That's Christmas to Me

That's Christmas to Me
Studio album by Pentatonix
Released October 21, 2014
Recorded 2014
Genre
Length 32:39
Label RCA
Producer
  • Pentatonix
  • Ben Bram
Pentatonix chronology
PTX, Vol. III
(2014)		 That's Christmas to Me
(2014)		 Pentatonix
(2015)

That's Christmas to Me is the second studio album by a cappella group Pentatonix. It is their sixth release overall and their second holiday release following their 2012 EP PTXmas. It only features previously unreleased material (except "Let It Go", a bonus track of the Japanese Edition of Vols. 1 & 2).[1] It was released on October 21, 2014 through RCA Records,[2] peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[3]

The album is named after the eponymous song by Pentatonix, the only original song featured on the album.[4][5] By year's end, December 31, 2014, according to Billboard, it reached a final 2014 total of 1.14 million copies sold, becoming the 4th best selling album of 2014 by any artist of any genre.[6] The album is also the highest charting holiday album by a group since 1962.[7] The album has sold 1,620,000 copies in the United States as of December 2015.[8]

Commercial performance

That's Christmas to Me peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 in the United States.[9] and at number 4 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart.[10] The album also charted moderately in other countries including Australia, New Zealand and Norway. On December 1, 2014, That's Christmas to Me was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and became the group's first accredited release in the US. By year's end (December 31, 2014), Billboard reported that the album had sold a total of 1.14 million copies, becoming only the 4th album to sell a million copies in 2014 in any genre (being surpassed only by Taylor Swift's 1989, the Frozen soundtrack, and Sam Smith's In the Lonely Hour) and was the Top Selling Holiday Album for 2014.[6][11] [12] Pentatonix became the first act to top both the Holiday Albums and Holiday Songs charts simultaneously since the Holiday 100 launched as a multi-metric tabulation in December 2011.[13] The album is also the highest charting holiday album by a group since 1962.[7]

A single from the album, the group's cover of "Mary, Did You Know?", both debuted and peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 26,[14] number 7 on the Adult Contemporary chart,[15] and at number 44 on the Canadian Hot 100.[16] The album's title track, "That's Christmas to Me", also peaked at number 8 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[17] During the holiday season, seven songs from That's Christmas to Me charted on the Billboard Holiday Digital Songs chart: "Mary, Did You Know?" at number 1, "White Winter Hymnal" at number 2, "Silent Night" at number 5, "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" at number 8, "Sleigh Ride" at number 12, "That's Christmas to Me" at number 16 and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" at number 17.[18]

Critical reception

The album received generally favorable reviews by critics. Popdust complemented its "blistery bold arrangements," and the group's "truly remarkable, pinpoint precision."[19]Markos Papadatos from Digital Journal described it as "pure joy and one of the best projects I've heard this year." FDRMX gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars, claiming the album has "a good mix of traditional holiday songs, religious ballads and originals thrown in." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel dubbed it a "Christmas miracle," citing a "streak of beautifully sung, creative arrangements."

Promotion

In November 2014, Pentatonix were invited by Australian film director, producer and screenwriter Baz Luhrmann to be involved with the Holiday Window display at Barneys in New York City. Pentatonix performed at the Opening night with a medley of songs from That's Christmas to Me.[20][21]

On November 27, 2014, Pentatonix participated in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, performing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" on the Homewood Suites float.[22][23] Pentatonix also performed during NBC's annual Christmas in Rockefeller Centre special on December 3, 2014, performing "Sleigh Ride" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town".[24]

Pentatonix returned to The Sing-Off, performing a medley of songs from That's Christmas to Me during the Season 5 holiday special, which aired on December 17, 2014.[25][26]

Track listing

All songs arranged by Pentatonix and Ben Bram.

That's Christmas to Me — Standard edition
No. TitleLead vocals Length
1. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"  Scott Hoying 3:12
2. "White Winter Hymnal"  Pentatonix 2:47
3. "Sleigh Ride"  Kirstie Maldonado 2:16
4. "Winter Wonderland" / "Don't Worry Be Happy" (featuring Tori Kelly)Hoying, Kelly 3:27
5. "That's Christmas to Me"  Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Avi Kaplan 3:02
6. "Mary, Did You Know?"  Hoying, Kaplan, Maldonado, Grassi, Olusola 3:23
7. "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"  Pentatonix 2:06
8. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"  Kaplan 3:05
9. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"  Hoying, Grassi, Maldonado 2:42
10. "Silent Night"  Pentatonix 3:13
11. "Let It Go"  Grassi, Maldonado 3:26
Total length:
 32:39

Personnel

Additional personnel

Charts

Chart (2014–15) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] 21
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[32] 11
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[33] 192
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[34] 4
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[35] 52
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[36] 96
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[37] 18
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[38] 23
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[39] 11
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[40] 23
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[41] 68
US Billboard 200[42] 2
US Digital Albums (Billboard)[43] 1

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[44] Platinum 80,000^
United States (RIAA)[3] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ "Pentatonix Sets 'Vol. 3' Release Date, Second Holiday Album". Billboard. August 8, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  2. ↑ "That's Christmas to Me - Pentatonix - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "American album certifications – Pentatonix – That's Christmas to Me". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 14, 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  4. ↑ "Video: Pentatonix releases EP "PTX Vol. 3". NewsOK.com. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  5. ↑ "'The Sing-Off' champs Pentatonix bringing a cappella into the mainstream". AXS. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Taylor Swift's '1989' Beats 'Frozen' As Top Selling Album of 2014". Billboard. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Pentatonix Has the Highest-Charting Christmas Album by a Group Since 1962". Yahoo Music. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  8. ↑ Caulfield, Keith. "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Taylor Swift's 'Fearless' Surpasses 7 Million Sold in U.S.". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Pentatonix Hits Top Three on Billboard 200, Nickelback Debuts in Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Billboard Canadian Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  11. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (December 24, 2014). "Pentatonix's 'That's Christmas To Me' Surpasses 1 Million in Sales". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Pentatonix Earns 2014's Top Selling Christmas Album". Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Pentatonix Tops Holiday Songs & Albums Charts". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Hot 100: Pentatonix Scores Second Top 30 Hit with "Mary, Did You Know?"". HeadlinePlanet. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Billboard Adult Contemporary chart". Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Pentatonix - Chart history - Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart". Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Billboard Holiday Digital Songs Chart". Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  19. ↑ Jason Scott (October 22, 2014). "Pentatonix, 'That's Christmas to Me' - EP Review". Pop Dust. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Barneys Holiday Windows Get the Baz Luhrmann Treatment". New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Baz Luhrmann Brings Pentatonix, Stilt Walkers And Magic To Barneys’ "Baz Dazzled" Holiday Windows". LogoTV NewNowNext. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Thanksgiving Day Parade: What time to watch, who has the best line-up, and where to see Taylor Swift". Washington Post. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Thanksgiving Music at The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: LIVE UPDATES! Meghan Trainor, Taylor Swift and yes, The Radio City Rockettes". Music Times. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Scoop: CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER on NBC - Wednesday, December 3, 2014". Broadway World. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  25. ↑ "'The Sing-Off' preview: One night only". The Community. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Pentatonix Return To 'The Sing Off' With Epic Holiday Medley". PopDust. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me (Deluxe Edition)". iTunes Store (MY). Apple. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me (Japan Edition)". iTunes Store (JP). Apple. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Pentatonix That's Christmas to Me CD & Bonus CD with Jane Treacy". QVC. October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Pentatonix Thats Christmas to Me CD & Bonus CD". QVC.com. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Pentatonix – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Pentatonix. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  35. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  36. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  37. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2014-12-29" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  38. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  40. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  41. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Pentatonix – That's Christmas To Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Pentatonix – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Pentatonix. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Pentatonix – Chart history" Billboard Digital Albums for Pentatonix. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  44. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Pentatonix – That's Christmas to Me". Music Canada. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
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