Featuring Phil Spector, Motown, Charlie Brown and Luther Vandross, Variety selects 10 Christmas albums essential to celebrate the season.

Spector was the hottest producer in the world at the time of the album’s release, but it dropped on Nov. 22, 1963 — yes, the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

In 1963 he released a Christmas album, A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector, which remains a perennial festive favorite.

“A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector” was recorded in the summer of 1963 in Los Angeles and released Nov. 22, 1963 on Philles Records.