Christmas with Scotty McCreery

Christmas with Scotty McCreery is the Christmas album by season ten American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. The album was released on October 16, 2012, in the United States by Mercury Nashville.[1] The album was certified Gold on November 26, 2012.[2]

Christmas with Scotty McCreery
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 16, 2012 (2012-10-16)
StudioStarstruck Studios and Sound Stage Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre
Length37:19
Label
ProducerMark Bright
Scotty McCreery chronology
Clear as Day
(2011)
Christmas with Scotty McCreery
(2012)
See You Tonight
(2013)

Background

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In July 2012, Scotty McCreery revealed that he was working on a Christmas album.[3] He indicated that he had always wanted to make a Christmas album, and had talked about it for about a year before it was given the go-ahead by his label.[4][5] The album contains many of the standard Christmas songs, as well as two original Christmas songs - "Christmas in Heaven" and "Christmas Comin' Round Again".[6][7] He described "Christmas in Heaven" as his favorite song on the album.[8] McCreery revealed that he was writing a song called "Christmas in Heaven" about his grandfather, who died while he was getting ready for the album, but received a song with the same title and opted to record that instead.[7][9]

The album was produced by Mark Bright, who was also the producer of McCreery's first album, Clear as Day.[10] The Christmas album was released on October 16, 2012 in the United States. It was included in the Scotty McCreery QVC Bundle, which also contains Clear as Day, and was released on October 23 through QVC.[11]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [12]
Taste of Country     [13]
Roughstock     [14]

The album received generally positive reviews by the critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic thought that to release a Christmas album at this point of his career "may be a tad speedy but a festive collection is a softball pitch up the middle for McCreery, one that the cornpone singer can hit clear out of the park."[12] Billy Duke of Taste of Country considered it a "consistent project that takes few chances, but offers 11 pleasant recordings to easily slip into one's yearly holiday playlist."[13] In similar vein, Matt Bjorke of Roughstock thought the album is "largely as warm and familiar as a cup of Hot Cocoa. That is, it's not the kind of groundbreaking all-new Christmas recording but it is well-made and should be an easy addition to any Christmas music fan's collection of yuletide music."[14]

Chart and sales performance

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Christmas with Scotty McCreery debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 41,000 copies.[15] It also charted in No. 2 in the Top Country Albums and No. 1 in the Top Holiday Albums charts.[16] As of December 2013, the album has sold 382,000 copies in the US.[17]

The Scotty McCreery QVC Bundle released through QVC sold 5,000 copies the first week and reached No. 93 on the Billboard 200.[18]

Track listing

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Personnel

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Adapted from liner notes.[19]

Production

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  • Brian Wright – A&R
  • Mark Bright – producer
  • Derek Bason – recording, mixing
  • Chris Small – recording, mixing, digital editing
  • Adam Ayan – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine)
  • Mike "Frog" Griffith – production coordinator
  • Kirsten Wines – musical assistance
  • Craig Allen – design
  • Andrew Southam – photography

Charts and certifications

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References

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  1. ^ Schmitt, Brad (September 5, 2012). "Scotty McCreery's New Christmas Album Will Jingle His Family's Bells". Country Weekly. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "American album certifications – Scotty McCreery – Christmas With Scotty McCreery". Recording Industry Association of America.
  3. ^ Gayle Thompson (July 30, 2012). "Scotty McCreery Holiday Album in the Works". The Boot.
  4. ^ Sterling Whitaker. "Scotty McCreery Interview: Young Star Talks New Christmas Album and Balancing Fame With College". Taste of Country.
  5. ^ Amanda Bell (September 4, 2012). "Scotty McCreery Reveals Christmas Album Details". Wetpaint.
  6. ^ "'Christmas With Scotty McCreery' Drops Oct. 16". Starpulse. September 29, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Melinda Newman (Oct 12, 2012). "Interview: Scotty McCreery talks Christmas, Elvis and his next album". Hitfix. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  8. ^ Sterling Whitaker (September 4, 2012). "Scotty McCreery to Release 'Christmas With Scotty McCreery' on October 16". Taste of Country. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  9. ^ Deborah Evans-Price (October 18, 2012). "Scotty McCreery Christmas Album Is Early Gift to Fans". The Boot.
  10. ^ "Scotty McCreery's Best Selling Holiday Album!". Nashville Country Club. 2012-10-24.
  11. ^ Paxman, Bob (2012-10-19). "Scotty McCreery's Gets in the Christmas Spirit With QVC". Country Weekly. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  12. ^ a b Stephen Thomas Erlewine (October 16, 2012). "Scotty McCreery, Christmas with Scotty McCreery". Allmusic.com.
  13. ^ a b Billy Dukes (October 16, 2012). "Scotty McCreery, 'Christmas With Scotty McCreery' – Album Review". Taste of Country.
  14. ^ a b Matt Bjorke (November 15, 2012). "Album Review: Christmas With Scotty McCreery". Roughstock. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  15. ^ a b Brian Mansfield (2012-10-24). "Scotty McCreery's Christmas album debuts at No. 4". Idol Chatter. USA Today. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  16. ^ a b "Scotty McCreery Album & Song Chart History – Holiday Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  17. ^ Bjorke, Matt (December 18, 2013). "Country Album Chart News: The Week of December 18, 2013: Garth Brooks, Duck Dynasty, Cassadee Pope, Parmalee, & Scotty McCreery". Roughstock. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  18. ^ Brian Mansfield (November 7, 2012). "Carrie Underwood leads Idol sales after post-CMA bump". USA Today. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  19. ^ Christmas with Scotty McCreery (CD booklet). Scotty McCreery. Mercury Records Nashville/19 Recordings. 2012. B0017583-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ "Christmas with Scotty McCreery - Scotty McCreery". Billboard.
  21. ^ "Country Albums: Year End 2012". Billboard.
  22. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums: Year End 2013". Billboard.
  23. ^ "Country Albums: Year End 2013". Billboard.
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