Steve Perry Christmas album tops Billboard chart

The Season debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Season Album chart

Steve Perry rings in the holiday season with an impressive first week debut for The Season as the top holiday album in the country, landing at No. 1 on Billboard’s Seasonal Chart. The Season simultaneously debuted on four separate charts, also landing at No. 3 on Billboard’s Current Pop Album Chart, No. 6 on Billboard’s Current Album Sales Chart and No. 80 on Billboard’s Top 200. Co-produced by Perry and engineer Thom Flowers, the album’s immaculately arranged and richly nuanced sound was inspired by such time-honored holiday albums as Nat King Cole’s The Magic of Christmas and is the perfect vehicle for Perry’s warm and inviting vocal gifts.

Mainly recorded at Perry’s home studio, the collection came to life in collaboration with drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting, Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa) and Dallas Kruse (a multi-instrumentalist who also worked with Perry on his acclaimed 2018 album Traces). While most of the album encompasses an understated sonic palette — piano, strings, upright bass — each track leaves an indelible impact thanks to the soulful sincerity of Perry’s vocal work.

“One of the things I love most about those traditional recordings is they’re not coming at you like a rock song — they’re just sitting there quietly and inviting you in,” says Perry. “I’d never sung with that much simplicity before, and it was incredibly thrilling to bring that kind of expression to these songs.”

Ahead of album release Perry unveiled “Winter Wonderland,” as well as “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” Steve’s stirring interpretations of these holiday staples capture their timelessness, while simultaneously putting his own personal spin on each track. For both artist and audience alike, The Season ultimately serves as a form of emotional time travel, a direct conduit for the kind of memories that sustain the spirit and restore a sense of joyous serenity.

“Music has always been something that rescues me in difficult times,” says Perry. “I hope when people hear this record, they’re teleported in the same way I was when I recorded all these songs—I hope it brings them back to those golden moments with their loved ones, and gives them that feeling of joy and connection and comfort that we all need so much.”

One of the most iconic voices in rock and roll history, Perry has captivated generations with the sheer power of his range and extraordinary warmth of his tone. One of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, he fronted Journey during the band’s most massively successful era and gained him entry into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Perry returned to music in 2018 with the release of his Fantasy album Traces which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard album charts and No. 6 overall – a personal best for his solo work.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com