American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics

Various Artists (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 14, 2003)
• Original Release Date: October 14, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B0000C9ZL9
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (162 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #80,039 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

• This item is part of The American Idol Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
You've watched them on TV and followed them in the media. Now six of the American Idol winners perform 10 of the season's holiday best. American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics is a bona fide AI songfest for Christmas, featuring Clay Aiken, Rueben Studdard, Tamyra Gray, Kimberly Locke, Justin Guarni and Christina Christian. With two tunes featuring the entire ensemble singing "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," two duets, and a couple of cuts by Kelly Clarkson, including "My Grown Up Christmas List," this is a crowd pleaser arranged and lushly orchestrated for fans of the show and fine mainstream singing. The real stars seem to shine though on Christian's playful and seductive "Winter Wonderland" and Studdard's soulful pipes on "This Christmas." Overall it's a rewarding set that's almost too perfect. It seems to beg for a little levity a la William Hung. --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clay and Kelly rock, October 17, 2003

By A Customer

I bought this CD just to hear Clay sing "The First Noel", He was amazing as expected. I really liked most of the songs. Kelly blew me away in "My Grown Up Christmas List". This is the Kelly we fell in love with on AI1. Clay, Kelly, Tamyra & Kimberley "made" the CD. I was a bit disappointed in Christina Christian. I liked her voice on AI1, but I don't think she sang to her potential on "Winter Wonderland". I gave it 4 stars just because of a couple songs that I didn't like.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics, October 23, 2003

By	J. Martin "ffej26" (Woodside, NY) - See all my reviews

American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics by far surpasses any of the other American Idol collections. Taking the shows top talents this is the American Idol album to have. Each performer sounds wonderful. Clay's voice is perfectly suited for The First Noel. Tamyra Gray gives a stunning version of Silent Night. Kimberly Locke lends her sultry powerful pipes to The Christmas Song, and Justin has never sounded better on I'll Be Home For Christmas. The ensemble songs are beautifully song. The best is saved for the second disc. Kelly Clarksons O Holy Night is breathtaking and Grown Up Christmas List is lovely. I wish the album included alot more songs. 10 songs seems a little short, but overall a wonderful Christmas album.

50 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Background Music, October 14, 2003

By	"josabby" (Dayton, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This is the first Christmas album I've owned since I had the 8-track of John Denver and the Muppets when I was a small child. As far as the people featured, it's a little different singing style than I'm used to hearing from them, but these are the songs you hear in church and school concerts, so it's perfectly acceptable.

"The First Noel" Clay's performance is a little on the sharp side, but like I said this is a church song, not a love ballad. 4/5.

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" I feel the same about Ruben and Tamyra's duet as I did about Clay's solo. These are three of the best singers I've ever heard. Hearing them sing Christmas songs simply takes some getting used to. 4/5

"O Come All Ye Faithful" Pretty good effort by the Ensemble. I'm not sure if Ruben was a part of this one. Christina comes in a little sharp for my taste and I felt the harmonizing could have been a little better, but good overall 3.5/5.

"Silent Night" Tamyra sounds really good, just different than what I'm used to. It's growing on me. 4.5/5

"Silver Bells" Clay and Kimberly are my two favorite people on this CD. I enjoy this song, but this isn't exactly my favorite vocal performance from either of them. They sound pretty good, but it feels as though they have slight colds. 4/5

"Santa Clause is Coming to Town" Not my favorite Christmas song, but it's a really great performance by the ensemble. They really compliment each other well with this one. They seem like they had a lot of fun here. 5/5.

"The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" This is the Kimbely I love. She sounds fantastic. This song didn't even have to grow on me. 5/5.

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" I'm not exactly the biggest Justin fan, but I like his performance here. It's good to hear a little power in his vocals rather than the usual light crooning we get out of him. I'm actually feeling some sincerity from him here. 4.5/5

"Winter Wonderland" Christina has a pretty voice, but her vocal style is a little soft for my liking. I wish Trenyce had been on this CD. I kept picturing Christina in a Cabaret dress tickling men with a feather while singing this. It feels like she's singing it through her nose. Good instrumentals save it for me though and Christina does have some pep. 3/5.

"This Christmas" This is the Ruben I love. This is the Velvetly voice I got into early on AI. Not as good as Kim's, but still impressive. It's fun. 4.5/5

"Oh Holy Night"/"My Grown-up Christmas List" Kelly sounds pretty good on these. A little sharp in places on O' Holy Night, but not too sharp. "My Grown-up Christmas List" is superp. 4/5.

Overall, this is definately one of the better Christmas CDs I've heard. Usually people record dreary or over sung Christmas albums, but the people on this CD really get into singing the songs.