2011 SM Town Winter – The Warmest Gift is the eighth winter album by SMTown, released on December 13, 2011[1] by SM Entertainment and distributed by KMP Holdings in South Korea. It is the first winter compilation album in four years[2] and also their first album to have all songs sung entirely in English. This is also their only album to feature f(x) and J-Min, and is the last album to feature TRAX, The Grace's Dana and Sunday, Zhang Liyin, Girls' Generation's Jessica, SHINee's Jonghyun, and Super Junior-M's Henry.
The album's lead single is "Santa U Are the One", sung by Super Junior with Super Junior-M members Henry and Zhou Mi. The music video was released on 13 December 2011 on SMTown official YouTube Channel. It features the Super Junior members with Henry and Zhou Mi singing in the studio and behind the scenes footage of SM artists during the album's photoshoot.
Background and release
On December 6, 2011, it was announced that the 2011 SM Town Winter 'The Warmest Gift' will be released on December 13 as the first SM Town winter record by SM Entertainment in four years since 2007.[3] It was also scheduled for release in Japan on December 14. The album features 11 songs with seven new tracks and four carol remakes.[4][5] In particular, all the songs in the album were recorded in English language to express gratitude to fans worldwide for sending love.[6] All SM artists, including Kangta, BoA, TVXQ, TRAX, The Grace – Dana & Sunday, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, Shinee, f(x), Zhang Liyin, and J-Min, participated in the winter album.[7]
Composition
"Santa U Are the One", sung by Super Junior, was described as a song that gives a "bright" atmosphere with "cute" lyrics telling that "Santa is the best, bringing joy and gifts to the world" along with "cheerful" rhythms and melodies.[8] "Sleigh Ride", sung by TVXQ, was described as a song that expresses the "cheerful" swing rhythm with the "perfect" sound that adds the grandeur of the orchestra and the "powerful" charm of the big band, expressing the cheerfulness as if riding a sled and the excitement of Christmas.[9] "Distance", sung by BoA, was described as an R&Bballad song, with simple rhythms, dreamy piano melody, and the singer's mournful and graceful voice.[10] "Last Christmas", sung by Shinee, was described as an electronic dance song that contains the three-dimensional charm of "dreamy and powerful" synth-pop that was remade to the group's "distinct" color.[11] "Diamond", sung by Girls' Generation, was described as a song with a familiar yet "sophisticated" style and is a classic pop song that expresses the warm and happy feeling of winter with the group's "unique" charm.[12] "For The First Time", sung by Kangta, was described as an acoustic ballad song that recalls the days spent with the woman he loves and the emotion of love he received from her.[13] "Like A Dream", sung by TRAX, is a newly recorded English version of the song from the group's third extended play (EP), Blind, to match the winter mood. "The First Noel", sung by Zhang Liyin, was a remake of the famous song loved worldwide.[14] "1,2,3", sung by f(x), was described as a "cute and lovely" song suitable for a winter track with Peppertones-produced "unique, bright, and healthy" music color. "Amazing", sung by The Grace – Dana & Sunday, was described as a pop ballad song containing everyday life's preciousness. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", sung J-Min, was a remake from the original track of John Lennon and Yoko Ono with the singer's "refreshing and appealing" vocals.[15]
Promotion and reception
A music video for SM Town's winter album 2011 SM Town Winter 'The Warmest Gift' single, "Santa U Are The One", was released on December 13, 2011.[16] The video was posted on SM Town's official YouTube channel and featured a variety of SM Entertainment artists on the cover of the studio album.[17] Super Junior members were seen in behind-the-scenes and sketches of the recording studio landscape in the visual for the single.[18] The album debuted and peaked atop South Korea's Gaon Album Chart in the chart issue dated December 11–17, 2011.[19] In Japan, it debuted and peaked at position 36 on Oricon Albums Chart in the chart issue dated December 12–18, 2011.[20] It appeared at position 32 on 2011's Gaon Year-End Album Chart, with 44,467 albums sold and 1,114 in January 2012.[21][22]
Track listing
2011 Winter SM Town – The Warmest Gift track listing
^Lee, Jung-hyuk (December 6, 2011). SMTOWN 겨울앨범, 4년 만에 출시 [SMTOWN Winter Album, Released After 4 Years]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
^SM타운 4년 만에 겨울앨범 출시 [SMTOWN Releases Winter Album After 4 Years]. Korea Economic TV (in Korean). December 6, 2011. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
^Lee, Eon-hyuk (December 6, 2011). 보아·슈주·소시, 4년만에 SM타운 겨울 앨범 발매 [BoA·Super Junior·Girls' Generation, To Release SMTOWN's First Winter Album in 4 Years]. OhmyNews Star (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
^Jang, Jin-ri (December 6, 2011). SMTOWN, 4년만에 겨울 앨범 발매…전곡 영어 수록 [SMTOWN, Releases Winter Album After 4 Years…All Songs in English]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^Yu, Myung-joon (December 6, 2011). SMTOWN, 4년 만에 겨울 앨범 발매…앨범 전곡 영어로 수록 [SMTOWN, Releases Winter Album After 4 Years…All the Songs on the Album are in English]. Kuki News (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^Shin, Kyung-jin (December 6, 2011). SM타운, 4년만에 겨울 앨범 발매 '히트예감' [SMTOWN, To Release Its First Winter Album in 4 Years 'It's Going to be a Hit']. Naeil News (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kang, Seung-hoon (December 6, 2011). 소녀시대 등 SMTOWN 겨울음반, 4년만에 한일 발매 [SMTOWN's Winter Album, Including Girls' Generation, Released in Korea and Japan in 4 Years]. TV Report (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
^Jeon, Won (December 6, 2011). SM타운 4년만에 겨울앨범 발표, 보아 신곡 수록 기대만발 [4 Years After Releasing a Winter Album in SMTOWN, BoA's New Song is Full of Expectations]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^Bong, Joon-young (December 6, 2011). SM타운, 4년만에 겨울앨범 발매…전곡 영어로 수록 [SMTOWN, To Release Winter Album After 4 years…In Full English]. No Cut News (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^Lee, Kyung-ho (December 6, 2011). 보아-소시-슈주-동방신기, 4년 만에 SM 겨울 앨범… 종합선물 '글로벌 캐럴' [BoA-Girls' Generation-Super Junior-TVXQ, SM Winter Album in 4 Years…Comprehensive Gift 'Global Carol']. TV Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^Park, Young-woong (December 6, 2011). SM타운, 4년만에 겨울앨범 발표..전곡 영어 녹음 [SMTOWN, To Release Its Winter Album in 4 Years..Full-length English Recording]. StarNews (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
^Choi, Jeong-ah (December 6, 2011). 소녀시대-동방신기-슈퍼주니어 등, SM타운 겨울앨범 발매 [Girls' Generation-TVXQ-Super Junior, etc., To Release their Winter Albums in SMTOWN]. Sports World (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
^Jang, Yeon-joo (December 13, 2011). SMTOWN 겨울앨범 타이틀 곡, 'Santa U Are The One' 뮤비 공개! [SMTOWN's Title Song, 'Santa U Are The One' Music Video will be Released!]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^SMTOWN 겨울 앨범, 타이틀곡 뮤비 오늘(13일) 공개돼 [SMTOWN Winter Album, Music Video for the Title Song will be Released Today (13th)]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). December 13, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^Kim, Chae-hyun (December 13, 2011). SM타운 겨울앨범 'Santa U Are The One' 뮤비 오늘(13일) 공개 [SMTOWN Winter Album 'Santa U Are The One' Music Video will be Released Today (13th)]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^ ab"2011년 52주차 Album Chart" [2011, Week 52 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. December 11–17, 2011. Archived from the original on February 24, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^ ab2011年12月12日〜2011年12月18日のCDアルバム週間ランキング（2011年12月26日付） [Weekly Ranking of CD Albums from December 12, 2011 to December 18, 2011 (December 26, 2011)] (in Japanese). Oricon. December 12–18, 2011. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
^ ab2011년 Album Chart [2011 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
^ ab2011년 12월 Album Chart [December 2011 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
^2011년 52주차 Digital Chart [2011, Week 52 Digital Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. December 11–17, 2011. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
^Pyo, Jae-min (December 13, 2011). SM 아이돌 한 자리에, 겨울앨범 뮤비 오늘(13일) 공개 [SM Idol to be Released Today (13th) for Its Winter Album Music Video]. TV Report (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
^Kim, Ji-hyun (December 13, 2011). SMTOWN, 겨울 앨범 'Santa U Are The One' 뮤비 공개 [SMTOWN, Unveils Music Video for Winter Album 'Santa U Are The One']. TV Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
