| Holiday Seasoning | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Jimmy Fallon |
| Cover: | Jimmy Fallon - Holiday Seasoning.png |
| Border: | yes |
| Recorded: | 2021–2024 |
| Studio: |
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| Length: | 38:51 |
| Label: | Republic |
| Prev Title: | Blow Your Pants Off |
| Prev Year: | 2012 |
Holiday Seasoning is the third studio album by American entertainer Jimmy Fallon, released on November 1, 2024, by Republic Records. The track listing of the holiday album consists of 16 original tracks, including one New Year's Eve song, and features collaborations with the Jonas Brothers, Meghan Trainor, the Roots, Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Will Ferrell, Chelsea Handler, Cara Delevingne, and Dolly Parton.
When Fallon was a cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL), he and castmate Horatio Sanz wrote "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" as a Christmas music parody, which debuted during a Christmas episode in December 2000 during the series' 26th season. It became a recurring sketch on SNL; the song was later recorded by Julian Casablancas and included as a bonus track on his studio album, Phrazes for the Young (2009).
Production on an album of Christmas music started in 2021, after a suggestion from Michele Anthony of Universal Music Group prompted Fallon to record a holiday song.[1] "Chipmunks & Chestnuts", which draws influences from Roy Orbison, Slim Whitman, and Monty Python, was the first song written for the project.[2] [3] In December 2021, "It Was a... (Masked Christmas)" with Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion was the first single released from the album. The song started out as an idea in August 2021 when Fallon was recording at Electric Lady Studios; his intention behind the track was to cheer people up during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, he approached Grande to sing the hook but didn't hear back until October; she then got in touch with Megan Thee Stallion to record the rap.[4]
"Almost Too Early for Christmas" with Dolly Parton was released in November 2022, accompanied by a lyric video featuring cartoon versions of the two performers; the song refers to the phenomenon of the Christmas creep.[5] [6] The two, who had previously collaborated on a cover of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" for Parton's A Holly Dolly Christmas (2020), performed the song on the holiday special, Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas, which aired on December 1, 2022.[7] "Wrap Me Up" with Meghan Trainor was released in November 2023; the two promoted the single with a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and a music video released the following month.[8] In September 2024, Justin Timberlake teased his duet with Fallon, "You'll Be There", on an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; Timberlake was responsible for much of the instrumentation on the track.
The tracks on Holiday Seasoning span a number of genres and musical influences. "Holiday" with the Jonas Brothers, originally titled "Silent Night", was envisioned as a song in the vein of the Jacksons' "Blame It on the Boogie", with some added influence of Chic to make it sound like a roller disco song. "New Year's Eve Polka (5-4-3-2-1)", a polka song with "Weird Al" Yankovic and the Roots, was conceived after Fallon lamented the lack of cheerful songs for New Year's Eve. "Coquito", an "off-beat reggaeton" track, was written as a tribute to the namesake Puerto Rican alcoholic Christmas cocktail. The folky "One Glove" with Will Ferrell was inspired by Warren Zevon, "Weird Cousin" is a lo-fi jam in the style of Weezer, while Fallon wanted "Thanksgiving Eve" to sound like a Bob Dylan song.[9] "Hallmark Movie" with Cara Delevingne is a song that starts out like a romantic movie similar to those aired on the Hallmark Channel, but then turns into a dramatic Lifetime movie.
Fallon recorded covers of "Silent Night" and "The Little Drummer Boy" for the album during a blizzard in 2023; however, they do not appear on the standard track listing.
The album was announced on October 10, 2024, and released on CD, vinyl, and digital formats on November 1, 2024.[10] In March 2023, Fallon had told E! News that the plans were for his album to be released that year.[11] Merchandise accompanied the release of the album, including a Christmas sweater, a Christmas stocking, and oven mitts. In addition, a gift box of holiday seasonings was launched, which includes a hot chocolate blend created in collaboration with Fallon and his two daughters.[12] [13] A limited-time channel, Holiday Seasoning Radio, was launched on Sirius XM featuring holiday songs selected by Fallon as well as a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the album.[14] In December 2024, Crumbl launched a candy cane chocolate brownie inspired by Holiday Seasoning, developed in collaboration with Fallon.[15]
On October 29, 2024, Fallon appeared on The Howard Stern Show to discuss the album; he also performed "Chipmunks & Chestnuts" on air.[16] Following the album's release, individual lyric videos were released for track, as well as a yule log video featuring the entire album, in which Fallon makes various cameos.[17] In an interview on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Fallon revealed plans to digitally release a deluxe edition of the album featuring six or seven additional songs.[18]
"Holiday" was released as a single and was a minor radio hit in the U.S., becoming Fallon's third song to place on the country's Adult Contemporary chart.[19] [20] A music video has been filmed, featuring the Jonas Brothers trapped in a snow globe.[21] Fallon and the Roots performed "Hey Rudy" at the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 28.[22] Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular, an accompanying holiday special, is scheduled to air on December 4, 2024, featuring a number of guests from the album.
In a three-star review, Marcy Donelson of AllMusic praised the affectionate "Holiday" and "Almost Too Early for Christmas", but doubted some of the songs would fit in with other holiday music, noting they could be used as background music. Maria Sherman of the Associated Press included Holiday Seasoning on a list of 2024's best holiday albums.[23]
In the U.S., Holiday Seasoning debuted atop Billboard Comedy Albums chart and at number 2 on the Top Holiday Albums chart, with almost 13,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, according to Luminate, becoming Fallon's second number-one on the former. In addition, the album debuted at number 3 on the Top Album Sales chart and number 9 on the Vinyl Albums chart, with nearly 12,000 copies sold.[24]