London, UK - Record label bosses are putting their faith in religion to beat the recession this Christmas, with three Christian-linked albums hitting the stores in a single week and expected to dominate the classical charts.
Executives believe there is no coincidence in the resurgence of interest in music such as Gregorian chants. Simplicity and calm, they say, is what people appear to want in times of economic uncertainty.
The classical arm of Universal, the world's biggest record label, is re-releasing its hit 2008 album "Chant--Music for Paradise" featuring Gregorian chants performed by Cistercian monks from Austria, on Nov. 17.
It was first released in May, and went on to sell around 700,000 copies worldwide, a large number for a non-pop record. The company hopes total sales will top one million after the re-release, which features a second CD and new packaging.
The same company has also signed up a brass band from the international Christian charity the Salvation Army to produce a record which goes on sale on Nov. 24.
On Nov. 17 and 18, Sony BMG, the world's second biggest label, unveils "The Priests", featuring "spiritually inspired" tracks like Ave Maria and Panis Angelicus as well as classical arias and traditional Irish music.
Three Northern Irish priests--Eugene O'Hagan, Martin O'Hagan and David Delargy--have become celebrities since signing up for the album, and have had to balance the demands of the media spotlight with their daily parish lives.
"The Gregorian chant record has sold about 700,000 copies around the world since May and is being bought by people who would never ordinarily be interested in Gregorian chants," said Dickon Stainer, Universal Classics and Jazz managing director.
"People seem to find it very calming and it's no accident it's happening against the backdrop of international stress and financial pressure," he told Reuters.
"The message is very much about trying to return to another sort of life. It's about lifestyle."
The labels' preoccupation with religious music does not come cheap.
Universal hopes the Salvation Army deal, for example, will generate up to a million pounds, with proceeds going to charity.
In the case of The Priests, Sony invested around one million pounds ($1.55 million), although the three priests point out the amount includes the cost of holding concerts, PR and recording, and that a portion of royalties they earn will go to charity.
"People read a newspaper headline and they say priests sign a million pounds contract but that has nothing to do with us," Delargy said.