Released 27 years ago this October
This Christmas
98 Degrees · 1999
39 min · 11 tracks · contemporary R&B
A warm blend of soulful harmonies and festive arrangements that captures the spirit of holiday nostalgia.
Top tracks — play these first
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If Every Day Could Be Christmas — This original track opens the album with an optimistic message about the joy of the season, showcasing the group's vocal harmony and emotional delivery.
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Oh Holy Night — The group's rendition of this classic carol highlights their vocal prowess, delivering a powerful performance that elevates the traditional piece into a modern context.
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This Gift — 'This Gift' combines romantic themes with holiday spirit, representing both the essence of love and the warmth of Christmas, making it memorable for listeners seeking emotional connection during the season.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends original songs with holiday classics, showcasing strong harmonies but lacking a cohesive narrative.
What we noticed
- Vocal harmonies are layered prominently throughout, often featuring call-and-response sections between the lead and backing vocals.
- Tracks like 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' and 'Silent Night' incorporate smooth vocal runs and rich arrangements that enhance their festive feel.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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4/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Little footprint beyond its audience. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady holiday warmth throughout
- nostalgic melodies for gatherings
- for cozy evenings
- sing-along favorites with friends
Maybe skip if you
- prefer high-energy tracks
- seek avant-garde experimentation
Where this album fits
- Career context
- By the time 'This Christmas' was released in 1999, 98 Degrees had already established themselves as a significant force in pop music with their previous albums. This was their first holiday-themed album, following their commercial success with '98 Degrees and Rising' in 1998, which marked their breakthrough into mainstream popularity.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Backstreet Boys· NSYNC· Jodeci
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 If Every Day Could Be Christmas 5:04
- 2 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 4:36
- 3 The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) 4:08
- 4 I’ll Be Home for Christmas 2:04
- 5 Oh Holy Night 3:20
- 6 This Gift 4:06
- 7 Little Drummer Boy 3:25
- 8 Christmas Wish 3:49
- 9 Silent Night 3:09
- 10 Ave Maria 1:56
- 11 This Gift (pop version) 4:08
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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