The song was described as a "sad ballad", in line with many of Carey's previous hit singles. "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)", another one of the album's original tracks, was very different from its whimsical predecessor. "All I Want for Christmas Is You", the album's lead single was described as an "up-tempo love song, one that could have easily been written for Tommy Mottola". Carey, describing Merry Christmas during an interview with CD Review It was definitely a priority for me to write at least a few new songs, but for the most part, people really want to hear the standards at Christmas, no matter how good a new song is." "You have to have a nice balance between standard Christian hymns and fun songs. According to Chris Nickson, Carey's love of gospel music came through on the track, writing, " led the band without pushing herself forward, letting the song develop and work out, trading lines with the chorus until, after the crescendo, the musicians moved into a fast double-time to the end." The goal was to produce a "real church flavored song", in which Loris Holland played the keyboards and allowed Carey's voice to "cut loose". The song was recorded in a church, with many live backup singers and children playing tambourines and other melodious instruments. The song "Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child", produced by Carey, Afannasief, and Holland, was described as an arrangement of a traditional gospel standard that "really took flight". Carey's goal was to provide an album that would have a "Christmas feel", providing a mixture of soulful tracks, as well as fun and joyous holiday treats. Merry Christmas boasted a variety of musical arrangements, sounds, and genres. Together, they wrote all three of the album's original songs, as well as producing most of the traditional tracks at The Hit Factory, in New York. Throughout the album's development, Carey worked extensively with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she collaborated extensively on Emotions (1991) and Music Box (1993). Problems playing this file? See media help. The lead single from the album, the song became a holiday classic and has achieved many awards and accolades. The idea proved to be wise, earning Carey recognition in various markets including Christian radio and contemporary R&B stations, as well as extended her fame in Japan, where the album experienced much of its success. Nevertheless, Carey, unaffected by the speculation, continued working on, and promoting the album in high spirits, confidence in her work. Initially, critics were shocked they did not know how Carey would fare as an entertainer, as she had previously only been viewed as a pop star. After the success of Carey's previous effort, Music Box, there was speculation of a new project in the works however it was not until October 1994, only one month before the album's release, that Billboard announced Carey would be releasing a holiday album for the Christmas season. As of 2021, Merry Christmas has sold 15 million copies worldwide, and remains the all-time best-selling Christmas album by a woman.Ĭarey has expressed her belief in God and her connection between music and spirituality, and felt the album was finally a way to portray her mysticism into music. On November 1, 2019, a new two-disc edition was released featuring live renditions, newer songs like " Oh Santa!" and " The Star", and numerous remixes in commemoration of the album's twenty-fifth anniversary. Internationally, it reached number one in Japan, Latvia and Lithuania as well as the top-ten in 16 other countries, including Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. Re-released on multiple occasions in various formats since its debut, the album has sold 5.7 million copies in the United States as of December 2019 and has been certified eight-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Some music critics complimented the "gospel and soul-inflected" vocals and even called it "Carey's best record" to date. Two singles were released from the album, of which " All I Want for Christmas Is You" went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time and the best-selling holiday ringtone in the United States.Ĭritical response to the album's contemporary holiday theme was mixed. Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote all of the original tracks, as well as producing Carey's interpretations of the covered material. Released by Columbia Records on October 28, 1994, at the peak of the initial stretch of Carey's career, between Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995), the album features cover versions of popular Christmas tunes and original material. Merry Christmas is the first Christmas album, and the fourth studio album, by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey.