morning but hard to rate Christmas songs that highly. Favourite song: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Least: The Bells of St. Mary
⭐️⭐️
Kiva kuunnella näin tammikuussa. Olihan tuossa silti tunnelmaa!
I now wish I had checked in on Christmas! Kind of weird listening to Christmas music on December 29. But this album is obviously a classic. Phil Spector was an abusive weirdo (and murderer) but he produced some great music.
For what it is, this is pretty decent Christmas music. I have a soft spot for the Christmas songs of the 50s and 60s, the old timey quality takes the edge off the saccharine content. But it’s still just basic Christmas songs.
Merry Christmas, Joe and Matt! You filthy, musical creatures. We’ve survived everything from hip hop dross to untouchable legends. It’s been a pleasure slogging through the sonic swamp with you both. Here’s to finding more absolute filth and the occasional masterpiece in 2026. Oh some fairly unremarkable Christmas songs at Christmas I guess I will be generous and rate this too!
First off, I have a low ceiling for Christmas albums. Christmas music as a genre is something that generally I will grin and bear as a necessary part of the festive season, but wouldn't listen to by choice. This album mainly served as a reminder of just how old and tired some of the classics are starting to sound. This probably sounded fresh and exciting in the sixties, but half a century later and we haven't really come up with anything better. I guess I can say that this is probably the best Christmas album that I have ever listened to.
This made me quite happy
This album is the musical equivalent of drinking an entire bottle of maple syrup. I think I now have sugar-induced brain damage. I didn't join this project to listen to the same kind of artificial, cheerful garbage I already have to suffer four weeks a year in every retail store trying to sell me useless shit. Fuck off, spirit of Christmas. 1/10
Au secours ! encore une daube de cette liste !
Christmas songs on Christmas Day? 5 stars. There are some bops on here. Didn’t know all of these came from the same album.
Unnecessary shit. 1 star.
I don't like contemporary Christmas music to begin with. It's sappy, boring and contains typically little in the way of meaningful writing. So this was in a rough place to start. BUT they make it worse by choosing some of the worst Christmas songs (I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus belongs in special Christmas song hell next to santa baby). The best christmas tune they chose for this album gets the Phil Spector voiceover treatment for most of the track. Also Phil Spector was a murderer. I know I'll be called Scrooge-esque for ripping this album but I deeply feel that most christmas albums are artists finding a way to make a chunk of cash for no effort and people eat it up because for some reason "liking christmas" means having no artistic standards whatsoever for the art one consumes.
If you're going to have a Christmas album on this list, I can see why it's this one. It's a classic and these are some of the best interpretations of these songs. And it's a five-star Christmas album as a result. But I do have some qualms about an album you can only enjoy one month out of the year getting five stars. So knocking this down to four stars
All killer no filler Christmas magic until Phil decides to be real fuckin’ creepy right at the end over one of my favorite hymns ever. Fuck him forever but hell yeah Christmas.
very fun even if it runs on slightly too long. they save the real banger for the end
The sound of a cute bouutique that has nothing I actually want to buy in it at Christmas.
Mainstream Christmas classics like these tend to fill me with dread when I hear them during the holiday season. I hear them as saccharine, almost pharmacological reminders that I should, despite the shortening daylight hours, many year-end work deadlines, pressures to buy gifts, and hectic entertainment obligations, feel So! Much! Joy! Maybe my real issue is with Christmas itself, but I’d be OK not ever hearing some of these shopworn songs ever again no matter who performs them, even though The Ronettes, Darlene Love et al. do a fine enough job with them.
Surely there are other phil spector Wall of sound LPs on the list so we dont have to sit thru another recording of Rudolph? Harmless but unessential.
There isn't a bad song on here. Strange to listen to it in March though.
Not happening
The performances are so cheerful and festive you'd swear Spector was holding everone at gunpoint in order to get the perfect take.
Fine. Didn't feel like a Christmas album in June
christmas (baby please come home) might be the only song that doesn't sound horribly outdated
So this is Christmas? This album gets more wild when you look up who Phil Spector is. Favourite track: Sleigh Ride.
I mean, it’s Christmas songs done well….but they’re still Christmas songs and therefore are fucking shit.
Really nice Christmas album. Going to listen to it around Chris from now on.
Some fantastic songs. Sleigh Ride is superb. I want to especially highlight the snare drum here, and its little "de-dum" lead-in to the verses. It's one of my favourite christmas musical moments. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) is also fantastic. The Wall of Sound is really "present" here, and it must have been phenomenal to hear all this when it first came out. But on the other hand, there is also a lot of dross on this album. Frosty the Snowman is not enjoyable, and it gets worse. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus is awful. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers I would skip each time. And imagine getting this on vinyl, which would force you to listen to each and every song (without careful needle re-positioning)! It's also hard to hear a Phil Spector album without digging and feeling pained. It's not just the murder. Reading the wikipedia article for Ronnie Spector (née Veronica Bennett, who fronted the Ronettes) shows that Phil's crimes weren't limited to a single gunshot.
Enjoyable.
Não é meu gosto preferido, temas natalinos. Mas o material em si está muito bem produzido.
too chrismansy
I mean, how can you go wrong? It's delightful. It's a 5 at Christmas for sure.
4.5
What else is there to say about it, it's such a lovely timeless album that nonetheless still sounds fresh and intriguing to this day. I'm thankful Brian Wilson has translated this album into non-Christmas contexts, but this will always hit the spot for the season. Could do without the convicted murderer responsible for it telling me to have happy holidays in the end though.
Outstanding for this time of year!
This is a fantastic Christmas album and I love that I got it on Christmas Day. I don’t love every tune, but it is produced exceptionally well.
Better than other Christmas albums/songs that are out there, but still just okay to me.
Love the album. Phil Spector, not so much. Felt appropriate to listen to this while taking down Christmas decorations.
Ewww Phil Spector. Great for Christmas Parties
Certainly a gem. Primarily because half of these songs (especially those sung by the Ronettes and Darlene Love, and even the Crystals) are still in regular rotation on most Christmas playlists, and for good reason. These are sonically uplifting and joyous explosions of music. They throw you into the Christmas spirit and bring back that nostalgia year after year. 4
What an exciting Christmas present to open
I'm sick of the so called "genius" wall of sound. This man was no genius, he was a psycopath. The lady singers were talented for real.
A collection of well sung christmas songs: fine but nothing more than that. Also, ending this thing with a christmas wish from Phil Spector doesn’t feel right in hindsight as well.
Strong performances from all the artists, but I hate Christmas music.
No
A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector is less a festive album and more an endurance test wrapped in sleigh bells. It takes songs that are already aggressively familiar and smothers them under the Wall of Sound until they become claustrophobic, exhausting, and borderline unlistenable. Every track is cranked to the same emotional and sonic maximum, leaving no space, no dynamics, and no relief. Instead of warmth or celebration, it delivers a relentless blare that feels more like being shouted at than welcomed in. The biggest problem is the production, which is so overbearing it flattens everything into the same deafening mush. Strings, horns, backing vocals, percussion, all piled on top of each other with no sense of balance or restraint. Individual performances barely matter because they are swallowed whole by the arrangement, turning what should be joyful songs into a dense, airless roar. The cheer feels forced, manic, and strangely joyless, as if volume alone could manufacture Christmas spirit through brute force. What makes this album truly unbearable is how smug and self-satisfied it feels about its own excess. There is no contrast, no pacing, no moment of calm to reset the ears or the mood. By the halfway point, irritation sets in, and by the end, fatigue overwhelms any lingering goodwill. This is Christmas music stripped of intimacy and humanity, replaced with bombast and repetition. One out of five feels generous, if only to acknowledge that silence, once again, would have been a far better gift.
3.5 rounding up to 4
Such wall. Such sound.
Bom, mas não serve para outras épocas a não ser o Natal
Christmas classics
Sad for the good artists on here but trash deserves a 1.
3.5
76/100. THE essential Christmas album.
Taking classic Christmas songs and making them "cool" with his "wall of sound" at the time must have sounded like the worst idea ever. I'm still shocked at how well it worked. Only one song-- Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)-- really worked, and this was also the only original song for the album. It doesn't all work, but the concept and much of the execution really works. We know because some 60 years later we are still listening. 4/5
The perfect Christmas album. The perfect sound. 10
many of the tracks on this LP remain in the Christmas & holiday music consciousness to this very day. if you're in the United States, listen to your local adult contemporary radio station during the holiday season and you're bound to hear these versions of "Sleigh Ride" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home" show up. of course, the immediate impact of these songs is Huge, but they're mostly pretty pristine. I've heard some pretty awful Phil Spector production on this list, but this is definitely the era and style in which I think his "Wall of Sound" thing is most effective. I can't imagine how revolutionary it was to hear production like this in 1963! was personally glad to hear a lot of saxophone solos, and specifically glad to hear that they're played on baritone saxophone, perhaps the most underrepresented saxophone size in pop music! strong 7/10.
Well Xmas stuff I guess
Fun themed album and good to have in the library to put on on a Christmas but nothing special musically
Definitely didn't need to hear this before I died.
spector’s wall of sound in full effect. Love it
The ultimate Christmas album, it’s not the holiday season without this. Minus a star for Spector just being a really bad guy (and his self indulgent nonsense on the last track) but this is an almost perfect album otherwise.
It’s a Christmas album
Its christmas music
Good solid christmas music.
worst producer in history. best shot in the west however
Very generic Christmas album
It was surprisingly not annoying.
It’s a Christmas album yeah
So many classics in one album. 5/5 Highlights: Sleigh Ride Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Хороший сет на Рождество
ah right. my project is a day behind. lol. its okay tho!! im still in my Pleasantly Sleepy Christmas Mood, and despite the general motown upbeatness this is basically the perfect compliment to that lol...obviously spector one of the genuine worst people in the music canon (albeit refreshingly, one of the only ones who actually faced consequences for his actions!), and hearing him on VOCALS on that last track is a huge jumpscare, but his production always fits in very snuggly with my own musical priorities. and for as influential as he was, this particular brill building sound, often Enhanced by the fact that recording tech of the day is often overwhelmed by the ambition to somewhat rough and tinny effect, rly is its own wholly unique little space and nothing else quite scratches the itch...feels like the details are stuck in your subconscious, and u cant quite claw them back to ur active mind but u still feel their effects even as u cant quite discern their presence. in that sense it is the perfect for a holiday as complicatedly loaded as christmas!!! i like christmas a lot tbh i have maintained a good relationship with both it and its surrounding music for my whole life, so my appreciation is more straightforward than i prob just implied lol but yea great record either way! darlene love save me!
All songs are quite samey; most sound like children's tunes treated with the same "wall of sound" sauce. I like the sound and some songs are half decent but more variation would be good. And it's still a Christmas album, for Christ's sake (pardon the pun). A 2 is as far as I can go for a Christmas album until someone puts The Pogues, The Waitresses and the few non-annoying Christmas songs in existence on an album.
A very strong Christmas album, with versions of some classics that have really held up. Some very talented folks working here.
Considering the reviews the generator is not completely random or everyone is just randomly getting this on or shortly before christmas. I forgot to review this but still - a great collection of christmas songs on a whole album, but also nothing more. Didn‘t know about the producer before and him being a murderer. Well…merry christmas and a happy new year 2025 (which has started 20 days ago)
70% Best: White Christmas; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Must-Hear? No
fire
This record was first added to my list literally just after I returned from the Christmas holiday last year, and I was very much over Christmas music, which would have been unfair. So I ignored it for 11 months, and now I'm finally ready for Christmas music again. So, the record. It's secular Christmas standards performed by R&B acts signed to Spector, produced in his signature "Wall of Sound" style. Spector's production overall sounds very stale right now due to the previous couple decades beating any dynamics out of mainstream music. Spector was very much making music based on the "limitations" of the available recording formats and the speakers people would consume it through. I think it's important to remember that what what is now the limitations of the past was high fidelity at the time, and the "Wall of Sound" was a way to make it sound good on vinyl through a jukebox, not digitally through home speakers or quality headphones. Also, I'd argue that Spector was an early pioneer that better artists were able to use as a creative tool instead of a marketing tool. That noted, the recordings are pretty... fine. They're good singers, it's well produced, but we're at the point of anyone who is considered a "good singer" having a Christmas album. Outside the history, this blends into the background of Christmas music. The performances are fine, but they're, let's be honest, pretty boring songs that are mostly relevant because of the perpetual cycle of Boomer nostalgia. There's not anything to hate, but I really can't endorse this particular collection of secular Christmas standards over any other competent performance of the past half century.
I just wanna take this time to say Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope you all have a great day
These are the most classy Christmas songs known to man I think. Most grown-ups have heard these so many times... They are good for Christmas, but I would not listen to it outside that season
MY CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IS REACHING NEAR-MAXIMUM LEVELS!!!
Even though Phil Spector is a horrible person, this album is full of very cheerful Christmas songs and I find it to be very enjoyable.
Merry Christmas.
Classic hits
🎄Merry Christmas 2024. This is in the top 5 Xmas albums you must hear before you die. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love is probably my favorite Christmas song.
I respect the individual artists a lot, but just dislike Christmas music. Tough to rate.
Aahh nice touch 1001 - I'm not normally a fan of Christmas albums but obviously hits different on Christmas day. This album is simply iconic and timeless