A Charlie Brown Christmas is the classic 1965 animated TV special based on Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip. Directed by Bill Melendez and produced by Lee Mendelson, it was the very first Peanuts special ever made and has aired every holiday season since it debuted on CBS on December 9, 1965 — now more than 60 years on the air. The story follows Charlie Brown as he rebels against the commercialism of the holidays, gets handed the school Christmas pageant to direct by Lucy, and ultimately redeems a scrawny, unwanted little tree.
What turned a modest half-hour special into a perennial classic is arguably its soundtrack. Below is everything verified about who scored it, what’s on the album, and where to actually watch and stream it in 2026.
Quick Facts
| Director | Bill Melendez |
| Producer | Lee Mendelson |
| Based on | Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz |
| Composer | Vince Guaraldi |
| Original air date | December 9, 1965 (CBS) |
| Genre | Animated holiday special |
| Soundtrack label | Fantasy Records / Craft Recordings |
| Soundtrack certification | 5× Platinum (RIAA) |
| Current streaming home (special) | Apple TV+ (PBS broadcast simulcast in most recent years) |
Who Composed the A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack?
Vince Guaraldi (born Vincent Anthony Dellaglio on July 17, 1928, in San Francisco) was a jazz pianist who had already won a Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition for his 1962 instrumental “Cast Your Fate to the Wind” when Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson heard the tune on the radio, tracked Guaraldi down, and hired him to score the special. Guaraldi wrote the show’s now-iconic recurring theme, “Linus and Lucy,” along with the rest of the score, recording it with a jazz trio rather than a traditional orchestra — an unusual choice for a children’s special at the time that became its signature sound.
The resulting album is one of the best-selling jazz records ever made, trailing only Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue. It’s certified 5× Platinum by the RIAA, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007, and was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2012 for its cultural significance. Guaraldi continued scoring Peanuts specials until his sudden death from a heart attack in 1976, at age 47.
A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack List
Here is the complete track list from the original Vince Guaraldi Trio soundtrack album. You can stream it on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and other platforms.
- O Tannenbaum (5:05)
- What Child Is This (2:21)
- My Little Drum (3:09)
- Linus And Lucy (3:03)
- Christmas Time Is Here – vocal (6:04)
- Christmas Time Is Here – instrumental (2:43)
- Skating (2:23)
- Hark, The Herald Angels Sing (1:52)
- Christmas Is Coming (3:22)
- Für Elise (1:03)
- The Christmas Song (3:14)
- Greensleeves (5:26)
Where to Watch and Stream A Charlie Brown Christmas in 2026
As of 2026, Apple TV+ is the exclusive year-round streaming home for the special itself, under Apple’s deal with Peanuts Worldwide. In recent holiday seasons, Apple has also partnered with PBS to give the special a free broadcast simulcast and a no-subscription-required viewing window on the Apple TV app for a few days in mid-December — check local PBS listings closer to the holiday, since exact dates shift from year to year. The soundtrack album itself is separate from the special and streams year-round on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. (External Link: Soundtrack.Net)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed A Charlie Brown Christmas?
Jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi wrote and recorded the score, including the famous recurring theme “Linus and Lucy.”
Where can I watch A Charlie Brown Christmas in 2026?
Apple TV+ is its current exclusive streaming home, with a free PBS broadcast simulcast typically airing in mid-December.
Is the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack really one of the best-selling jazz albums ever?
Yes. It’s certified 5× Platinum by the RIAA and is considered one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time, second only to Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue.
What is the name of the famous piano theme from A Charlie Brown Christmas?
“Linus and Lucy,” Vince Guaraldi’s recurring instrumental theme, written for the special and reused throughout the Peanuts franchise ever since.
When did A Charlie Brown Christmas first air?
December 9, 1965, on CBS — it was the first-ever animated Peanuts television special.
Related reading: Love Actually Soundtrack, The Holdovers Soundtrack, or browse the Apple TV+ hub for more.