Wintersong is the sixth album and first Christmas album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, released in October 2006. It was produced by longtime collaborator Pierre Marchand and includes contributions from Jim Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies. The album also includes a collaboration with Jazz musician Diana Krall.Wintersong SarahMcLachlan.com Retrieved 18 May 2007 In 2007, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. In 2015, all songs from Wintersong plus five more tracks were released as The Classic Christmas Album.
Singles "River" was released as a single from that album in September 2006.News SarahMcLachlan.com Retrieved 18 May 2007 The song was performed in mid-October on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Ellen DeGeneres Show and reached No. 71 in the Billboard Hot 100.[ Sarah McLachlan] Billboard.com Retrieved 18 May 2007 McLachlan's video for "River" premiered on Yahoo! music, on 1 November 2006. Silent Night from this album was used in an ASPCA commercial
Charts YearSingleChartPeak position2006RiverBillboard Hot 100712006Pop 10070Hot Digital Songs662007Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks8Have Yourself A Merry Little ChristmasHot Adult Contemporary Tracks6Happy Xmas (War Is Over)Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks5
Commercial performance Wintersong debuted at number 42 on the Billboard 200 in the United States (chart issue for the week of 3 November 2006), selling 20,000 copies in its first week. The album peaked at number 7 in its seventh week on the chart, with 116,000 copies sold for the tracking period ending 3 December. According to sales data from Nielsen/SoundScan, it was the best-selling holiday album of 2006 in the U.S. with a cumulative 759,000 copies sold for the year.
On 13 December 2007, Wintersong was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of one million copies in the U.S. In Canada, it has sold over 300,000 copies, and has been certified Triple Platinum.CRIA Gold & Platinum certifications for January 2007 . Retrieved 25 July 2007.
In 2011, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 at number 195 on the chart issue for the week of 17 December.[ "Music Albums"], Billboard.com, 8 December 2011.
Track listing
A "sampler" CD exists, featuring similar artwork on a cardboard sleeve, which omits "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "Song for a Winter's Night", and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".
Personnel Sarah McLachlan - Vocals, Piano, Harp, Dobro[ AllMusic] Allmusic.com Retrieved 18 May 2007 Pierre Marchand - Keyboards, Programming, Synth Bass, Quartet Manipulations, Vienna Keyboard Strings Jim Creeggan - Double Bass Colin Cripps - Guitar, Dobro Diana Krall - Piano on "Christmas Time Is Here". Ashwin Sood - Drums, Percussion Luke Doucet - Guitar Bill Dillon - Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Bass Bob Doige - Sleigh Bells Daryl Johnson - Bass Vince Mai - Trumpet, Flugelhorn Brian Minato - Bass David Kershaw - Keyboards David Sinclair - Guitar
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (2006)Peak position
Year-end charts Chart (2006)PositionCanadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)9Canadian Digital Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)1US Top Holiday Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)1Chart (2007)PositionUS Billboard 20071
Certifications and sales
See also List of Billboard Top Holiday Albums number ones of the 2000s The Classic Christmas Album Wonderland
References
External links