Christmas is still more than three months away, but is it ever too early to start preparing for the holiday gift-giving season? With that in mind, the UMe label has announced plans to release a series of seven colored-vinyl singles featuring some of the most-popular Christmas tunes by a variety of famous artists.
The limited-edition run of 7-inch vinyl discs will be released on November 8. The singles feature yuletide gems by The Beach Boys, Brenda Lee, Chuck Berry, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. Each disc features a holiday hit on the A-side and another yuletide gem on the B-side.
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Each disc comes in a picture sleeve with a bright and visually appealing design. The singles can be pre-ordered now.
The Beach Boys’ Holiday Single
The Beach Boys single features the surf-rock legends’ original 1963 Christmas tune “Little Saint Nick” backed by their version of the traditional tune “Auld Lang Syne.” The disc is pressed on ice-blue vinyl. “Little Saint Nick” peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, although it didn’t reach that position until 2024.
Brenda Lee’s Single
Lee’s single features her 1958 holiday classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” backed with “Papa Noel.” The disc is pressed on translucent-emerald vinyl.
Brenda was only 13 years old when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” In December 2023, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100, when Lee was 78, making her the oldest artist ever to top the chart. A week later, after Lee had celebrated her 79th birthday, the tune remained at No. 1, and she thereby broke her own record for the oldest chart-topping artist.
Chuck Berry’s Single
Berry’s single features his 1958 tune “Run Rudolph Run” backed by “Merry Christmas Baby.” It’s pressed on evergreen vinyl. In January 2021, “Run Rudolph Run” peaked at No. 10 on the Hot 100.
Burl Ives’ Single
Ives’ holiday single features “A Holly Jolly Christmas” backed with “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and is pressed on opaque-snow-white” vinyl. Ives recorded both songs for the popular 1964 Christmas TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. “A Holly Jolly Christmas” reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 2019 and again in 2021.
Nat King Cole’s Single
Not surprisingly, Cole’s single features his signature yuletide tune “The Christmas Song.” It’s backed by the crooner’s version of “Deck the Hall,” and is pressed on opaque-baby-blue vinyl. “The Christmas Song,” sometimes subtitled “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” was a No. 3 hit for Cole when he originally released it in 1946. The single features his best-known version of the tune, which he recorded with a full orchestra in 1960.
Ella Fitzgerald’s Single
Fitzgerald’s single features “Sleigh Ride” backed with “Jingle Bells,” and is pressed on apple-red vinyl. The jazz great recorded her renditions of both tunes for her 1960 album Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas.
Frank Sinatra’s Single
Sinatra’s vinyl single features his own take on “Jingle Bells” backed with his version of “Silent Night.” The disc is pressed on evergreen vinyl.
Sinatra’s popular rendition of “Jingle Bells” was recorded with an orchestra conducted by Gordon Jenkins and was released on his 1957 album A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra. His version of “Silent Night” appeared on the same album. Sinatra’s “Jingle Bells” reached No. 16 on the Hot 100, its highest position on the chart, in December 2023.