Easy Listening Music

Christmas Eve and Other Stories [Box] by...

starting at

$6

product

Party Tyme Karaoke: Love Songs, Vol. 3 by Karaoke/Sybersound (CD - 01/09/2007)

starting at

$6

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($6 - $11)

see more like this

Available at 11 stores

starting at

$24

product

Christmas Eve and Other Stories [Box] by Trans-Siberian Orchestra (CD - 11/02/2004)

"Christmas Eve and Other Stories [Box]" (11/02/2004) Easy Listening Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Lava Records (USA)Trans-Siberian Orchestra includes: Paul O'Neill (conductor). This release includes a bonus DVD. Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Al Pitrelli (guitar, keyboards); Chris Caffery, Alex Skolnick, Paul O'Neill, Angus Clark, Tristan Avakian (guitar); Jon Oliva, Robert Kinkel (piano, keyboards); Jane Mangini (piano); Carmine Giglo, Mee Eun Kim (keyboards); David Z. , Johnny Lee Middleton, Jeff Allegue (bass instrument); Jeff Plate (drums). In 2004, Trans-Siberian Orchestra finished their "Christmas trilogy" with the massive -- some would say ponderous -- The Lost Christmas Eve. Wasting none of the holiday season's precious shopping time, the Christmas Trilogy box set landed two weeks after that album, giving the band's loyal fan base a set to give -- some would say inflict -- to their friends. Then again, maybe they'll just want to hold on to the set since there's a DVD with appearances by Jewel and Michael Crawford and the lavishly illustrated booklet includes all the lyrics and background stories. You really should dabble in Trans-Siberian's dramatic, huge world of Christmas music through the eyes of classic rock before laying down the money for the set. If you just need a bit of this 60-piece, the first album is the most inspired, but it's not enough for most who get hooked. Although the next two albums gave diminishing returns, Trans-Siberian producer/mastermind Paul O'Neill kept pouring his heart into the music and always offered some genuine thrills. Great presentation and a packed DVD make up for a lot of note-spinning on the third disc, and what was a wintry night made for besides curling up with a precious, hope-filled story, no matter how cumbersome? ~ David Jeffries What would happen if members of Savatage decided to write some Christmas songs? Easy: Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This "supergroup" is the brainchild of Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill (respectively the leader-keyboardist and the producer of Savatage). They hired Al Pitrelli (Asia, Savatage) to play guitars, Robert Kinkel to help with keyboards, John Middleton (also a member of Savatage) on bass, and Jeff Plate on drums. Lead vocals are shared by six vocalists, while some of the backing vocals are handled by Savatage lead singer Zachary Stevens. Christmas Eve and Other Stories is a concept album: all the songs are built as chapters of a book, each telling part of a larger story. The plot here is of a young angel sent down to Earth to find and bring back to the Lord "the one thing that best represents everything good that has been done in the name of this day." The angel's quest takes him all over the world, through Russia and Sarajevo, until he finally hears the prayer of a father. This last piece is the strongest moment on the album and makes for a miniature story within the larger story. It is basically told in a trilogy of songs: in the first, "Ornament," we hear the father's prayer, explaining how he hasn't seen his daughter in many years. In "Old City Bar," the angel finds the daughter, standing alone outside a bar, and talks to the bartender who, out of a random act of kindness, takes all the cash from his register drawer and gives it to the girl so she can go home. The third song, "This Christmas Day," has the father praising God, thanking him for bringing his daughter back to him on this night of all nights. It is a very touching story, pondering the thought that "If you want to arrange it/This world you can change it/If we could somehow make this/Christmas thing last/By helping a neighbor/Or even a stranger." Musically, the band has taken some traditional Christmas songs ("O Come All Ye Faithful," "O Holy Night," "The First Noel") and mixed in some modern rock music. The result is stunning and very impressive. It is filled with energy that simply blows you away. The already classic "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" is a gripping instrumental based on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (although you might have to listen carefully to hear it). Fans of progressive music should like this one. And if you're into the more recent works of Savatage (like Handful of Rain or De

starting at

$24

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($24 - $50)

Party Tyme Karaoke: Love Songs, Vol. 1 b...

see more like this

Christmas Caroling by Ray Conniff (CD - ...

starting at

$7

product

Party Tyme Karaoke: Love Songs, Vol. 1 by Karaoke/Sybersound (CD - 06/06/2006)

"Party Tyme Karaoke: Love Songs, Vol. 1" (06/06/2006) Easy Listening Karaoke, SybersoundUnlike a lot of karaoke discs, some volumes in Sybersound's Party Tyme Karaoke series give karaoke enthusiasts the benefit of being able to choose between instrumental and vocal versions. The discs typically begin with the instrumental versions and then repeat the program with the vocal versions of the same songs. The renditions of the songs are functional -- the vocals tend to be somewhat buried in the mix, just loud enough to guide you without overpowering your voice -- but hardly substitute for the originals. Party Tyme Karaoke: Love Songs, Vol. 1 includes instrumental and vocal versions of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You," Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman," Olivia Newton-John's "I Honestly Love You," Heatwave's "Always and Forever," and Rod Stewart's "Have I Told You Lately." ~ Andy Kellman

starting at

$7

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($7 - $11)

see more like this

Closer by Josh Groban (CD - 11/11/2003)

starting at

$4

product

Christmas Caroling by Ray Conniff (CD - 09/01/2001)

"Christmas Caroling" (09/01/2001) Easy Listening Conniff, Ray, Columbia (USA)Contains 16 tracks. Personnel: Ray Conniff (trombone). Christmas Caroling is an excellent disc that rounds up 15 highlights from Ray Conniff's numerous holiday albums. Production styles may have changed over the years, but Conniff's easy listening style stayed essentially the same through it all, which means that the compilation is fairly cohesive and that it's a terrific choice for background holiday music. Among the highlights are "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Frosty the Snowman," "Joy to the World," "Jingle Bells," "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

starting at

$4

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($4 - $10)

see more like this

Available at 12 stores

starting at

$7

product

Closer by Josh Groban (CD - 11/11/2003)

"Closer" (11/11/2003) Easy Listening Groban, Josh, Warner Bros. Records (Record Label)Personnel includes: Josh Groban (vocals); Leo Z. (piano, keyboards, programming, background vocals); Angie Passerella (acoustic & Classical guitars); Dean Parks, Ramon Stagnaro, Michael Thompson (guitar); Joshua Bell (violin); Devis Mariotti (flute, whistle, background vocals); Eric Rigler (Uillean pipes); David Foster (piano); Mark Hammond (keyboards, programming); David Fall (drums); Raphael Padila (percussion); Jochem Van Der Saag (programming); Richard Page, Andrea Sandri (background vocals); Deep Forest. Producers: David Foster, Walter Afanasieff, Leo Z., Mauro Malavasi, Eric Mouquet. Recorded at Chartmaker Studios, Malibu, California. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Personnel: Josh Groban (piano, background vocals); Dean Parks, Norbert Gallo, Michael Hart Thompson , Ramon Stagnaro (guitar); J'Anna Jacoby, Joshua Bell (violin); Eric Rigler (Uilleann pipe); David Foster (piano, keyboards); Mark Portmann, Walter Afanasieff (keyboards, programming); Eric Mouquet, Mark Hammond (keyboards); David Fall (drums); Rafael Padilla (percussion); Paul Schwartz (programming, drum programming); Courtney Blooding, Andrea Sandrei, Marco Marinangeli, Richard Page (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Humberto Gatica; Pierre Jacquot. Recording information: Blue Studios (09/26/2003); Chalice, CA (09/26/2003); Chartmaker Studios, Malibu, CA (09/26/2003); EMM Studio, France (09/26/2003); Leo Z's Studio (09/26/2003); Sony Studios, Culver City, CA (09/26/2003); Wallyworld, LA (09/26/2003). Photographer: Olaf Heine. Arrangers: Klaus Derendorf; Eric Mouquet; Jeremy Lubbock; Mark Hammond; Mark Portmann; Paul Schwartz ; William Ross; David Foster; Walter Afanasieff. Powerhouse vocalist Josh Groban may not be all things to all people, but he's certainly many things to many people. An international sensation, Groban is a Broadway-ready belter, romantic crooner, and classical/pop crossover phenomenon. Groban largely shies away from the more operatic side of his musical personality on CLOSER, leaning more towards a lush, cosmopolitan style that finds him singing in Italian, French, Spanish, and English with equal aplomb. While the album is speckled with adult-contemporary pop production touches courtesy of Groban's mentor David Foster, much of the record sports a cinematic, grandly orchestrated feel. And on the closing track "Never Let Go," his collaboration with ambient popsters Deep Forest, Groban even bucks for inclusion on a future volume of the PURE MOODS series, showing that he's always got another stylistic surprise up his sleeve.

starting at

$7

By Warner Bros.

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($7 - $19)

Christmas with Conniff by The Ray Connif...

see more like this

starting at

$5

product

Christmas with Conniff by The Ray Conniff Singers (CD - 09/01/2001)

"Christmas with Conniff" (09/01/2001) Easy Listening Conniff, Ray, Columbia (USA)Christmas with Conniff is Ray Conniff's first holiday record, and it remains one of his very best efforts in that genre. His light, pretty, signature touch is perfectly suited to Christmas music, and he and his singers make such carols and holiday songs as "Frosty the Snowman," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Jingle Bells," "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," and "Silver Bells" irresistible easy listening. Perfect background music for any holiday event. ~ Rodney Batdorf

starting at

$5

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($5 - $10)

Music of Christmas

see more like this

The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: 2 C...

starting at

$5

product

Music of Christmas

"Music of Christmas" (09/01/2001) Easy Listening Faith, Percy, Columbia (USA)One of the classic easy listening Christmas albums, 1966's MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS is perennially one of Percy Faith's most popular albums. Unlike Faith's later CHRISTMAS IS album, which included several vocal tracks, the 14 tracks on MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS are completely instrumental full-orchestra arrangements of some glorious Christmas songs, from the usual suspects-"Deck the Halls," "Joy to the World," etc.-to a batch of more obscure gems like the English carols "The Holly and the Ivy" and "Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming." The CD remastering job is excellent, and the music is first-rate orchestral easy listening. Highly recommended to all easy listening fans, though admittedly non-fans might find it a bit soppy.

starting at

$5

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($5 - $10)

see more like this

Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album by V...

starting at

$13

product

The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: 2 CD Collection [2001] by Various Artists (CD - 09/11/2001)

"The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: 2 CD Collection [2001]" (09/11/2001) Easy Listening Various Artists, Time/Life MusicIf you want that old-fashioned holiday feeling of spending Christmas in your grandparents' house while they pull out some of their favorite Yuletide LPs and play them on a well-worn phonograph (that's for records, kids), THE TIME-LIFE TREASURY OF CHRISTMAS is here to help. This two-disc collection is based around well known Christmas recordings by some of the biggest crooners of the pre-rock era. The original smoothie Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is as unassailable as it is ubiquitous. Ella Fitzgerald sounds just as transcendent singing "Jingle Bells" as she did on any other tune she ever tackled. Even when Elvis Presley pops up, rock & roll is eschewed in favor of the lovelorn Christmas anthem "Blue Christmas."

starting at

$13

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($13 - $21)

see more like this

Christmas Is... by Percy Faith & His...

starting at

$10

product

Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album by Various Artists (CD - 10/15/2002)

"Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album" (10/15/2002) Easy Listening Various Artists, Decca (USA)Includes liner notes by Joseph S. Szurly. Personnel: Arthur Grumiaux (violin). Liner Note Author: Joseph S. Szurly. Directors: Georg Ratzinger; Uwe Christian Harrer; David Willcocks . Though it may not intend to, with its title The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album addresses one of the biggest paradoxes of the holiday season: ideally, it should be one of the most joyous and relaxing times of the year, but thanks to shopping for gifts, social obligations, and heightened expectations, too often the holidays become stressful instead of pleasant. This collection of soothing instrumental and choral holiday favorites aims to restore some serenity to the season, and on at least one level, it succeeds; the gentle renditions of "O Holy Night," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "The Christmas Waltz" have soft, lush arrangements that are definitely relaxing. However, the arrangements skirt dangerously close to the sappy, string-laden territory of Mantovani, 101 Strings, and countless other easy listening instrumentalists, and the cutesy harp, piano, and xylophone flourishes on many of the tracks threaten to push the album into kitsch. Of course, the Christmas albums by Mantovani, 101 Strings, and the like were hugely popular, and this album's nod to those sweetly bland holiday releases of the past could be intentional, adding to the built-in nostalgia that the season evokes. In some ways, the retro feeling of The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album is more refreshing -- and yes, relaxing -- than the new age-tinged holiday albums that may very likely sound nostalgic a few decades down the road. The purely choral selections are simpler and more dignified than most of the intstrumentals on the album, though a few of the orchestral tracks later in the album lose some of the more obvious easy listening tendencies. An ultra-traditional collection, The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album could be either stuffy or comforting, depending on your taste in holiday music and, quite possibly, how much eggnog you've had. ~ Heather Phares

starting at

$10

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($10 - $18)

Irish Wedding Music

see more like this

Available at 3 stores

starting at

$1

product

Irish Wedding Music

"Irish Wedding Music" (04/13/2007) International Various Artists, St. Clair

starting at

$1

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($1 - $6)

see more like this

Moments to Remember by Beegie Adair (CD ...

starting at

$5

product

Christmas Is... by Percy Faith & His Orchestra (CD - 09/01/2001)

"Christmas Is..." (09/01/2001) Easy Listening Faith, Percy, Columbia (USA)Personnel: Percy Faith (piano). Recording information: 1966. Photographer: Sandy Speiser. Possibly Percy Faith's best-selling album, CHRISTMAS IS is a relative rarity in the Toronto-born bandleader/arranger's oeuvre in that it's not primarily an instrumental album. Other than a couple of tracks like a lovely rendition of "I'll be Home For Christmas," the songs feature a largish chorus of sweet-voiced male and female singers in the traditional '50s easy listening style. What made Faith different from all the other easy listening bandleaders is that he knew how to balance the human voice with a full orchestra; these arrangements are fairly remarkable in the way Faith complements the vocals with the lower sonorities of the orchestra, a range he rarely explored on his fully instrumental albums.

starting at

$5

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($5 - $10)

see more like this

Christmas Album: Here We... [Remaster]

starting at

$8

product

Moments to Remember by Beegie Adair (CD - 04/21/2009)

starting at

$8

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($8 - $20)

see more like this

Twas The Night Before Christmas

starting at

$5

product

Christmas Album: Here We... [Remaster]

"Here We Come A-Caroling [Remaster]" (08/24/2004) Easy Listening Conniff, Ray, Legacy RecordingsRay Conniff's Here We Come A-Caroling is a chipper, upbeat album that feels like a '60s commercial for Christmas more than anything else. The overly cheery, goofy presentation actually makes the album far better, giving the songs the right twist for the time of year. The Christian point of view may put off some listeners who do not share the same beliefs, but this is a mostly harmless trip down nostalgia lane that may appeal to lovers of the ironic as well as fans of this time period of music. ~ Bradley Torreano This album, also known as Merry Christmas to All, was a million-seller in 1962 and a top-seller for ten years. It's a good '60s sound-of-the-season timepiece. ~ David A. Milberg

starting at

$5

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($5 - $10)

see more like this

starting at

$4

product

Twas The Night Before Christmas

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas [Special Music]" (n/a) Easy Listening Liberace, Passport Audio

starting at

$4

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($4 - $7)

At the Movies

see more like this

Awake by Josh Groban (CD - 11/07/2006)

starting at

$11

product

At the Movies

"At the Movies" (10/01/2005) Easy Listening Rieu, Andr?, Denon Records

starting at

$11

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($11 - $20)

see more like this

Available at 13 stores

starting at

$3

product

Awake by Josh Groban (CD - 11/07/2006)

starting at

$3

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($3 - $20)

Going Places [6/7]

see more like this

starting at

$8

product

Going Places [6/7]

starting at

$8

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($8 - $13)

S.R.O. [6/7]

see more like this

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Original Sound...

starting at

$8

product

S.R.O. [6/7]

starting at

$8

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($8 - $13)

Best Of Billy Vaughn

see more like this

Available at 6 stores

starting at

$4

product

Best Of Billy Vaughn

"Best of Billy Vaughn" (12/02/2003) Easy Listening Vaughn, Billy, EMI Music Distribution

starting at

$4

priceRangeSubmit yes In this price range ($4 - $15)

see more like this