Merry Christmas (Mariah Carey album)
Merry Christmas is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, and her first Christmas album. Released by Columbia Records on October 28, 1994, at the peak of the initial stretch of Carey's career, between Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995), the album features cover versions of popular Christmas songs in addition to original material. Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote all of the original tracks, as well as producing Carey's interpretations of the covered material. Three singles were released from the album, of which "All I Want for Christmas Is You" went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time and the best-selling Christmas ringtone in the United States.
Merry Christmas
October 28, 1994
December 1993 – August 1994
The Hit Factory (New York City)
39:31
- Mariah Carey
- Walter Afanasieff
- Loris Holland
Critical response to the album's contemporary Christmas theme was mixed. Some music critics complimented the "gospel and soul-inflected" vocals and even called it "Carey's best record" to date. Re-released on multiple occasions in various formats since its debut, the album has sold 5.7 million copies in the United States as of December 2019 and has been certified nine-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[1] Internationally, it reached number one in Japan, Latvia, and Lithuania. It achieved the top-ten in 18 additional countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
In 2005, the album was re-released as a special edition DualDisc. This edition included two bonus tracks, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - with a new vocal mix - and a special anniversary mix of "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town" on the CD side. The DVD side features the entire album in enhanced PCM stereo and music videos. In 2010, Carey released a follow-up, Merry Christmas II You. In 2019, a two-disc 25th anniversary deluxe edition was released, which included the original album and its bonus tracks on disc one, while disc two included a new track called "Sugar Plum Fairy Introlude", live performances from St. John The Divine, select songs from Merry Christmas II You, non-album Christmas singles, and numerous remixes. As of 2021, Merry Christmas has sold 15 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling holiday albums of all time.
Background[edit]
Carey has expressed her belief in God and the connection between music and spirituality, and felt the album was finally a way to portray her spirituality through music.[2] After the success of Carey's previous effort, Music Box, there was speculation of a new project in the works; however it was not until October 1994, only one month before the album's release, that Billboard announced Carey would be releasing an album for the Christmas season.[3] Initially, critics were shocked; they did not know how Carey would fare as an entertainer across genres, as she had previously only been viewed as a pop star.[2] Nevertheless, Carey, unaffected by the speculation, continued working on and promoting the album in high spirits, confident in her work.[2] The idea proved to be wise, earning Carey recognition in various markets including Christian radio and contemporary R&B stations, as well as extended her fame in Japan, where the album experienced much of its success.[2]
All tracks are produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey, except where noted.
Notes
Sample credits