hicago is lighting up the holidays with a new collection that combines songs from all three of its beloved Christmas albums. The legendary “rock band with horns” will even add a few of those holiday classics to its live shows during its current tour.
CHICAGO GREATEST CHRISTMAS HITS arrives November 3 on CD, red vinyl, and digitally. Pre-order HERE. A green-vinyl version will also be available exclusively at indie retailers.
The festive compilation shines a spotlight on Chicago’s unmistakable sound across 13 yuletide favorites, including “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow,” “All Over The World,” “Wonderful Christmas Time” (featuring Dolly Parton), and “Winter Wonderland.” The tracks originally appeared on Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album (1998), What’s It Gonna Be, Santa?(2003), Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three (2011), and Chicago XXXVII: Chicago Christmas (2019). Earlier this year, Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album and What’s It Gonna Be, Santa? were both certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Rhino/Warner Music Group recently acquired O Christmas Three (originally released on Chicago’s own label) and are reissuing it on CD. This brings all three of the band’s holiday albums together in one place, ensuring Chicago Greatest Christmas Hits is a truly comprehensive collection.
In addition, all of Chicago’s holiday albums will be bundled together for Chicago Christmas Complete, a 3-CD set arriving on November 3 and available only from WMG. As an added treat, this collection comes with an exclusive Chicago Christmas ornament. The music from all three albums also has been compiled into a single playlist that’s available to stream on digital platforms.
Tickets for Chicago’s current U.S. tour are on sale now (see dates below). The tour will finish in Atlantic City, NJ, with two special shows on November 17 and 18, dubbed “Chicago & Friends.” These concerts will be filmed for “Decades Rock Live,” an award-winning concert television show that pairs legendary bands with today’s hottest artists.
At both shows, Chicago will perform its greatest hits with several special guests, including guitar virtuoso Steve Vai (paying tribute to Chicago’s original guitarist Terry Kath), Robin Thicke, Chris Daughtry, pedal steel virtuoso Robert Randolph, guitarist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Judith Hill, and the world-renowned a cappella quintet, VoicePlay. The performances will be filmed on a custom-built LED stage in 4K and broadcast in late December. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Chicago holds a prestigious place as one of the longest-running and best-selling groups of all time. It’s the first American band to chart albums in Billboard’s Pop Top 40 in six consecutive decades, ranking as the highest charting American band in Billboard’s Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, and the #4 band on Billboard’s All-Time Top Bands and Duos list. The group’s extensive accomplishments include: two Grammy Awards® and a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Recording Academy, multiple American Music Awards, 11 Number One singles, five consecutive Number One albums, and sales of over 100 million records, with 47 albums earning gold and platinum certification. Chicago was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, and its debut album, Chicago Transit Authority, was inducted into the Grammy® Hall Of Fame in 2014. In 2017, the Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted songwriters Robert Lamm (“25 or 6 to 4”, “Saturday In The Park”) and James Pankow (“Feelin’ Stronger Every Day,” “Make Me Smile”).
CHICAGO GREATEST CHRISTMAS HITS
LP Track Listing
Side One
1. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
2. “All Over The World”
3. “White Christmas”
4. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
5. “Sleigh Ride”
6. “Winter Wonderland”
Side Two
1. “Here We Come A Caroling”
2. “Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer”
3. “Merry Christmas, I Love You”
4. “Because It’s Christmastime”
5. “Wonderful Christmas Time” – featuring Dolly Parton
6. “The Christmas Song”
7. “Christmas Time Is Here”
O CHRISTMAS THREE
CD Track Listing
1. “Wonderful Christmas Time” – featuring Dolly Parton
2. “Rocking Around The Christmas Tree”
3. “I Saw Three Ships” – featuring America
4. “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays”
5. “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”
6. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”
7. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
8. “On The Last Night Of The Year”
9. “Merry Christmas Darling” – featuring BeBe Winans
10. “Rockin’ And Rollin’ On Christmas Day” – featuring Steve Cropper
11. “My Favorite Things”
12. “O Christmas Tree”
13. “Jingle Bells”
14. “Here Comes Santa Claus” / “Joy To The World” – with Children’s Choir
CHICAGO CHRISTMAS COMPLETE
3-CD Track Listing
Disc One: From What’s It Gonna Be, Santa?
1. “Winter Wonderland”
2. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
3. “Jolly Old St. Nicholas”
4. “Little Drummer Boy”
5. “This Christmas”
6. “Feliz Navidad”
7. “Bethlehem”
8. “The Christmas Song”
9. “O Come All Ye Faithful”
10. “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer”
11. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
12. “Sleigh Ride”
13. “Silent Night”
14. “What Child Is This”
15. “Christmas Time Is Here”
16. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
17. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”
18. “Child’s Prayer”
19. “One Little Candle”
20. “White Christmas”
Disc Two: O Christmas Three
1. “Wonderful Christmas Time” – featuring Dolly Parton
2. “Rocking Around The Christmas Tree”
3. “I Saw Three Ships” – featuring America
4. “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays”
5. “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”
6. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”
7. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
8. “On The Last Night Of The Year”
9. “Merry Christmas Darling” – featuring BeBe Winans
10. “Rockin’ And Rollin’ On Christmas Day” – featuring Steve Cropper
11. “My Favorite Things”
12. “O Christmas Tree”
13. “Jingle Bells”
14. “Here Comes Santa Claus” / “Joy To The World” – with Children’s Choir
Disc Three: Chicago Christmas
1. “(Because) It’s Christmas Time”
2. “All Over The World”
3. “Bring My Baby Back”
4. “Merry Christmas, I Love You” – R&B Version
5. “What the World Needs Now Is Love”
6. “All Is Right”
7. “Sleigh Ride” – 2019 Version
8. “I’d Do It All Again (Christmas Moon)”
9. “I’m Your Santa Claus”
10. “Here We Come A Caroling”
11. “Merry Christmas, I Love You” – Ballad Version
CHICAGO FALL TOUR
September
14 Tulsa, OK River Spirit Casino
15 Norman, OK Riverwind Casino
16 Ft. Worth, TX Will Rogers Memorial Center
19 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
20 Sugar Land, TX Smart Financial Centre
22 Biloxi, MS Beau Rivage Theatre
23 Biloxi, MS Beau Rivage Theatre
25 Franklin, TN FirstBank Amphitheater
26 Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theatre
28 Durham, NC DPAC
29 Columbia, SC Township Auditorium
30 Atlanta, GA Cadence Bank AMP at Chastain Park
October
3 Daytona Beach, FL Peabody Auditorium
4 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
6 Tallahassee, FL Donald L. Tucker Civic Center
7 Clearwater, FL The Sound
November
10 Shippensburg, PA H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center
11 Bethlehem, PA Wind Creek Event Center
12 Wallingford, CT Toyota Oakdale Theatre
14 Worcester, MA The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory
17 Atlantic City, NJ Ocean Casino Resort (Decades Rock Live Filming)
18 Atlantic City, NJ Ocean Casino Resort (Decades Rock Live Filming)