How about 20? (it was hard to narrow it down to 10, and I could have added a few more great ones). I don’t have time to comment about them I’m afraid (we’ve been at work all day getting ready for Black Friday).
These are all stunningly good, many of them classics.
If I were going to add more, it would be my favorite Messiah recordings (I have a few). [Click here to view Don’s choices of best recordings of Handel’s Messiah.]
Mahalia Jackson – Silent Night
http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Night-Mahalia-Jackson/dp/B0000025SO
The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble – A Festival of Carols in Brass
http://www.amazon.com/Festival-Carols-Brass-Christmas-Traditional/dp/B0000024Q6
Enchanted Carols
http://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Carols-Felix-1-Mendelssohn/dp/B00000451S
Luciano Pavarotti – O Holy Night
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Luciano-Pavarotti-Special-Deluxe/dp/B000B8I8SM
Nimbus Prima Voce: The Spirit of Christmas Past
http://www.amazon.com/Nimbus-Prima-Voce-Spirit-Christmas/dp/B0000037KJ
Royal College of Music – Carols for Christmas: Volumes I & II
http://www.amazon.com/Carols-Christmas-Volumes-I-II/dp/B0000009MV
Pete Seeger – Traditional Christmas Carols
http://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Christmas-Carols-Pete-Seeger/dp/B000001DH7
Marcus Roberts – Prayer for Peace
http://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Peace-Marcus-Roberts/dp/B00000057Q
David Grisman – David Grisman’s Acoustic Christmas
http://www.amazon.com/David-Grismans-Acoustic-Christmas-Grisman/dp/B0000002G4
Ultra Lounge – Christmas Cocktails Volume 1
http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Lounge-Christmas-Cocktails-Part-One/dp/B000002UFL
Ultra Lounge – Christmas Cocktails Volume 2
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Cocktails-2-Various-Artists/dp/B000002TLS
Bucharest Madrigal Choir – Christmas in Eastern Europe
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6690836/a/Christmas+in+Eastern+Europe+%2F+Bucharest+Madrigal+Choir.htm
Chanticleer – Our Heart’s Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas
http://www.amazon.com/Our-Hearts-Joy-Chanticleer-Christmas/dp/B000003VV3
Chanticleer – Christmas with Chanticleer
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Chanticleer-Featuring-Dawn-Upshaw/dp/B000059QW4
Harwood Early Music Ensemble – A Renaissance Christmas
http://www.chipublib.org/search/details/cn/2193577
Joan Baez – Noel
http://www.amazon.com/Noel-Joan-Baez/dp/B00005NF1E
Theater of Voices – Carols from the Old and New World
http://www.amazon.com/Carols-Old-Worlds-Daniel-Read/dp/B0000007DK
King’s College – A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
http://www.amazon.com/Festival-Nine-Lessons-Carols/dp/B00002CF12
Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops – A Christmas Festival
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Festival-Boston-Pops/dp/B000003EP8
Elvis Presley – Christmas Album
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Album-Elvis-Presley/dp/B000002W8O
Some honorable mentions:
I left out A Charlie Brown Christmas accidentally. I meant to put that on the list (I listened to it today).
I almost put this one on the list – the best jazz guitar Christmas album. It’d be in the top… 16 or 17 for sure:
Hymns, Carols, And Songs About Snow
http://www.amazon.com/Hymns-Carols-Songs-About-Snow/dp/B000000NIF/
This is an amazing album, definitely in my top 10, maybe top 5:
Chanticleer – Sing We Christmas
http://www.amazon.com/Sing-We-Christmas-Chad-Runyon/dp/B000000SNL
– Bay Area Entrepreneur Don Lundell is a longtime musician and music fan who is a particularly discerning aficionado of Christmas music and Christmas cheer. Along with his partner, Gillian, he operates Zombierunner.com, a store for all things related to running that also offers delicious specialty items such as gourmet coffees. Zombierunner.com is an excellent place to do all your Christmas shopping.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QGj2xgnN8A
http://youtu.be/lTvPIluVu-w
