List of Billboard Best Bets for Christmas 1963–1973

American music chart publisher Billboard magazine began publishing annual Christmas singles and albums charts, the Billboard Best Bets for Christmas,[lower-alpha 1] in surveys from 1963 to 1973 for a total of 46 weeks. Each survey included a top-selling Christmas LP's and a Christmas Singles chart that ran for 3–5 weeks each holiday season expanding in size as sales activity increased. Before then, Christmas-themed hits were only included on the Hot 100 or on their other weekly charts.[1] Billboard charted Christmas albums and singles exclusively in this section until 1972.[2]

Billboard number one Best Bets For Christmas

These are Billboard's Best Bets for Christmas number-one albums and singles:

Issue date Albums Artist Singles Artist Ref.
November 30, 1963 The Andy Williams Christmas Album Andy Williams "White Christmas" Andy Williams [3]
December 7, 1963 [4]
December 14, 1963 [5]
December 21, 1963 [6]
December 28, 1963 [7]
December 5, 1964 The Little Drummer Boy Harry Simeone Chorale "Blue Christmas" [8] Elvis Presley [9]
December 12, 1964 The Andy Williams Christmas Album Andy Williams "The Little Drummer Boy" [10] Harry Simeone Chorale [11]
December 19, 1964 [12]
December 26, 1964 [13]
December 11, 1965 [14]
December 18, 1965 The Little Drummer Boy Harry Simeone Chorale [15]
December 25, 1965 [16]
December 3, 1966 The Dean Martin Christmas Album Dean Martin [17]
December 10, 1966 Merry Christmas Andy Williams [18]
December 17, 1966 The Little Drummer Boy Harry Simeone Chorale [19]
December 24, 1966 Merry Christmas Andy Williams "Sleep in Heavenly Sleep (Silent Night)" Barbra Streisand [20]
December 2, 1967 A Christmas Album Barbra Streisand "Snoopy's Christmas" The Royal Guardsmen [21]
December 9, 1967 [22]
December 16, 1967 [23]
December 23, 1967 [24]
December 30, 1967 [25]
December 7, 1968 Christmas Album Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass "The Christmas Song" [26] Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass [27]
December 14, 1968 [28]
December 21, 1968 That Christmas Feeling Glen Campbell [29]
December 28, 1968 "The Little Drummer Boy" Harry Simeone Chorale [30]
December 6, 1969 Give Me Your Love for Christmas Johnny Mathis "White Christmas" [31] Bing Crosby [32]
December 13, 1969 The Christmas Song Nat King Cole "The Christmas Song" [33] Nat King Cole [34]
December 20, 1969 Merry Christmas Andy Williams "Jingle Bell Rock" [35] Bobby Helms [36]
December 27, 1969 Jim Nabors' Christmas Album [37] Jim Nabors [38]
December 19, 1970 Jackson 5 Christmas Album[39] Jackson 5 "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" Jackson 5 [40]
December 26, 1970 "Merry Christmas, Darling" Carpenters [41]
December 18, 1971 A Partridge Family Christmas Card The Partridge Family "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" / "Christmas Won't Be the Same This Year" Jackson 5 [42]
December 25, 1971 "Merry Christmas, Darling" Carpenters [43]
December 9, 1972 Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas Elvis Presley "Jingle Bells" The Singing Dogs [44]
December 16, 1972 The Christmas Song Nat King Cole "Please Come Home for Christmas" [45] Charles Brown [46]
December 23, 1972 Jackson 5 Christmas Album Jackson 5 "The Christmas Song" Nat King Cole [47]
December 8, 1973 Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas Elvis Presley "Merry Christmas, Darling" Carpenters [48]
December 15, 1973 A Motown Christmas Various artists "Step into Christmas" Elton John [49]
December 22, 1973 A Christmas Album Barbra Streisand "Blue Christmas" Elvis Presley [50]

Top 10 Christmas Albums

These are the LPs that reached the top 10 on Billboard's Christmas Record charts from 1958 until 1973. Record collectors[51] and holiday music fans[52][53] believe that every contemporary holiday album owes a debt to one or more of the albums below.[54][55][56][57][58]

Rank Album Artist Year
Rlsd.		 Peak
Date		 Peak
Pos.		 Weeks
Peak Top 10 Chart
1 The Andy Williams Christmas Album Andy Williams 1963 11/30/1963 1 9 23 30
2 A Christmas Album Barbra Streisand 1967 12/2/1967 1 6 16 20
3 The Little Drummer Boy Harry Simeone Chorale 1959 12/5/1964 1 4 25 35
4 Merry Christmas Andy Williams 1966 12/10/1966 1 3 12 20
5 Jackson 5 Christmas Album Jackson 5 1970 12/26/1970 1 3 10 10
6 The Christmas Song Nat King Cole 1963 12/13/1969 1 2 29 35
7 Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas Elvis Presley 1971 12/9/1972 1 2 8 8
8 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Christmas Album Herb Alpert 1968 12/7/1968 1 2 6 10
9 That Christmas Feeling Glen Campbell 1968 12/21/1968 1 2 6 10
10 A Partridge Family Christmas Card The Partridge Family 1971 12/18/1971 1 2 3 5
11 The Dean Martin Christmas Album Dean Martin 1966 12/3/1966 1 1 14 19
12 Jim Nabors' Christmas Album [59] Jim Nabors 1967 12/27/1969 1 1 13 21
13 Give Me Your Love For Christmas Johnny Mathis 1969 12/6/1969 1 1 10 12
14 A Motown Christmas Various Artists 1973 2/15/1973 1 1 3 3
15 Music of Christmas[60] Percy Faith And His Orchestra 1957 11/24/1958 1 1 1 2
16 Elvis' Christmas Album Elvis Presley 1957 12/11/1965 2 7 23 31
17 Merry Christmas Johnny Mathis 1958 11/30/1963 2 6 27 29
18 Merry Christmas Bing Crosby 1955 12/26/1964 2 3 34 40
19 Sounds of Christmas Johnny Mathis 1963 12/21/1963 2 2 7 20
20 Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! [61] Lou Rawls 1967 12/9/1967 2 1 5 10
21 Christmas with Mahalia [62] Mahalia Jackson 1968 12/13/1969 2 1 2 5
22 A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra 1957 11/24/1958 2 1 1 11
23 Christmas Album [63] Bobby Sherman 1970 12/19/1970 2 1 2 3
24 John Gary Christmas Album [64] John Gary 1964 12/5/1964 3 1 4 17
25 Handel: Messiah The Philadelphia Orchestra / The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / Eugene Ormandy 1959 12/13/1969 3 1 2 6
26 The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas Frank Sinatra featuring Frank Sinatra Jr., Nancy Sinatra and Tina Sinatra 1969 12/13/1969 3 1 2 4
27 This Christmas I Spend With You [65] Robert Goulet 1963 12/21/1963 4 2 6 13
28 Sound of Christmas Ramsey Lewis Trio 1961 12/18/1965 4 1 8 24
29 The Temptations Christmas Card The Temptations 1970 12/23/1972 4 1 5 5
30 Merle Haggard's Christmas Present Merle Haggard 1973 12/8/1973 4 1 2 3
31 Merry Christmas[66] Jackie Gleason 1956 11/24/1958 4 1 1 7
32 We Wish You A Merry Christmas Ray Conniff 1962 12/9/1972 5 1 3 20
33 Season's Greetings from Perry Como Perry Como 1959 12/7/1963 5 1 2 20
34 O' Bambino — The Little Drummer Boy [67] Harry Simeone Chorale 1965 2/3/1966 5 1 2 5
35 Merry Christmas! New Christy Minstrels 1963 12/28/1963 5 1 1 8
36 Christmas Carols Mantovani 1954 11/24/1958 5 1 1 1
37 Noël Joan Baez 1966 12/3/1966 6 4 5 13
38 Merry Christmas The Supremes 1965 12/11/1965 6 2 3 12
39 Snoopy And His Friends The Royal Guardsmen 1967 12/23/1967 6 2 2 7
40 The Beach Boys' Christmas Album The Beach Boys 1965 12/18/1965 6 1 3 13
41 A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector Various Artists 1963 12/23/1972 6 1 3 6
42 Songs of Christmas[68] Norman Luboff Choir 1956 11/24/1958 6 1 1 1
43 Merry Christmas from the Brady Bunch The Brady Bunch 1970 12/25/1971 6 1 1 1
44 Christmas Greetings From Mantovani And His Orchestra [69] Mantovani 1963 12/21/1963 7 1 3 14
45 Merry Christmas from Brenda Lee Brenda Lee 1964 12/16/1972 7 1 1 15
46 Christmas with Conniff Ray Conniff 1959 12/27/1969 7 1 1 11
47 The Christmas Spirit Johnny Cash 1963 12/13/1969 7 1 1 5
48 Now Is The Caroling Season[70] Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians 1957 11/24/1958 7 1 1 1
49 Handel's Messiah Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra 1966 12/7/1968 8 2 2 5
50 Christmas in My Home Town Charley Pride 1970 12/23/1972 8 1 3 6
51 More Sounds of Christmas Ramsey Lewis Trio 1964 12/26/1964 8 1 2 15
52 Merry Christmas [71] Al Martino 1964 12/19/1964 8 1 2 11
53 Christmas with The King Family [72] The King Family 1965 12/18/1965 8 1 2 2
54 The Joy of Christmas The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / The New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein 1963 12/11/1965 8 1 1 11
55 Soul Christmas (Atco Records 33-269) [73] Various artists 1968 12/6/1969 8 1 1 6
56 Beloved Choruses [74] The Philadelphia Orchestra / The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / Eugene Ormandy 1958 12/18/1965 8 1 1 4
57 Christmas '64 Jimmy Smith 1964 12/5/1964 8 1 1 4
58 The Voices of Christmas[75] The Voices of Walter Schumann 1955 11/24/1958 8 1 1 1
59 Ventures' Christmas Album [76] The Ventures 1965 12/18/1965 9 2 2 9
60 Christmas Hymns & Carols [77] Robert Shaw 1957 11/24/1958 9 2 2 8
61 12 Songs Of Christmas Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Fred Waring 1964 12/19/1964 9 2 2 3
62 Merry Xmas From José Feliciano José Feliciano 1970 12/8/1973 9 2 2 3
63 Navidad Means Christmas [78] Eydie Gorme & Trio Los Panchos 1966 12/17/1966 9 1 2 4
64 Holiday Sing Along with Mitch Mitch Miller and The Gang 1961 12/28/1963 9 1 1 17
65 Christmas with The Chipmunks Volume 2 David Seville & The Chipmunks 1963 12/21/1963 9 1 1 13
66 A Christmas Treasure [79] Julie Andrews with Andre Previn 1967 12/2/1967 9 1 1 6
67 A Christmas Festival [80] Arthur Fiedler & Boston Pops Orchestra 1970 12/19/1970 9 1 1 2
68 Joy to The World[81] Roger Wagner Chorale 1956 11/24/1958 9 1 1 1
69 Songs For A Merry Christmas [82] Wayne Newton 1966 12/3/1966 10 3 3 10
70 Christmas Wonderland Bert Kaempfert 1963 12/7/1963 10 2 2 13
71 Christmas Present...And Past [83] Paul Revere & the Raiders 1967 12/9/1967 10 1 1 5
72 Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album Tony Bennett 1968 12/14/1968 10 1 1 3
73 A Soulful Christmas James Brown 1968 12/13/1969 10 1 1 3
74 The Perry Como Christmas Album Perry Como 1968 12/26/1970 10 1 1 3
75 The Christmas Album: 20 Great Christmas Favorites By 20 Great Artist (Columbia Records 30763) [84] Various artists 1972 12/8/1973 10 1 1 3

See also

Notes
  1. Known has Christmas Records from 1963 to 1964 and Top Christmas Sellers in 1965.

References
  1. "Christmas Hit Records".
  2. "Appendix E: All Time Christmas Countdown".
  3. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 48, November 30, 1963, p. 11.
  4. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 49, December 7, 1963, p. 8.
  5. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 50, December 14, 1963, p. 8.
  6. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 51, December 21, 1963, p. 8.
  7. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 75, no. 52, December 28, 1963, p. 7.
  8. First released on the 1957 45 EP entitled Elvis Sings Christmas Songs (EPA-4108). It was first released as a commercially available single in 1964.
  9. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 76, no. 49, December 5, 1964, p. 25.
  10. First charted on the Hot 100 in 1958 peaking at #13
  11. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 76, no. 50, December 12, 1964, p. 22.
  12. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 76, no. 51, December 19, 1964, p. 34.
  13. “Christmas Records.” Billboard, vol. 76, no. 52, December 26, 1964, p. 36.
  14. “Billboard Top Christmas Sellers.” Billboard, vol. 77, no. 50, December 11, 1965, p. 7.
  15. “Billboard Top Christmas Sellers.” Billboard, vol. 77, no. 51, December 18, 1965, p. 15.
  16. “Billboard Top Christmas Sellers.” Billboard, vol. 77, no. 52, December 25, 1965, p. 12.
  17. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 78, no. 49, December 3, 1966, p. 56.
  18. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 78, no. 50, December 10, 1966, p. 40.
  19. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 78, no. 51, December 17, 1966, p. 36.
  20. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 78, no. 52, December 24, 1966, p. 33.
  21. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 48, December 2, 1967, p. 8.
  22. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 49, December 9, 1967, p. 92.
  23. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 50, December 16, 1967, p. 61.
  24. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 51, December 23, 1967, p. 50.
  25. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 79, no. 52, December 30, 1967, p. 40.
  26. The flip side "My Favorite Things" peaked at #45 on the Hot 100 the same year.
  27. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 80, no. 49, December 7, 1968, p. 82.
  28. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 80, no. 50, December 14, 1968, p. 84.
  29. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 80, no. 51, December 21, 1968, p. 69.
  30. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 80, no. 52, December 28, 1968, p. 57.
  31. First released in 1942 peaking at #1 for 11 weeks
  32. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 81, no. 49, December 6, 1969, p. 11.
  33. The King Cole Trio version charted at #3 in 1946. This 1953 recording with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra first charted in 1954 peaking at #29.
  34. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 81, no. 50, December 13, 1969, p. 10.
  35. First charted on Billboard's Top 100 in 1957 peaking at #6.
  36. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 81, no. 51, December 20, 1969, p. 12.
  37. "Jim Nabors - Jim Nabors Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  38. “Billboard Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 81, no. 52, December 27, 1969, p. 10.
  39. "Jackson 5 gave love on Christmas Day but did not celebrate the holiday themselves".
  40. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 82, no. 51, December 19, 1970, p. 12.
  41. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 82, no. 52, December 26, 1970, p. 59.
  42. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 83, no. 51, December 18, 1971, p. 49.
  43. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 83, no. 52, December 25, 1971, p. 49.
  44. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 84, no. 51, December 9, 1972, p. 40.
  45. First charted on the Hot 100 in 1961 peaking at #76.
  46. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 84, no. 52, December 16, 1972, p. 51.
  47. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 84, no. 53, December 23, 1972, p. 4.
  48. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 85, no. 49, December 8, 1973, p. 28.
  49. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 85, no. 50, December 15, 1973, p. 25.
  50. “Best Bets For Christmas.” Billboard, vol. 85, no. 51, December 22, 1973, p. 22.
  51. "Collecting Christmas records". 14 December 2022.
  52. "Billboard's Best Selling Christmas Albums of the 1960s". 9 January 2012.
  53. "Billboard's Top-Selling Christmas Album – 1970s". 16 January 2012.
  54. "Deejay's Favorite Christmas Disks." The Billboard, vol. 70, no. 47, November 24, 1958, p. 2.
  55. "Christmas Records." Billboard, vol. 75-76, no. 48-52 & 49-52, November 30, 1963-December 26, 1964, pp. 11, 8, 8, 7, 25, 22, 22, 34 & 36.
  56. "Billboard Top Christmas Sellers." Billboard, vol. 77, no. 50-52, December 11, 1965-December 25, 1965, pp. 7, 15 & 12.
  57. "Billboard Best Bets For Christmas." Billboard, vol. 78-81, no. 49-52, 48-52, 49-52 & 49-52, December 3, 1966-December 27, 1969, pp. 56, 40, 36, 33, 8, 92, 61, 50, 40, 82, 84, 69, 57, 11, 10, 12, & 10.
  58. "Best Bets For Christmas." Billboard, vol. 82-85, no. 51-52, 51-52, 51-53 & 49-51, December 19, 1970-December 22, 1973, pp. 12, 59, 49, 49, 40, 51, 4, 28, 25 & 22.
  59. "Jim Nabors - Jim Nabors' Christmas Album". Discogs. 1967.
  60. "Percy Faith and His Orchestra - Music of Christmas". Discogs. 1954.
  61. "Lou Rawls - Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  62. "Mahalia Jackson - Christmas with Mahalia [Columbia] Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  63. "Bobby Sherman - Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  64. "John Gary - the John Gary Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  65. "Robert Goulet - This Christmas I Spend with You Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  66. "Jackie Gleason - Merry Christmas". Discogs. 1956.
  67. "Harry Simeone Chorale - O Bambino/The Little Drummer Boy Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  68. "The Norman Luboff Choir - Songs of Christmas". Discogs. 1956.
  69. "Mantovani - Christmas Greetings from Mantovani and His Orchestra Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  70. "Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians, Fred Waring - Now is the Caroling Season Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  71. "Al Martino - Merry Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  72. "King Family - Christmas with the King Family Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  73. https://www.hipchristmas.com/albums/s/soul.php
  74. https://music.metason.net/artistinfo?name=Mormon%20Tabernacle%20Choir%2C%20Richard%20P.%20Condie%20-%20The%20Philadelphia%20Orchestra%2C%20Eugene%20Ormandy&title=The%20Beloved%20Choruses
  75. "The Voices of Walter Schumann - the Voices of Christmas". Discogs. 1955.
  76. "The Ventures - the Ventures' Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  77. "Robert Shaw, Robert Shaw Chorale - Christmas Hymns and Carols, Vol. 1 Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  78. "Eydie Gorme, Eydie Gorme y Trio los Panchos, el Trio los Panchos - Navidad Means Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  79. "Julie Andrews - A Christmas Treasure Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  80. "Arthur Fiedler, Boston Pops Orchestra - A Christmas Festival [Polygram] Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  81. "The Roger Wagner Chorale - Joy to the World". Discogs. 1956.
  82. "Wayne Newton - Songs for a Merry Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  83. "Paul Revere & the Raiders - A Christmas Present...And Past Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  84. https://musicbrainz.org/release/80a8d1a9-09d6-4935-83fd-ea45a2d1ca0b


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