A Legendary Christmas

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A Legendary Christmas
Studio album by
John Legend
ReleasedOctober 26, 2018 (2018-10-26)
GenreChristmas
Length49:44
LabelColumbia[1]
Producer
John Legend chronology
Darkness and Light
(2016) 		A Legendary Christmas
(2018) 		Bigger Love
(2020)
Singles from A Legendary Christmas
  1. "Bring Me Love"
    Released: October 11, 2018
  2. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
    Released: October 11, 2018

A Legendary Christmas is the seventh studio album and first Christmas album by American singer John Legend, it was released on October 26, 2018.[3][4] Featuring artists such as Esperanza Spalding and Stevie Wonder, the album was promoted by a tour of the same name from November to December 2018.[5][6] It received a nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards.[7]

Background[edit]

The album is Legend's first holiday album, which he announced on October 1, 2018, via social media.[8][9] His tweet wrote "This winter, get ready for A Legendary Christmas! I have a brand new Christmas album coming out accompanied by #ALegendaryChristmas Tour!".[10][1] Prior to the album's announcement, Legend had just become the first African-American male to win an EGOT – an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.[11] Legend has previously said of his intention to create a Christmas album, he said "I just made a new Christmas album. I've wanted to do this for a long time." On October 11, 2018, Legend premiered two lead singles from the album, "Bring Me Love" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" simultaneously on VEVO.[12][13][14] The album was re-released on November 8, 2019 with four additional tracks.

Composition[edit]

Wonder features on the first song, "What Christmas Means to Me", in which he plays the harmonica, while Spalding sings on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".[1] Featuring fourteen songs, the album is composed of eight that are "Christmas classics" and six that are original tracks by Legend.[1] The album is executive-produced by neo-soul singer/producer Raphael Saadiq.[1][15] All string arrangements by Matt Jones, including "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" on the Super Deluxe Edition which featured an improvised solo by violinist Scott Tixier.[16]

Commercial performance[edit]

In John Legend's home country of the United States, A Legendary Christmas debuted at number 26 on the Billboard 200 with 20,000 album-equivalent units, which included 19,000 pure album sales.[17] Eventually, the album rose to 22

Track listing[edit]

All tracks produced by Raphael Saadiq.

A Legendary Christmas[4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."What Christmas Means to Me" (featuring Stevie Wonder)
2:41
2."Silver Bells"
3:16
3."Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (featuring Esperanza Spalding)
3:43
4."No Place Like Home"
3:57
5."Bring Me Love"
3:19
6."Merry Christmas Baby/Give Love on Christmas Day"
3:50
7."Christmas Time Is Here"
3:20
8."Waiting for Christmas"
2:35
9."Purple Snowflakes"
2:49
10."The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)"
4:15
11."Please Come Home for Christmas"
4:08
12."Wrap Me Up in Your Love"
3:45
13."By Christmas Eve"
3:51
14."Merry Merry Christmas"
4:15
Total length:49:44
Japanese bonus tracks[18][19]
No.TitleLength
15."O Come, All Ye Faithful"4:24
16."No Place Like Home" (acoustic demo)3:54
Total length:58:09
A Legendary Christmas – Deluxe Edition[20]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."What Christmas Means to Me" (featuring Stevie Wonder on Harmonica)
2:41
2."Bring Me Love"
3:19
3."This Christmas"
3:03
4."My Favorite Things"Rodgers and Hammerstein2:54
5."Baby, It's Cold Outside" (featuring Kelly Clarkson)Frank Loesser3:38
6."Christmas in New Orleans"
3:48
7."Silver Bells"
3:16
8."Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (featuring Esperanza Spalding)
3:43
9."No Place Like Home"
3:57
10."Merry Christmas Baby/Give Love on Christmas Day"
3:50
11."Christmas Time Is Here"
3:20
12."By Christmas Eve"
3:51
13."Purple Snowflakes"
2:49
14."The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)"
4:15
15."Please Come Home for Christmas"
4:08
16."Wrap Me Up in Your Love"
3:45
17."Waiting for Christmas"
2:35
18."Merry Merry Christmas"
4:15
Total length:63:12
iTunes Deluxe Edition bonus track[21]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
9."Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"
3:30

Notes

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[36] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "John Legend to release 'A Legendary Christmas' album". CBS News. October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  2. ^ O'Sullivan, Annie (October 5, 2018). "John Legend Announces Christmas Album and Tour, Including Tri-State Stops". NBC New York. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  3. ^ "John Legend Announces Christmas Album, Tour". Rap-Up. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Haylock, Zoe (October 1, 2018). "John Legend Announces Christmas Album, A Legendary Christmas". Vulture. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  5. ^ "John Legend Announces Christmas Album & Tour Dates". Billboard. January 28, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  6. ^ "John Legend announces first Christmas album, Utah concert | Concert Announcements". Herald Extra. October 8, 2018. Archived from the original on November 28, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  7. ^ "2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List". The Recording Academy. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  8. ^ "John Legend Announces 'A Legendary Christmas' Album & Accompanying Tour | iHeartRadio". iHeart. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  9. ^ Schatz, Lake (October 1, 2018). "John Legend Announces First Christmas Album, Tour | Music News". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  10. ^ "Merry Christmas From John Legend". Jezebel. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  11. ^ "John Legend to release A Legendary Christmas album this month". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  12. ^ "John Legend New Christmas Album and Tour". People. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  13. ^ "John Legend announces his first-ever Christmas album and tour titled A Legendary Christmas". Times Now. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  14. ^ Ryan Reed (October 1, 2018). "John Legend Taps Stevie Wonder, Esperanza Spalding for Christmas LP". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  15. ^ "John Legend Christmas Album Tour". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  16. ^ "A Legendary Christmas - John Legend | Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  17. ^ Caulfield, Keith (November 10, 2018). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: John Legend & Pentatonix Debut in Top 40 With New 'Christmas' Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  18. ^ "「レジェンダリー・クリスマス」- ジョン・レジェンド". Sony Music Japan. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  19. ^ "Legendary Christmas". Tower Records.com. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  20. ^ Legend, John. "A Legendary Christmas: Deluxe Edition". Tidal.
  21. ^ "A Legendary Christmas (Deluxe Edition) - album by John Legend (2019)". Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  22. ^ Schatz, Lake (November 8, 2019). "John Legend Reworks Problematic "Baby It's Cold Outside" on new holiday album: Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  23. ^ "Australiancharts.com – John Legend – A Legendary Christmas". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  24. ^ "Ultratop.be – John Legend – A Legendary Christmas" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  25. ^ "John Legend Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  26. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – John Legend – A Legendary Christmas" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  27. ^ "Italiancharts.com – John Legend – A Legendary Christmas". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  28. ^ "John Legend". Oricon. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  29. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  30. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – John Legend – A Legendary Christmas". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  31. ^ "John Legend Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  32. ^ "John Legend Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  33. ^ "John Legend Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  34. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  35. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  36. ^ "American album certifications – John Legend – A Legendary Christmas". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
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