Meghan Trainor’s Christmas Album Is the Most Underrated of the Last Decade
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A Second Look at Meghan Trainor’s Holiday Triumph: Why ‘A Very Trainor Christmas’ Deserves Recognition
October 2020 felt… fragile. The world was grappling with the first wave of a global pandemic, and the looming holiday season threatened to be a stark reminder of isolation and uncertainty. As communities braced for socially distanced celebrations, a surprising source of warmth emerged: Meghan Trainor’s debut Christmas album, A Very Trainor Christmas. While initially met with a muted reception, the album has gained a devoted following, prompting a re-evaluation of its impact and a growing chorus of voices – including one from within PEOPLE magazine – arguing it deserves a place among the holiday classics.
The Soundtrack to a Difficult Season
The timing of A Very Trainor Christmas was, perhaps, its greatest strength. In a year defined by loss and disruption, Trainor delivered a collection of both original songs and reimagined classics that felt genuinely joyful. “It was a musical espresso shot, mixed with boozy eggnog,” recalls Rachel McRady, a staffer at PEOPLE, who has become a vocal advocate for the album’s belated recognition. The album wasn’t just about festive cheer; it was a deliberate attempt to lift spirits during a time of profound collective anxiety.
The pandemic significantly impacted mental health globally. According to the World Health Organization, global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a staggering 25% in the first year of the pandemic. Against this backdrop, Trainor’s upbeat and undeniably catchy holiday tunes offered a much-needed escape.
Beyond the Bubblegum Pop: A Surprisingly Sophisticated Album
Trainor, known for her chart-topping hits like “All About That Bass” and “Made You Look,” might not be the first artist that comes to mind when thinking about traditional holiday music. However, A Very Trainor Christmas demonstrates a surprising depth and versatility. The album isn’t simply a collection of covers; it features five original tracks that inject a fresh energy into the holiday canon.
One standout, “Holidays,” features a collaboration with the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire, a pairing that some critics have hailed as a stroke of genius. The song seamlessly blends Trainor’s signature pop sensibilities with the iconic funk sound of Earth, Wind & Fire, creating a track that feels both nostalgic and contemporary. The collaboration itself speaks to Trainor’s ambition and willingness to push creative boundaries.
A New Anthem for Self-Gifting
Trainor’s recent release, “Gifts for Me,” encapsulates a modern holiday sentiment. The song, described as a “Flowers” for the holiday season (a nod to Miley Cyrus’s self-empowerment anthem), speaks to the growing trend of self-care and the idea of treating oneself, especially during a season often focused on giving to others.
“’Cause I made a list, but nobody checked it / I made a wish that you might get it right / But if you don’t, and I see something that I like / This year I’m buying gifts for me,” Trainor sings, resonating with anyone who has ever received a less-than-ideal present. The song’s message is particularly relevant in a consumer culture that often prioritizes external validation over self-love.
The Question of a Holiday Hall of Fame
The debate over who deserves a place in the “Holiday Hall of Fame” is a long-standing one. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is often considered the undisputed queen of the season, and artists like Michael Bublé and Kelly Clarkson have established themselves as modern holiday staples. But McRady argues that Trainor deserves to be in the conversation.
“It’s been more than 30 years since Mariah Carey released her seminal classic, and while that song is worthy of all the love, I don’t think one track necessarily makes Mimi the uncontested ‘Queen of Christmas’ in perpetuity,” McRady asserts. “Trainor’s album offers a fresh perspective and a much-needed dose of contemporary energy to the holiday landscape.”
Ultimately, the value of music is subjective. But A Very Trainor Christmas represents more than just a collection of songs; it’s a snapshot of a particular moment in time – a moment of uncertainty, resilience, and a collective yearning for joy. And for many, it remains a reminder that even in the darkest of times, a little bit of “Bop-mas” can go a long way.
ARTICOL ORIGINAL:
NEED TO KNOW
- Meghan Trainor’s 2020 holiday album, A Very Trainor Christmas, never received the accolades it deserves, according to PEOPLE staffer Rachel McRady
- In this essay, she explores why Trainor deserves to be in the Holiday Hall of Fame alongside other greats like Kelly Clarkson and Michael Bublé
- Trainor released a new holiday track, “Gifts for Me,” last month
October 2020 was a bleak time.
In case you need a refresher, we were experiencing a global pandemic and preparing to celebrate our first socially distanced holiday season. Morale was low. We, as a nation, and around the world needed a rallying cry, a phoenix to rise from the ashes and deliver holiday cheer.
Enter: Meghan Trainor.
That’s right. In the year 2020, the golden-haired angel behind hits like “All About That Bass,” “Made You Look,” and “Better When I’m Dancin’,” gifted us with a musical espresso shot, mixed with some boozy eggnog.
On Oct. 30, 2020, Trainor dropped her Christmas album, A Very Trainor Christmas, and the world as I knew it was forever changed. However, as the years have gone on and we have endured more collective trauma as a country — Labubus, the 6-7 trend, unflattering Spotify Wrapped lists, etc. — I’ve come to realize that this particular album really deserved more shine at the time and perhaps it’s not too late to give it some.
Anyone who can craft the lyric, “Why you put me on the naughty list? Maybe I was too good for ya,” deserves to be given an honorary Grammy award, complete with an apology note from the Recording Academy for the fact that this masterpiece wasn’t widely acknowledged sooner.
Tommaso Boddi/WireImage
For full disclosure, as a former school chorus and church choir nerd, I am mostly been-there-done-that when it comes to traditional Christmas carols. Sure, Clay Aiken’s cover of “Mary Did You Know,” and Lea Michele’s rendition of “O Holy Night,” still give me two armfuls of goosebumps, but for the most part, if I never heard “Deck the Halls” again, I’d be just fine.
So when I tell you that Meghan Trainor has delivered what I will now be referring to as “Bop-mas” — by which I mean, nearly half the album consists of new, original holiday bops — I am not exaggerating.
The woman literally has recorded the cure for Seasonal Affective Disorder in five original Christmas jams plus an assortment of covers, if that’s more your thing.
Evans Vestal Ward/NBC via Getty
How often are we complaining that everything these days is a reboot, a live-action version, a revival or a sequel? You’re upset about another Batman, but you have no problem listening to “Angels We Have Heard on High” for the umpteenth time?
Just like your holiday wishlist, let’s try to keep our musical selections fresh, fam.
My personal Trainor favorites include “I Believe in Santa,” “Christmas Party,” “My Kind of Present” and “Holidays.” In “Holidays,” Trainor manages to bring the group Earth, Wind & Fire out of September and into the most wonderful time of the year.
Now, why would one of the bestselling bands of all time want to collaborate with her? Oh, I don’t know, maybe because she wrote them a festively hip-shaking track complete with the backing of their legendary trumpet, saxophone, electric guitar and drums, which some critics compared to the group’s biggest hit of all time! No big deal.
Of course, there are plenty of other good contemporary holiday albums. Sure, you’ve got your Michael Bublé fans, and you can’t enter a shopping mall in America without listening to at least one Kelly Clarkson holiday track. I take no issue with being wrapped in red or hanging out underneath the tree. I do not attempt to contest their mistletoe magic.
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I just don’t think it’s right that we are so stuck in our ways that we can’t open our holiday hearts to a new sound. It’s 2025, for Oz sake. There’s butter-dipped ice cream and if you flip Madame Morrible around, you get Wicked Witch. Let’s extend that same winter wonder to a pop star so committed to holiday magic she literally decorated her face in miniature bows. What more do you people want from her?!
Meghan Trainor/YouTube
And if this one holiday album isn’t enough for Trainor to steal the crown, allow me to (very cautiously and respectfully) explain something.
It has been more than 30 years since Mariah Carey released her seasonal seminal classic, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and while this song is definitely worthy of all the love and endless replayings, I don’t think one track necessarily makes Mimi the uncontested “Queen of Christmas” in perpetuity.
Now as I hide underneath my artificial tree awaiting the Lambs’ yuletide slaughter, let me also add that Trainor didn’t just stop with A Very Trainor Christmas.
In fact, this Spy Kids-marrying legend just dropped a brand new Christmas track called, “Gifts for Me” last month. It’s essentially Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” for the holiday season. It’s an anthem for anyone who’s ever been disappointed on Christmas morning as they’re opening yet another turtleneck or whatever oversized water vessel was popular five years ago.
“’Cause I made a list, but nobody checked it / I made a wish that you might get it right / But if you don’t, and I see something that I like / This year I’m buying gifts for me,” she sings.
Apart from the fact that we should ditch Daylight Saving Time for good, there’s very little that we as a collective can agree on, but the message of “treat yo self”— especially at this time of year — should be one of those things.
Essentially, Meghan Trainor is the right person to bring our divided nation together at this most pivotal time of year. Be it a Grammy or a Nobel Peace Prize, the woman deserves her flowers. And while she can buy them for herself, her holiday discography proves she shouldn’t have to.