A Legendary Christmas

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]

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

Background

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

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

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

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

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

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "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. 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 31, 2022.
  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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