The Greatest CCM Christmas Albums — CR5: Steven Curtis Chapman, The Music of Christmas (1995)

Intro

Appearing at CR5 in The Greatest CCM Christmas Albums, Steven Curtis Chapman’s The Music of Christmas (1995) captures a songwriter at full strength, translating his storytelling instincts into a rich, seasonal canvas. It remains a benchmark for how to make a Christmas album feel both personal and liturgical.

The Album in Context

By the mid‑’90s, Chapman had already become one of CCM’s most respected voices, known for pairing everyday detail with theological depth. This Christmas project extends that approach into December, giving listeners songs that feel like family stories unfolding under the glow of tree lights.

Co‑produced with Brown Bannister, the record blends acoustic guitars, orchestral swells, and choir textures into a cohesive whole. Arrangements give space for narrative verses and big, sing‑along choruses alike, and the sequencing leads the listener from anticipation to reflection to full‑voiced worship.

Within the broader genre, The Music of Christmas showed that a seasonal album could be more than a greatest‑hits of carols: it could carry new compositions strong enough to stand alongside the classics, and it could tell a story from track one to the final note.

Standout Songs

• “This Baby” — A tender, imaginative meditation on the ordinary‑looking child who is anything but ordinary, reminding listeners that the Incarnation unfolds in real time and real space.
• “Going Home for Christmas” — A narrative ballad that weaves memories, loss, and hope into a moving reminder that Christmas joy and grief often sit side by side.
• “O Come All Ye Faithful” — A majestic, choir‑laced rendition that turns the familiar carol into a full‑room call to worship.

Why It Matters

Artistically, the album showcases Chapman’s gift for marrying melody and story, crafting songs that feel like well‑loved Christmas short stories set to music. The production walks a fine line between pop radio accessibility and orchestral grandeur, giving the project longevity far beyond a single season.

Historically, The Music of Christmas helped solidify the idea that original Christmas songs could become part of the modern carol vocabulary within CCM. “This Baby” and “Going Home for Christmas” in particular found homes on radio, in church dramas, and in family playlists year after year.

For listeners, this record has become a December ritual—something pulled out along with ornaments and nativity sets. Its songs have scored hospital visits, long drives, and candlelight services, quietly testifying that the story at the center of Christmas is still unfolding in our own lives.

What’s Next

Tomorrow in The Greatest CCM Christmas Albums countdown, we move to CR4 — The Imperials, Christmas with the Imperials (1980). Join us on the podcast version of The CCM Professor as we keep tracing the line between harmony, history, and holy day.

Soli Deo Gloria!

This post is part of the series The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music, celebrating the artists and recordings that defined a generation of faith-filled creativity.

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