WOW Christmas: 30 Top Christian Artists and Holiday Songs

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 1, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Word Entertainment
• ASIN: B00006JOG8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,761 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Winter Wonderland - Avalon

2. Emmanuel - Michael W. Smith

3. O Holy Night - Point of Grace

4. Christmas Is All In the Heart - Steven Curtis Chapman

5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Yolanda Adams

6. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Jaci Velasquez

7. Away In a Manger - CeCe Winans

8. Hallelujah - Soulful Celebration

9. Strange Way To Save the World - 4HIM

10. Breathe of Heaven - Amy Grant

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Third Day

2. Sing Mary Sing - Jennifer Knapp

3. Angels We Have Heard On High - ZOEGirl

4. What Child Is This? - Mercy Me

5. This Christmas/Joy To the World - Toby Mac

6. Christmas Time is here - Sixpence None the Richer

7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Jars of Clay

8. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Caedmon's Call

9. A Prayer For Every Year - Plus One

10. Sweet Little Jesus Boy - Rebecca St. James

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Popular Music Feel, December 5, 2002

By 

Michael Cassio (Randolph, New Jersey, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: WOW Christmas: 30 Top Christian Artists and Holiday Songs (Audio CD)

The CD collection is definately not something I was expecting to hear when I first put the CD into the player. But as I started listening to the tracks repeatedly, I found that the songs grew on me, even if the styles aren't what I would expect from these Christian artists.

Most of the songs have either more of a Popular/Top 40 or Rhythm and Blues feel to them, mixed with the traditional lyrics and tunes that most people are familiar with. And while not every song is devoted to Christ - and some do have that "snowy-stay-cozy-near-the-fire" feeling to them - most songs in the compilation are more suited to Christ's birth than other popular collections that are released this time of year.

If you're after something that's reflecting Prayer/Praise music or traditional hymns found in a church setting, this CD may not be for you. But if you're after a combination of time-honored Christmas songs mixed with contemporary styles, then the CD is quite a pleasant surprise.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Merry Non-Traditional Christmas to You, October 29, 2003

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: WOW Christmas: 30 Top Christian Artists and Holiday Songs (Audio CD)

Presenting hit songs every year for over 5 years now, the WOW series has made a name for itself in the Christian market. With this CD set, the series turns its eye toward Christmas music with good but not great results.

The first song, Avalon's take on "Winter Wonderland" should give you a clue what you're in for. While most of the 31 songs are familiar, they have been arranged to fit the musical styles of the artists who perform them here. While I enjoy alternative arrangements, too many get on my nerves. This is especially true when we get into artists whose styles I'm not fond of anyway. And it hardly feels like Christmas music, even if you already know the song.

One plus of this two disc set, however, is that many of the songs are new recordings. Artists without Christmas CD's have recorded songs that are only available here, and it's nice to have the new material, which represents almost half of the set.

Most of the songs are the classics we hear every year, but some artists are represented by their more original, new classics. For example, we get Michael W. Smith's, "Emmanuel," Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven," and 4 Him's "Strange Way to Save the World." Also falling into this category is "Mary, Did You Know?" sung here by Kathy Mattea and Plus One's "A Prayer for Every Year." While I appreciate their attempt to Christianize "Grown Up Christmas List," I somehow find it lyrically lacking and ultimately disappointing.

Ultimately, I find the songs I'm drawn to most to be the ones from CD's I already have and love. It's a good set, but I don't see it getting more then a couple listens each year.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!!!, December 19, 2005

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: WOW Christmas: 30 Top Christian Artists and Holiday Songs (Audio CD)

This is one of my favourite Christmas music collections, along with Donna Summer's classy 'Christmas Spirit'. The name really says it all, wow!!!

Ranging in style from jazzy treatments, to alternative rock to urban, this is a collection of perrennial favourites redone (and in some cases drastically redone) by most of contemporary Christian music's best. This might not appeal to some but I love the different treatments.

Disc one has the swinging jazzy treatment of 'Winter wonderland' by Avalon featuring the tight harmonies they are known for. 'Strange way to save the world' is a beautiful ballad by 4Him with lyrics about God's choice to send a baby in a manger to save us all. There is the melodramatic 'Emmanuel' by Michael W Smith, the stunning acoustic treatment of 'O come, o come, Emmanuel' by Nicole C Mullen (check out her brilliant 'Christmas in black and white' CD), the celebratory 'Hallelujah' by Soulful Celebration, the soul/gospel choir sound of Kirk Franklin's 'The night that Christ was born, and the awesome 'Mary did you know' by Kathy Mattea, with lyrics asking Mary if she knew the baby she was carrying would one day walk on water and be the saviour of the whole world.

Disc 2 is more rock laced and edgier; 'Do you hear what I hear' by Third Day, an acoustic 'What child is this' by MercyMe, the rocky 'Little drummer boy' by Audio Adrenaline, a soulful rendition of 'O little town of Bethlehem' by Out of Eden, complete with a much needed prayer for peace on earth, the driving rock/pop of 'Angels we have heard on high' by ZOEgirl, 'O little town of Bethlehem' by Caedmon's call, a wonderful slow shuffling performance of 'Christmastime is here' by Sixpence none the richer, the acoustic 'God rest ye merry gentlemen' by Jars of clay featuring excellent harmonising, and the hip hop 'This Christmas (joy to the world)' by TobyMac.

If you are looking for a beautiful, experimental collection of Christmas music with the message of Christmas told, this is the CD for you.