NOW That’s What I Call Christmas 2022 Review

In this review of NOW Thats What I Call Christmas 2022, we’re looking at an excellent four-CD collection featuring 85 Christmas songs from a wide range of artists.

For fans of 70s music, there are some real treats here. The collection includes festive favourites from Slade, Wizzard, Elton John, Greg Lake, Boney M., Mud, Paul McCartney and Donna Summer, alongside many other well-known artists.

Of course, this isn’t exclusively a 70s Christmas collection. It brings together songs from several decades, including traditional Christmas recordings, 80s favourites and more recent festive hits.

Let’s take a closer look at the four CDs and see what’s included.

NOW Thats What I Call Christmas 2022 – What’s Included?

Released on 28 October 2022, this edition contains 85 tracks spread across four CDs.

There is a mixture of familiar Christmas number ones, traditional festive favourites, pop songs and some less obvious seasonal recordings.

The first disc includes some of the biggest Christmas hits of the 70s, including Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody, Wizzard’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and Elton John’s Step Into Christmas.

CD 2 includes more 70s favourites, such as Greg Lake’s I Believe In Father Christmas, Jona Lewie’s Stop The Cavalry and Mud’s Lonely This Christmas.

The remaining discs bring together a mixture of Christmas pop, soul, rock and traditional festive songs. There are also some interesting additions, including the 12-inch mix of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? on the fourth CD.

NOW Thats What I Call Christmas 2022 – The Four CDs

NOW Thats What I Call Christmas 2022 brings together festive music from several generations, making it a varied collection for anyone who enjoys Christmas songs.

CD 1 – Classic Christmas Hits and 70s Favourites

The first disc opens with Wham!’s Last Christmas, followed by Elton John’s Step Into Christmas.

Then come two of the most recognisable Christmas songs of the 1970s: Wizzard’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday and Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody.

Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime and Boney M.’s Mary’s Boy Child / Oh My Lord are also included, along with Shakin’ Stevens’ Merry Christmas Everyone.

There are plenty of traditional Christmas favourites too, with recordings from Brenda Lee, Bobby Helms, The Ronettes, Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

It’s a strong opening disc, mixing the big festive pop songs with some much-loved traditional recordings.

CD 2 – More 70s Christmas Memories

CD 2 opens with John Lennon, Yoko Ono and The Plastic Ono Band performing Happy Xmas (War Is Over).

There are some excellent songs here, including Chris Rea’s Driving Home For Christmas, Greg Lake’s I Believe In Father Christmas and Jona Lewie’s Stop The Cavalry.

For anyone who remembers the 70s, there are some particularly interesting choices. Mud appear with Lonely This Christmas, The Wombles bring us Wombling Merry Christmas, and Dana performs It’s Gonna Be A Cold, Cold Christmas.

Other highlights include Roy Orbison’s Pretty Paper, Jethro Tull’s Ring Out, Solstice Bells, Mike Oldfield’s In Dulci Jubilo and Steeleye Span’s Gaudete.

This disc has a particularly good selection of songs from the seventies, with a mixture of pop, folk and more unusual festive recordings.

CD 3 – Christmas Classics from Different Decades

The third disc features one of the most familiar Christmas songs of all time, Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl.

Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? is also included, alongside The Pretenders’ 2000 Miles and The Waitresses’ Christmas Wrapping.

There are some more modern recordings from Coldplay, George Ezra and Ellie Goulding, as well as Kate Bush’s Home For Christmas.

The disc also takes us back to older Christmas favourites with recordings from The Ronettes, The Crystals, Gene Autry, Doris Day and Eartha Kitt.

Stevie Wonder’s Someday At Christmas is another lovely inclusion.

CD 4 – Pop Favourites and a Special Extended Mix

The final disc brings together a mixture of pop songs and recordings that have become associated with Christmas over the years.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s The Power Of Love opens the disc, followed by Idina Menzel’s Let It Go from Frozen.

There are plenty of familiar artists here, including Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls, Westlife, Boyzone, The Human League and Steps.

For 70s music fans, one of the interesting inclusions is Donna Summer’s Winter Melody.

You’ll also find The Housemartins’ Caravan Of Love, The Flying Pickets’ Only You and Paul Young’s Love Of The Common People.

The collection finishes with East 17’s Stay Another Day and a special 12-inch mix of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?.

The extended Band Aid version is an interesting addition for anyone who enjoys hearing different versions of familiar recordings.

The 70s Christmas Songs on the Album

One of the reasons I wanted to review this collection for Music of the 70s is the number of memorable festive songs from the decade.

Here are some of the 70s artists and recordings that stand out:

Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody: A Christmas singalong that has become part of the festive season.
Wizzard – I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday: Roy Wood’s wonderfully lively Christmas favourite.
Elton John – Step Into Christmas: One of the best-known festive pop songs of the decade.
Greg Lake – I Believe In Father Christmas: A distinctive Christmas recording with a more thoughtful message.
Boney M. – Mary’s Boy Child / Oh My Lord: A festive favourite that became a huge hit.
Mud – Lonely This Christmas: A slower, more sentimental Christmas song.
Paul McCartney – Wonderful Christmastime: A familiar festive recording with its distinctive electronic sound.
The Wombles – Wombling Merry Christmas: A fun and unusual Christmas favourite.
Dana – It’s Gonna Be A Cold, Cold Christmas: A lovely example of 70s festive pop.
Jethro Tull – Ring Out, Solstice Bells: A less conventional seasonal recording.
Mike Oldfield – In Dulci Jubilo: An instrumental festive favourite.
Stevie Wonder – Someday At Christmas: A soulful Christmas recording.
Roy Orbison – Pretty Paper: A beautiful festive song written by Willie Nelson.
Donna Summer – Winter Melody: A seasonal recording from the Queen of Disco.

These songs are just some of the reasons why this collection may appeal to people who enjoy Christmas music from the 1970s.

Is NOW Thats What I Call Christmas 2022 Worth Having?

If you enjoy Christmas compilations, this four-CD collection offers a good mixture of familiar songs and festive recordings from different generations.

For me, one of the biggest attractions is the selection of 70s Christmas favourites. Slade, Wizzard, Elton John, Greg Lake, Boney M. and Mud are all artists whose songs have become closely associated with Christmas.

There are also some interesting choices beyond the usual festive hits, including the recordings from Jethro Tull, Mike Oldfield and Steeleye Span.

It’s worth remembering that this isn’t a dedicated 70s Christmas album. There are plenty of songs from other decades, so it’s better suited to anyone who enjoys a broad mixture of Christmas music.

With 85 tracks across four CDs, there’s certainly plenty to listen to while getting ready for the festive season.

Where Can You Buy NOW Thats What I Call Christmas 2022?

The 2022 edition was released as a four-CD collection on 28 October 2022.

If you’re looking for this particular version, check that the listing is for the four-CD edition rather than the three-LP vinyl release or a different year’s Christmas compilation.

You can get it here on Amazon

Overall, NOW Thats What I Call Christmas 2022 is a good choice for anyone looking for a mixture of traditional festive favourites and popular Christmas hits.

More NOW 70s Music Reviews

If you enjoy looking back at the music of the seventies, you might also like some of my other NOW compilation reviews:

What Is Your Favourite 70s Christmas Song?

There are so many fantastic Christmas songs from the seventies, and everyone seems to have their own favourite.

Is it Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody, Wizzard’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, Elton John’s Step Into Christmas, or perhaps something a little less obvious?

I’d love to know which 70s Christmas songs you look forward to hearing every year.

Leave a comment below and share your festive music memories.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Frank

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