The third and final holiday benefit album from The Philly Specials (former and current Philadelphia Eagles Jason Kelce, Joran Mailata, and Lane Johnson) is a Billboard record breaker. Via Patch:
According to Billboard, “A Philly Special Christmas Party” sold 32,000 copies in its first week, with 22,000 vinyl pressings sold, after being released Nov. 22.
These figures made it the debut with the largest sales week for a holiday release on vinyl in the modern era, the outlet said.
The publication also said the album — from which proceeds benefit Operation Snowball, a new initiative to give every Philadelphia public school student a holiday gift — hit No. 1 on its Independent Albums chart.
Guest artists include Stevie Nicks, Mt. Joy, and Boyz II Men. And the songs are, well, pretty banging. “Santa Drives An Astro Van” with Jason Kelce and Mt. Joy is already No. 1 on the iTunes Christmas charts.
“It’s Christmas Time (In Cleveland Heights” features Jason and Travis Kelce with Boyz II Men.
I’m especially fond of “Loud Little Town,” a tearjerker duet with Jason and Kylie Kelce about raising kids and watching them grow up and leave. (Get you someone who looks at you the way Jason Kelce looks at Kylie Kelce.)
I just want to note that unlike, say, megacorp insurance CEOs, Jason Kelce is famous in Philly for his actual hands-on charity work, like bartending for autism fundraisers at the Jersey shore. You’ll never see him in a tuxedo. And Kylie, who’s from the Philly area, coaches varsity field hockey at the same high school she attended and is now pregnant with their fourth daughter. Her new podcast, “Not Gonna Lie,” just outranked Joe Rogan in its first week!
Philly loves them both. It would be hard to find two people more genuine.
Midday open thread below…