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.
[3]
Elvis's Christmas Album (1970 version) /
Elvis Presley ~ 10,000,000
[2]
Merry Christmas /
Mariah Carey ~ 9,000,000
[3]
Miracles: The Holiday Album /
Kenny G ~ 7,370,000
[2]
The Christmas Song /
Nat King Cole ~ 6,000,000
[2]
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas /
Mannheim Steamroller ~ 6,000,000
[2]
A Fresh Aire Christmas / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 6,000,000
[2]
Noël /
Josh Groban ~ 5,890,000
[2]
These Are Special Times /
Celine Dion ~ 5,440,000
[2]
A Christmas Album /
Barbra Streisand ~ 5,370,000
[2]
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
[3]
Merry Christmas /
Mariah Carey ~ 9,000,000
[5]
Miracles: The Holiday Album /
Kenny G ~ 7,310,000
[4]
Noël /
Josh Groban ~ 5,710,000
[4]
These Are Special Times /
Celine Dion ~ 5,310,000
[4]
Christmas in the Aire /
Mannheim Steamroller ~ 3,740,000
[4]
A Fresh Aire Christmas / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 3,660,000
[4]
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 3,500,000
[4]
Now That's What I Call Christmas! / various artists ~ 3,480,000
[4]
Christmas Eve and Other Stories /
Trans-Siberian Orchestra ~ 3,430,000
[4]
A Charlie Brown Christmas /
Vince Guaraldi Trio ~ 3,410,000
[4]
Christmas /
Michael Bublé ~ 3,390,000
[4]
When My Heart Finds Christmas /
Harry Connick, Jr. ~ 3,150,000
[4]
My Christmas /
Andrea Bocelli ~ 3,010,000
[4]
Christmas Extraordinaire / Mannheim Steamroller ~ 2,920,000
[4]
Home for Christmas /
*NSYNC ~ 2,760,000
[4]
Faith: A Holiday Album / Kenny G ~ 2,750,000
[4]
Beyond the Season /
Garth Brooks ~ 2,650,000
[4]
Home for Christmas /
Amy Grant ~ 2,540,000
[4]
A Very Special Christmas / various artists ~ 2,520,000
[4]
The Lost Christmas Eve / Trans-Siberian Orchestra ~ 2,380,000
[4]
A Very Special Christmas 2 / various artists ~ 2,200,000
[4]
The Gift /
Susan Boyle ~ 2,180,000
[4]
Christmas Portrait /
The Carpenters ~ 1,950,000
[4]
White Christmas /
Bing Crosby ~ 1,950,000
[4]
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.
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. Billboard' s 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]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1945 was
Merry Christmas , by
Bing Crosby .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1946 was Merry Christmas , by Bing Crosby.
The best-selling Christmas album of 1947 was Merry Christmas , by Bing Crosby.
The best-selling Christmas album of 1948 was Merry Christmas , by Bing Crosby.
The best-selling Christmas album of 1949 was Merry Christmas , by Bing Crosby.
The best-selling Christmas album of 1950 was
Merry Christmas , by
Bing Crosby .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1951 was Mario Lanza Sings Christmas Songs , by
Mario Lanza .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1952 was Christmas Hymns and Carols , by The
Robert Shaw Chorale .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1953 was Christmas with Arthur Godfrey and All the Little Godfreys , by
Arthur Godfrey .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1954 was
Selections from Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" , by
Bing Crosby ,
Danny Kaye and
Peggy Lee .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1955 was
Happy Holiday , by
Jo Stafford .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1956 was Merry Christmas from Lawrence Welk and His Champagne Music , by
Lawrence Welk .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1957 was
Elvis' Christmas Album , by
Elvis Presley .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1958 was
Christmas Sing-Along with Mitch , by
Mitch Miller & the Gang .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1959 was Christmas Sing-Along with Mitch , by Mitch Miller & the Gang.
The best-selling Christmas album of 1960 was Christmas Sing-Along with Mitch , by Mitch Miller & the Gang.
The best-selling Christmas album of 1961 was
Holiday Sing Along with Mitch , by Mitch Miller & the Gang.
The best-selling Christmas album of 1962 was
Merry Christmas , by
Johnny Mathis .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1963 was
The Andy Williams Christmas Album , by
Andy Williams .
[8]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1964 was The Andy Williams Christmas Album , by Andy Williams.
[8]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1965 was The Little Drummer Boy: A Christmas Festival , by the
Harry Simeone Chorale .
[9]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1966 was
Merry Christmas , by Andy Williams.
[10]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1967 was
A Christmas Album , by
Barbra Streisand .
[11]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1968 was
That Christmas Feeling , by
Glen Campbell .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1969 was Jim Nabors' Christmas Album , by
Jim Nabors .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1970 was
The Jackson 5 Christmas Album , by
The Jackson 5 .
[12]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1971 was
A Partridge Family Christmas Card , by
The Partridge Family .
[13]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1972 was The Jackson 5 Christmas Album , by The Jackson 5.
[14]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1973 was
Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas , by
Elvis Presley .
The best-selling Christmas album of 1974 was The Waltons' Christmas Album , by
Earl Hamner, Jr. /The Holiday Singers.
[15]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1975 was
Rocky Mountain Christmas , by
John Denver .
[16]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1976 was
Christmas Jollies , by
The Salsoul Orchestra .
[17]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1977 was Christmas Jollies , by The Salsoul Orchestra.
[17]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1978 was
Christmas Portrait , by
The Carpenters .
[18]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1979 was
A Christmas Together , by
John Denver and
The Muppets .
[18]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1980 was
Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album , by
Meco .
[19]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1981 was
Christmas , by
Kenny Rogers .
[20]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1982 was
Christmas , by
The Oak Ridge Boys .
[21]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1983 was Christmas , by Kenny Rogers.
[21]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1984 was
Once Upon a Christmas , by
Kenny Rogers &
Dolly Parton .
[21]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1985 was
Alabama Christmas , by
Alabama .
[22]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1986 was
Merry Christmas Strait to You! , by
George Strait .
[22]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1987 was
A Very Special Christmas , by various artists.
[23]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1988 was
A Fresh Aire Christmas , by
Mannheim Steamroller .
[24]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1989 was
Merry, Merry Christmas , by
New Kids on the Block .
[25]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1990 was
Because It's Christmas , by
Barry Manilow .
[26]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1991 was
A Fresh Aire Christmas , by
Mannheim Steamroller .
[27]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1992 was
Beyond the Season , by
Garth Brooks .
[28]
The best-selling Christmas album of 1993 was
When My Heart Finds Christmas , by
Harry Connick, Jr.
[29]
The best-selling Holiday album of 1994 was
Miracles: The Holiday Album , by
Kenny G .
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 1995 was
Christmas in the Aire , by Mannheim Steamroller.
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 1996 was Miracles: The Holiday Album , by Kenny G.
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 1997 was
Snowed In , by
Hanson .
[30]
The best-selling Holiday album of 1998 was
These Are Special Times , by
Celine Dion .
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 1999 was
Faith: A Holiday Album , by
Kenny G .
[31]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2000 was
Dream a Dream , by
Charlotte Church .
[32]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2001 was
Now That's What I Call Christmas! , by various artists.
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2002 was Now That's What I Call Christmas! , by various artists.
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2003 was
Harry for the Holidays , by
Harry Connick, Jr.
[33]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2004 was
Merry Christmas with Love , by
Clay Aiken .
[34]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2005 was
The Christmas Collection , by
Il Divo .
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2006 was
Wintersong , by
Sarah McLachlan .
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2007 was
Noël , by
Josh Groban .
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2008 was Noël , by Josh Groban.
[28]
The best-selling Holiday album of 2009 was
My Christmas , by
Andrea Bocelli .
[35]
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