Some Christmas records do more than soundtrack the season, they reset the whole mood the second the needle drops. The ’50s and ’60s were packed with those kinds of albums, and plenty of them still feel fresh enough to throw on between streaming playlists and smart speakers. Here are eight vintage Christmas albums that keep setting the vibe, year after year.
1. Elvis Presley’s Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957)
Elvis Presley’s Elvis’ Christmas Album hit in October 1957 on RCA Victor, and it did not arrive quietly. The record topped the Billboard charts in December 1957, a sign that holiday music could rock as hard as anything else on the radio. By 1960 it had sold over 3 million copies, turning a seasonal release into a blockbuster. Tracks like “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” pushed his early rock and roll swagger right up against traditional carols, which helped younger listeners claim Christmas music as their own.
That crossover mattered because Presley was already dominating pop culture. As one history of mid‑century pop notes, Presley holds the records for most songs charting in Billboard’s top 40, so his decision to cut a Christmas set effectively dragged the holiday into the rock era. Another deep dive into the Elvis Christmas Album sessions underlines how the RCA Victor release was treated as a major studio project, not a throwaway. That level of care is why the album still feels like a full‑on event when it spins today.
2. Frank Sinatra’s A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra (1957)
Frank Sinatra’s A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra arrived in September 1957 on Capitol Records, and it plays like a snowy night in a big city. The album leans heavily on lush orchestral arrangements by Gordon Jenkins, whose strings and choir parts wrap around Sinatra’s voice instead of smothering it. That balance helped turn “Mistletoe and Holly” into a seasonal standard, with the song debuting on the charts in 1957 and giving the record a clear calling card.
The project also shows how carefully Sinatra approached holiday material. Capitol trusted Jenkins enough to handle the arrangements for the entire set, which kept the mood consistent from the sacred carols to the cocktail‑hour tunes. When “Mistletoe and Holly” first appeared on the charts in 1957, it signaled that crooner‑style Christmas songs could still compete in a rock‑leaning market. For anyone who wants their holiday soundtrack to feel like a classic movie scene, this is still the go‑to.
3. Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song (1960)
Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song album from 1960 takes a single that was already iconic and builds a whole winter world around it. Capitol Records expanded his 1946 recording of “The Christmas Song” into a 12‑track LP, finally giving the smooth baritone a full holiday showcase. The title track, co‑written by Mel Tormé, sits at the center, but the sequencing turns the record into a slow, warm glide through standards and ballads.
The commercial impact matched the artistic one. Capitol’s 1960 reissue strategy paid off when the album was certified gold by the RIAA in 1961, proof that listeners wanted a full Cole Christmas experience, not just the single. The fact that Mel Tormé’s songwriting is baked into the title track, as highlighted in profiles of his work, also shows how jazz and pop writers were shaping the modern holiday canon. When people talk about “chestnuts roasting on an open fire,” they are really talking about this album’s lasting mood.
4. Bing Crosby’s Merry Christmas (1955 reissue)
Bing Crosby’s Merry Christmas might predate rock and roll, but the 1955 stereo reissue on Decca Records kept it firmly in circulation through the ’50s. At the heart of the album is “White Christmas,” which had already become a phenomenon thanks in part to Crosby performing it on his NBC radio show The Kraft. By 1960, that single alone had sold over 50 million copies worldwide, a figure that Guinness World Records cites as the benchmark for the best‑selling single.
That kind of reach made Crosby the default voice of the season for an entire generation. A later retrospective on holiday releases notes how Bing Crosby and White Christmas on NBC set a template that even country stars like REBA MCENTIRE would follow with their own Christmas albums. The 1955 stereo version of Merry Christmas kept the sound modern enough for hi‑fi living rooms, while the song choices anchored the idea of a cozy, nostalgic holiday. When people imagine “classic” Christmas music, they are usually hearing this record in their heads.
5. Dean Martin’s The Dean Martin Christmas Album (1966)
The Dean Martin Christmas Album from 1966 is the sound of holiday cheer with a wink. Released on Reprise Records, it pairs Martin’s relaxed phrasing with production by Jimmy Bowen, who knew how to keep things light without turning them into novelty. Arranger Ernie Freeman adds just enough swing to standards like “I’ve Got My Love (To Keep Me Warm),” giving the record a late‑night lounge feel. The album reached No. 147 on the Billboard 200, a modest peak that still showed real demand for his brand of Christmas cool.
Behind the scenes, the same team that powered Martin’s pop success was shaping his holiday persona. Bowen’s broader career, highlighted in tributes to his production work, shows how he bridged traditional pop and more modern sounds, and that balance is all over this record. Freeman, recognized in Grammy histories, brings tight, radio‑friendly charts that keep the songs moving. For listeners who like their Christmas music with a little Rat Pack swagger, this album still sets the mood instantly.
6. Andy Williams’ The Andy Williams Christmas Album (1962)
Andy Williams’ 1962 release The Andy Williams Christmas Album on Columbia Records is practically shorthand for mid‑century holiday comfort. Arranged by Robert Mersey, the record blends choir, orchestra, and Williams’ clear tenor into a polished package that feels built for television specials and family gatherings. The standout is “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” which has grown into one of the most recognizable Christmas songs in rotation.
The numbers back up that staying power. The album sold over 1 million copies by 1970, according to RIAA certifications, putting it in the same commercial league as many rock albums of the era. Mersey’s role, documented in profiles of his arranging work, shows how important behind‑the‑scenes craftsmen were in defining the sound of Christmas on record and TV. When modern playlists lean on this track, they are really borrowing the whole aesthetic that Williams and Mersey locked in back in 1962.
7. The Beach Boys’ The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album (1964)
The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album from November 1964 proves that surf rock and sleigh bells can actually get along. Released on Capitol Records and produced by Brian Wilson, the album mixes originals with reworked standards. “Little Saint Nick” leads the way, a track that had already made noise on the charts and, as one detailed look at the Beach Boys in 1964 notes, first appeared in December 1963 and peaked at no. 3. The album itself climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard Christmas Albums chart in 1964.
That success was not accidental. A broader survey of 1964 releases points out that The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album by the American band opens with “Little Saint Nick” at 1:58, followed by “The Man With All The Toys” and a run of Santa‑themed cuts that keep the concept tight. Another biography notes that In June, Brian recorded the bulk of the Christmas Album with a large orchestra and a Four Freshmen arranger, which explains the rich harmonies under all that jingle. The result is a record that lets holiday music feel sun‑drenched without losing any of its seasonal charm.
8. Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas might be tied to animation, but it stands on its own as a jazz Christmas classic. Released in December 1965 by Fantasy Records, the album was composed for the 1965 CBS TV special, giving the Peanuts gang a cool, understated soundtrack. “Linus and Lucy” anchors the set, its piano riff instantly recognizable even to people who have never watched the full program.
The record’s long‑term impact is huge. By 2015 it had sold over 4 million copies, according to SoundScan data, which is a staggering number for an instrumental jazz‑leaning holiday album. The CBS connection, highlighted in materials about the original TV special, helped it reach families, but repeat listens turned it into a December ritual. For anyone who wants their Christmas mood to feel calm, slightly melancholic, and quietly joyful, Guaraldi’s trio still sets the perfect tone.
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