K SPECIAL
Now That's What I Call Music - The Christmas Album (2025, 40th Anniversary Remastered Expanded Deluxe Edition) (2CD) (1985)
Now That's What I Call Music - The Christmas Album is a compilation album released in 1985. The album is part of the Now series in the United Kingdom and collects popular Christmas songs of the last few decades. It reached number one on the UK Albums Chart for two weeks, in between two runs of Now That's What I Call Music 6. The album has since been superseded by subsequent two-disc and later three-disc releases in the 2000s and a four-disc set released in 2024.
The name of the compilation varied depending on what format it was purchased on.
The LP was called The Christmas Album, the cassette was named The Christmas Tape and the CD was known as The Christmas Compact Disc. The CD of this compilation was released a year after the original album in 1986 - it is also very collectable.
A new version of the compilation, with a new track list and artwork inspired by the original, was released on 26 November 2016 on vinyl only.
Now That’s What I Call Music! was many people’s introduction to chart music when they were young.
The Now That’s What I Call Music! brand is quite simply a phenomenon. Initially launched by EMI and Virgin in November 1983, it’s currently now at volume 122 with spin-offs and other series bringing the total number of releases well past the 350 mark:
https://nowmusic.fandom.com/wiki/Now_That%27s_What_I_Call_Music!_UK_Timeline
Right from the beginning, Now… looked different to other compilations with its liner notes, artist photographs and generally luxurious feel.
For many people, these releases are totally tied to nostalgia. They represent the building blocks of a record collection with their contents exposing young listeners to a wide variety of music hanging together in a logical sequence. The person responsible for this was Ashley Abram, who in 1983 was creating compilations for Ronco, and joined the Now team just before the second volume.
He remembers those early 1984 days: “The first Now album had the whole year to choose from but there was only a limited period of time to compile Now 2 and a more limited pool of tracks. Now 1 had cleared big names like Rod Stewart and Genesis and coupled them successfully with current pop acts and we felt it was important to do this for the follow-up.
“We managed to get David Bowie and Eurythmics who’d refused permission for the first one and ended up striking a deal with Queen on the agreement that they would appear in the TV ad and be the first track on the album. On the basis that it would encourage other ‘superstar’ acts, Virgin and EMI went to great lengths to clear The Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney for Now That’s What I Call Music 2 as well.”
After a hugely successful summer with Now 3, a new rival entered the market which meant that CBS and WEA started to refuse tracks for the next instalment of Now, instead keeping them back for their own compilation, The Hits Album.
However, Now That’s What I Call Music 4 sold a million copies and, in addition, to the regular vinyl and cassette also came out as a 15-track CD, which now sells for over £500. Abram looks back: “When the CD format first appeared, there was no blueprint for compilation clearances and, as I remember, it took a long time to get agreement over what royalties should be paid to the artists etc.
“We wanted to put out a CD to test the market but couldn’t get approvals on a number of the tracks on Now 4, so we ended up with a truncated version and also using tracks from previous albums. From memory, it sold around 2,000 copies max!”
By 1985, the series had settled into a regular release pattern and started to diversify into spin-offs with Now Dance: The 12” Mixes and Now The Christmas Album both appearing. The first two Now Dance volumes were well-received but didn’t sell in massive quantities so it was put on the back-burner until 1989.
The original Now Christmas album was an interesting one. Lots of record company people didn’t want to release it at the time because they thought it would only sell for a week before 25 December and then we’d be left with all the stock.
Also, at the time they said I couldn’t put Bing Crosby and Slade on the same album and that Jona Lewie wasn’t a Christmas song! However, we managed to convince the relevant people, got the rights to bring it back for the next few years and a successful version still exists 40 years later. Sales-wise we were more than vindicated as Now 6 and Now Christmas dominated the charts that December.”
The Now That’s What I Call Music series released its first Christmas album in November 1985. 18 tracks were featured. It was released one week before Now 6 but the back sleeve did not feature the cover art for the latest volume in the main series.
Just over 60% of the selection (11 tracks) can be described as perennial seasonal favourites. These range from old-time trusty steeds - Beach Boys’ Little Saint Nick and Bing Crosby’s White Christmas - to the newer wave of festive staples like Jona Lewie’s Stop the Calvary, Chris de Burgh’s magical A Spaceman Came Travelling and Greg Lake’s I Believe in Father Christmas.
There’s glam stomp (Elton John, Slade, Roy Wood featuring Wizzard), Beatle jingles (John & Yoko’s Happy Xmas (War Is Over), Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime) and a one-off - Mike Oldfield’s spellbinding In Dulci Jublio. All 11 tracks have also featured on every subsequent Now Christmas album from 2000 to most recently in 2024:
https://www.nowmusicwiki.com/index.php/Christmas_Series
So, what about the remaining seven tracks?
Band Aid - Do They Know It’s Christmas? Needs no introduction and also showed up on 2000, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 instalments.
Johnny Mathis - When a Child Is Born. Has enjoyed a resurgence in the 2010s with inclusion on Now Christmas 2012 and 2013.
Wham! - Last Christmas. A massive seller with a broken-hearted message that would have been number one if it weren’t for Band Aid. Like Mr Mathis it was omitted from subsequent Christmas compilations until returning for 2012 and 2013.
Mud - Lonely This Christmas. This downbeat groover also featured on 2000, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 volumes.
That leaves three curios which have not been compiled on any subsequent Now Christmas compilation.
Gary Glitter - Another Rock and Roll Christmas. For obvious reasons.
Queen - Thank God It’s Christmas. This was even omitted from later pressings of the LP and cassette.
Shakin’ Stevens - Blue Christmas. Underrated.
NOW: The Christmas Compact Disc
The CD release followed one year later; just in time for December 1986. It contained 16 tracks (John & Yoko and Greg Lake being omitted) and was called NOW: The Christmas Compact Disc.
After the poor-selling Now 4 CD, 1985 saw no UK compilations being released on the new format. However there was a shift during the second half of 1986 with Hits 5, Now ’86 and Now 8 all getting pressed on shiny discs. EMI saw a opportunity to grow sales in the hope that people would double-dip the Christmas album. It's still pretty scarce, but copies can generally be found for under £30.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this classic Christmas album, here is my own personal expanded 2CD set which now features an impressive 44 tracks spanning 63 years of legendary Christmas songs from Judy Garland's 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' released 80 years ago in 1945 to Status Quo's 'It's Christmas Time' released in 2008.
These 44 tracks are what I consider to be the very best Christmas songs of all time.
Compiled as always using the very latest and highest quality digital remasters, with a considerable number of tracks sourced from the original master tapes for superior sound quality and enjoyment.
A very Merry Christmas to BB and all his visitors.
Enjoy!
K
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Track lists
CD1
1 Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas? (Original 1984 7" Single Version) 3:51
2 Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (Original 1973 7" Single Version) 4:45
3 Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody (Original 1973 7" Single Version) 3:26
4 Wham! - Last Christmas (Original 1984 7" Single Version) 4:25
5 Elton John - Step Into Christmas 4:29
6 Mike Oldfield - In Dulci Jubilo 2:52
7 Gary Glitter - Another Rock and Roll Christmas 3:48
8 Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime (Original 1979 7" Single Edit) 3:48
9 Shakin' Stevens - Blue Christmas (Original 1982 7" Single Version) 2:43
10 John & Yoko; Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir - Happy Xmas (War Is Over) 3:39
11 Greg Lake - I Believe in Father Christmas (Original 1975 7" Single Version) 3:32
12 Chris de Burgh - A Spaceman Came Travelling (Original 1976 7" Single Version) 4:02
13 Jona Lewie - Stop the Cavalry 2:55
14 The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick 1:58
15 Queen - Thank God It's Christmas 4:19
16 Mud - Lonely This Christmas 3:33
17 Johnny Mathis - When a Child Is Born (Soleado) 3:41
18 Bing Crosby - White Christmas (1947 Recording) 3:03
19 The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) (Bonus Track) 4:20
20 The Three Wise Men (XTC) - Thanks for Christmas (Bonus Track) 3:50
21 The Pretenders - 2000 Miles (Bonus Track) 3:39
22 Kate Bush - December Will Be Magic Again (Bonus Track) 4:51
CD2
1 Andy Williams - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Bonus Track) 2:42
2 Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (Bonus Track) 2:05
3 Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock (Bonus Track) 2:09
4 The Wombles - Wombling Merry Christmas (Bonus Track) 3:19
5 Showaddywaddy - Hey Mr. Christmas (Bonus Track) 3:37
6 T. Rex - Christmas Bop (Bonus Track) 4:01
7 Status Quo - It's Christmas Time (Bonus Track) 4:10
8 Captain Sensible - One Christmas Catalogue (Bonus Track) 3:59
9 Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone (Bonus Track) 3:39
10 David Essex - A Winter's Tale (Bonus Track) 4:11
11 Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas (Bonus Track) 4:00
12 Boney M. - Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord (Original 1978 7" Single Version) (Bonus Track) 5:43
13 Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) (Bonus Track) 2:49
14 The Crystals - Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (Bonus Track) 3:26
15 Eartha Kitt with Henri Ren & his Orchestra - Santa Baby (Original 1953 RCA Victor 7" Mono Single Version) (Bonus Track) 3:25
16 Squeeze - Christmas Day (Bonus Track) 3:41
17 Bryan Adams - Christmas Time (Bonus Track) 4:09
18 Pet Shop Boys - It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas (Original 1997 Fan Club Only CD Single Mix) (Bonus Track) 3:56
19 Saint Etienne feat. Tim Burgess - I Was Born on Christmas Day (Bonus Track) 3:11
20 Mariah Carey - All I Want for Christmas Is You (Original 1994 Single Version) (Bonus Track) 4:01
21 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York (Bonus Track) 4:32
22 Judy Garland with George Stoll & his Orchestra - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Original 1945 Brunswick Shellac 10" 78 RPM Mono Single Version) (Bonus Track) 2:43
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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
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