A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Premiering in Immersive Spatial Audio With Dolby Atmos Exclusively on Apple Music

Craft Recordings proudly announces the debut of A Charlie Brown Christmas-Vince Guaraldi Trio's timeless score from the beloved 1965 animated special-in immersive Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. The album, which features such holiday classics as "Christmas Time Is Here," "Linus and Lucy," and "O Tannenbaum," is premiering exclusively on Apple Music today.

A Charlie Brown Christmas has remained a holiday staple for nearly 60 years (not to mention the best-selling jazz album of all time, alongside Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, after earning 5x platinum certification by the RIAA in May). Now, fans can experience this music like never before.

Apple TV+, meanwhile, is now the exclusive home of the 1965 animated special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, as well as a wide selection of PEANUTS programming, including many of the classic specials from Mendelson/Melendez Productions. In addition, Apple TV+ is the home of their all-new special Lucy's School and a fresh season of their original series The Snoopy Show, both produced for Apple TV+ by PEANUTS and WildBrain.

Beginning November 18th, A Charlie Brown Christmas in spatial audio will be available on all compatible digital platforms, while those who prefer a physical copy can find it on the Blu-ray disc contained within the 4-CD/1-Blu-ray Super Deluxe Edition. Set for release on December 2nd and housed in a hardcover book, this definitive collection offers fans an unparalleled deep dive into all aspects of the album through more than 50 never-before-heard outtakes and in-depth session notes.

In addition, the classic 11-track album has been upgraded with a new stereo mix from the original two-and three-track sources by the GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer Paul Blakemore. Both the new and original mixes can be found on the Super Deluxe Edition (also available as an 80-track digital release). The slimmer Deluxe Edition 2-LP and 1-CD sets each feature the new stereo mix alongside a selection of 13 studio outtakes. The LP version is available now, while the CD can be purchased starting November 4th.

Additionally, the classic mix of the album can be found across several new collectible vinyl editions, including the 2022 Gold Foil Version, which is packaged in a striking, embossed gold foil jacket. A variety of colored vinyl variants can also be found exclusively at select retailers, while a limited-edition pressing (750 copies) on "Skating Pond" wax is available exclusively at CraftRecordings.com.

When A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on December 9, 1965, no one expected just how monumental the half-hour animated special would be. Based on Charles M. Schulz's immensely popular Peanuts comic strip, the Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning special captured nearly half of America's TV audience that night.

It would soon go on to become an essential holiday classic and launch one of the 20th century's most popular franchises. Helmed by veteran TV producer Lee Mendelson and director Bill Melendez, A Charlie Brown Christmas featured an engaging score by the Bay Area jazz pianist, Vince Guaraldi.

A fast-rising star - best known at the time for his GRAMMY®-winning instrumental crossover hit, "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" - Guaraldi paired original cues ("Skating," the instantly recognizable "Linus and Lucy" theme, and the Yuletide essential, "Christmas Time Is Here," among them) with traditional holiday fare (including his spirited takes on "O Tannenbaum," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," and "What Child Is This?").

Now, more than half a century later, new generations continue to fall in love with the holiday special and its enduring music, while year after year, the album remains one of the top-selling holiday and jazz albums. Remarkably, in 2021, A Charlie Brown Christmas reached its highest spot ever on the Billboard 200, landing at No.6-56 years after its release. Among other honors, the multi-platinum soundtrack has been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame and was added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.

Listen to the album here:

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