# The Music of Christmas

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | (not rated) |
The Music of Christmas is the first Christmas album and seventh studio album overall by American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman. It was released on September 26, 1995.

## Track listing

All songs written and/or arranged by Steven Curtis Chapman, except where noted.
* "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/The Music Of Christmas"(Charles Wesley, Felix Mendelson, Chapman) – 6:43
* "Christmas Is All In The Heart" (feat. CeCe Winans) – 5:15
* "Angels We Have Heard on High" (Edward Shippen Barnes) – 5:39
* "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" (John Mason Neale, Henry Sloane Coffin, Chapman) – 3:28
* "Our God Is With Us" (Chapman, Michael W. Smith) – 6:43
* Interlude: "The Music Of Christmas" (Handel, Wesley, Mendelson, Barnes, Chapman, Buchanan) – 4:46
* "This Baby" (William C. Dix, Chapman) – 4:35
* "Silent Night/Away in a Manger/O Holy Night" (Franz Gruber, James R. Murray, Adolphe Adam, Chapman) – 6:03
* "Carol of the Bells" (Mykola Leontovych, arranged by Chapman) – 3:44
* "O Come All Ye Faithful" (John Francis Wade, Chapman) – 4:18
* "Going Home For Christmas" (Chapman, James Isaac Elliot) – 5:25
* "Precious Promise" – 4:12

## Personnel

* Steven Curtis Chapman – lead vocals, acoustic guitar (1, 2, 6, 7–12), hi-strung guitar (1, 9, 10), backing vocals (3, 7, 11), gut-string guitar (6, 8, 9), E-coustic guitar (9), dobro (9), hammered dulcimer (9), mandolin (9, 11), 12-string guitar (10, 11), Roland VG synth guitar (12)
* Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 11), programming (6)
* Shane Keister – acoustic piano (1, 4, 11), keyboards (2, 7, 10)
* Scott Sheriff – keyboards (8)
* Blair Masters – programming (9)
* Gordon Kennedy – electric guitar (1, 3, 7, 11), backing vocals (1, 5, 10), acoustic guitar (5)
* Jerry McPherson – electric guitar (1, 2, 7, 10)
* Randy Pearce – electric guitar (3)
* Dann Huff – electric guitar (5)
* Paul Franklin – steel guitar (11)
* Leland Sklar – bass (1, 3, 5, 7, 11)
* Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (2, 10)
* Steve Brewster – drums (1, 3, 5, 7, 11), programming (3, 7)
* Paul Leim – drums (2, 10)
* Terry McMillan – jingle bells (7)
* Ronn Huff – string arrangements (1, 3–6, 8–10, 12, choral arrangement (4, 8)
* Gavyn Wright – concertmaster (1, 3–6, 8–10, 12)
* The London Session Orchestra – strings (1, 3–6, 8–10, 12)
* Don Hart – string arrangements (2, 10)
* The Nashville String Machine – strings (2), additional strings (10)
* Max Carl – backing vocals (1, 5, 7, 10)
* Bob Carlisle – backing vocals (1, 5, 10)
* Lisa Cochran – backing vocals (1, 5, 10)
* Robin Johnson – backing vocals (1, 5, 10)
* Michael Mellett – backing vocals (1, 5, 10)
* The Belmont Church Choir – choir (1)
* The Kids Connection Choir – kids choir (1)
* CeCe Winans – harmony vocals (2)
* Bill Champlin – backing vocals (3)
* Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals (3, 7, 11)
* The American Boychoir – boychoir (4, 8), intro choir (7)
* Alan Arak – additional intro vocals (7)
* Robert Carpenter – additional intro vocals (7)
* Charles Eversole – additional intro vocals (7)
* Barry Phillips – additional intro vocals (7)
* Herb Chapman Jr. – backing vocals (8)
* Herb Chapman Sr. – backing vocals (8)
* Terry Wood – backing vocals (11)

## Production

* Steven Curtis Chapman – producer
* Brown Bannister – producer, additional engineering
* Peter York – executive producer
* Dan Raines – executive producer
* Traci Sterling Bishir – production coordinator
* Steve Bishir – track and overdub engineering
* Jeff Balding – tracking ("Christmas is All in the Heart" and "O Come All Ye Faithful")
* The Dugout (Nashville, Tennessee) – tracking location, overdub recording location
* Mole End Studio (Franklin, Tennessee) – overdub recording location
* Quad Studios (Nashville, Tennessee) – overdub recording location
* OmniSound (Nashville, Tennessee) – overdub recording location
* Devonshire Studio (North Hollywood, California) – overdub recording location
* Ocean Studio (Burbank, California) – overdub recording location
* Sound on Sound Recording (New York City, New York) – overdub recording location
* Steve Bishir – recording engineer for the London Session Orchestra and Nashville String Machine
* The Bennett House (Franklin, Tennessee) – recording location for the London Session Orchestra and Nashville String Machine
* Guy Defazio – additional engineering
* Martin Woodlee – additional engineering, assistant engineer
* Patrick Kelly – additional engineering
* Joey Grimstead – assistant engineer
* Aaron Swihart – assistant engineer
* Bill Schnee – mixing
* Schnee Studio (North Hollywood, California) – mixing location
* John Hendrickson – mix assistant
* Doug Sax – mastering
* The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California) – mastering location
* Karen Phillpott – art direction
* Franke Design – cover
* East-West Design (Nashville, Tennessee) – design
* David Maisel – photography
* Johnny Villanueva – hair and make-up
* Jamie Kearney – stylist

## Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
| 1995 | 200 | 61 |
| 1995 | Top Contemporary Christian | 2 |

## Certifications

| Country | Sales | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
| United States (RIAA) | 500,000 | Gold |