''Home for Christmas'' is the first
Christmas album
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...
and second
studio album by American boy band
NSYNC. The album was released, exclusively in the United States, on November 10, 1998, following the success of
their debut album. On October 27, 1999, ''Home for Christmas'' was certified
Double Platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
RIAA for shipment of two million copies in the United States. ''Home for Christmas'' was released on September 30, 2002 in the United Kingdom as ''The Meaning of Christmas'' on Ariola Express with an altered track listing.
"Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" was released as a single in the United States, and in Germany as well, due to its inclusion on the group's German seasonal album, ''
The Winter Album''. As of December 2014, ''Home for Christmas'' has sold 2.8 million copies in the United States, making it the fifteenth
best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the U.S. since
Nielsen SoundScan started tracking music sales in 1991.
Critical reception
During its time of release in 1998, ''Home for Christmas'' was met with lukewarm to negative reviews from critics who derided the song lyrics as “sentimental-sounding non sequiturs”
and contended the group did not have the same charisma of fellow pop groups like the
Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. Lou Pearlman formed the group in 1993 in Orlando, Florida.
The ...
or the
Spice Girls.
At
Rate Your Music
Rate Your Music (often abbreviated to RYM) is an online collaborative database of music releases and films. Users can catalog items from their personal collection, review them, and assign ratings in a five-star rating system. The site also fea ...
, a website where users submit reviews, ''Home for Christmas'' was given a very low rating: 1.43 out of 5.
However, critics also praised the album for having eleven original tracks, as well as for its “slickly produced adult contemporary ballads and lite dance-pop”.
In the years since, the album has been commended for the strength of its five-part
harmonies
In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
, displayed in songs like the group’s
a capella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...
of “
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" (original title: ) is a well-known sacred song for Christmas performance. Originally based on a French-language poem by poet Placide Cappeau, written in 1843, with the first line (Midnight, Christian, is the solemn hour) that co ...
.”
It is also known as a rare NSYNC album that gives
Chris Kirkpatrick
Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick (born October 17, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, music producer, and occasional actor, who is best known for his work as the founding member of the pop group NSYNC, in which he sang countertenor. He al ...
,
Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reali ...
, and
Lance Bass
James Lance Bass (; born May 4, 1979) is an American singer, dancer, actor, film, and television producer. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band NSYNC. NSYNC's success led Bass to work in film ...
vocal opportunities to shine.
Track listing
Most of the lead vocals are provided by
Justin Timberlake and
JC Chasez
Joshua Scott "JC" Chasez (; born August 8, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and occasional actor. He started out his career as a cast member on '' The Mickey Mouse Club'' before rising to stardom with NSYNC, and ...
.
*"Under My Tree", "I Guess It's Christmas Time" has lead vocals provided by
Chris Kirkpatrick
Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick (born October 17, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, music producer, and occasional actor, who is best known for his work as the founding member of the pop group NSYNC, in which he sang countertenor. He al ...
*"All I Want Is You This Christmas", "It's Christmas" has lead vocals provided by Kirkpatrick and
Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reali ...
*"The Only Gift" has lead vocals provided by Kirkpatrick, Fatone and
Lance Bass
James Lance Bass (; born May 4, 1979) is an American singer, dancer, actor, film, and television producer. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band NSYNC. NSYNC's success led Bass to work in film ...
;Notes
*
signifies a vocal co-producer
Personnel
Credits adapted from album’s liner notes.
NSYNC
*
Lance Bass
James Lance Bass (; born May 4, 1979) is an American singer, dancer, actor, film, and television producer. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band NSYNC. NSYNC's success led Bass to work in film ...
– backing vocals
*
JC Chasez
Joshua Scott "JC" Chasez (; born August 8, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and occasional actor. He started out his career as a cast member on '' The Mickey Mouse Club'' before rising to stardom with NSYNC, and ...
– lead vocals
*
Joey Fatone
Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reali ...
– backing vocals
*
Chris Kirkpatrick
Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick (born October 17, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, music producer, and occasional actor, who is best known for his work as the founding member of the pop group NSYNC, in which he sang countertenor. He al ...
– backing vocals
*
Justin Timberlake – lead vocals
Additional personnel
* Troy Antunes — bass
(track 7)
* Lou Appel — drums and percussion
(track 1)
* Joey Argero — bass
(tracks 5, 6)
* Alan "Double A" Armitage — mixing assistant
(tracks 2-9, 12-14)
* Billy Ashbaugh — drums
(track 7)
* Adam Barber — engineer
(tracks 2, 4, 7, 9, 11-14)
* Johann Bast — strings
(track 12)
* Tony Battaglia — guitars
(track 7)
* David Bjella — strings
(track 12)
* Joanie Bjella — strings
(track 12)
* Scott Bliege — horns
(track 6)
* Gary Carolla — producer
(tracks 5, 6, 8, 10), keyboards and drums
(5, 6, 8), arranger
(5, 8), vocal arranger
(10)
* Deborah Cole — additional vocals
(track 1)
*
Tom Coyne Tom Coyne may refer to:
* Tom Coyne (writer), American writer and professor
* Tom Coyne (broadcaster) (1930–2015), British television presenter
* Tom Coyne (music engineer) (1954–2017), American mastering engineer
* Thomas Coyne (cricketer) ( ...
— mastering
* Frank Delour — drums and percussion
(track 1)
* Rob Dorsey — drums and percussion
(track 1)
* Lisa Ferrigno — strings
(track 12)
* Keith Fluitt — additional vocals
(track 1)
* Andricka Hall — additional vocals
(track 1)
* Lawrence Hamilton — additional vocals
(track 1)
* Matt Harris — assistant engineer
(tracks 2-5, 7, 9, 11-14)
* Al Henberger — engineer
(track 3)
* Ben Holt — assistant engineer
(track 1)
* Manfred Honetschläger — strings arranger and conductor
(track 10)
* John James — additional vocals
(track 1)
* Stephanie James — additional vocals
(track 1)
* Jürgen Kaiser — strings engineer
(track 10)
* Mark Kiczula — assistant engineer
(tracks 1, 5)
* Jim Kimball — engineer
(track 11)
* Steve MacAuley — engineer
(track 8)
*
Danny Madden — vocal co-producer
(track 1)
* Pat McMakin — mixing
(track 11)
* Ann Mincieli — assistant engineer
(track 1)
* Frank Motnik — assistant strings engineer
(track 10)
* John Poppo — producer, arranger, engineer, and mixing
(track 1)
* Jim Porreca — engineer
(tracks 5, 6), assistant engineer
(5)
* Jason Rea — assistant engineer
(track 1)
* Giles Reaves — assistant engineer
(track 11)
* Mia S. Rebel — additional vocals
(track 1)
* Veit Renn — producer
(tracks 2, 4, 7, 9, 12-14), guitar
(4), strings arranger and conductor
(12)
* Mike Rew — assistant engineer
(track 1)
*
Nicki Richards — additional vocals
(track 1)
*
Peter Ries
Peter Ries (also known as Marc Cassandra, Gilbert or Steve Hall) is a German record producer, composer, arranger and remixer.
Ries started his career as a singer in 1980 under the nickname Gilbert. Following collaborations with Sandra and Sall ...
— producer, engineer, mixing, keyboards, and programming
(track 10)
*
Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
— producer
(track 3)
* Don Rogozinski — horns
(track 6)
* Jennie Rudberg — strings
(track 12)
* Peter "Ski" Schwartz — keyboard arrangements, string arrangements, and additional vocal arrangements
(track 1)
* Mark Silverman — assistant engineer
(tracks 2-4, 7, 9, 11-14)
* Andre Smith — additional vocals
(track 1)
* Joe Smith — mixing
(tracks 2-9, 12-14)
* Brian Snapp — saxophone
(track 7)
*
Carl Sturken
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
— producer
(track 3)
* Mike Tucker — engineer
(tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 10), additional vocal engineering
(1)
* Voices of Praise — additional choir vocals
(track 4)
* Rex Wertz — horns
(track 6)
* Robin Wiley — producer and arranger
(track 11)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
References
{{Authority control
NSYNC albums
1998 Christmas albums
2002 Christmas albums
Christmas albums by American artists
Pop Christmas albums
RCA Records Christmas albums