Winter Songs (in Australia and New Zealand titled Stay)[1] is the sixth studio album released by Irish singer/songwriter and Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating. It was released by Polydor Records on 16 November 2009 in the UK and Ireland, debuting at number 16 and 12 in each respective album chart. The first single, a cover of Grammy Award-winning American country music duo Sugarland's hit "Stay", was released digitally on the same day.
Winter Songs followed Keating's UK number-one album Songs for My Mother, released just six months earlier.[2][3] Capturin his personal memories of winter and Christmas,[2] the collection includes traditional holiday favorites songs as "Silent Night" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," alongside modern festive classics like Joni Mitchell's "River" and Sugarland's "Stay." Keating also recorded three originals songs, including "It's Only Christmas" and "Scars."[3] As with his previous album, Winter Songs was produced by Stephen Lipson. Notably, the album includes the final studio recording of fellow Boyzone member Stephen Gately, who passed away shortly after its completion.[4]
Jackie Hayden from Hot Press Hayden praised Winter Songs as a touching tribute to Stephen Gately, highlighting his strong performances on well-known songs and his own originals. He noted a few missteps in production and song attribution but concluded that Keating has matured into a confident solo artist and all-round family entertainer.[7]BBC critic Mike Diver called Winter Songs a heartfelt, understated festive album where Keating's warm voice, personal song choices, and subtle arrangements create a sincere, reflective holiday collection.[8]
Jon O'Brien of AllMusic concluded that "despite a few flashes of inspiration, Winter Songs' tasteful but bland production, and its overreliance on cover versions, offer little new to make it stand out in an already crowded seasonal market."[5]laut.de editor Deborah Schmidt felt that with Winter Songs "has overreached a bit here with some songs that are true classics in their original form. Those familiar with the original versions will probably prefer them. Despite his admittedly nice voice, the singer simply cannot match the stature of artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, or even Johnny Cash. Keating himself seems aware of this, as his winter songs come across as far too harmless and almost shy."[6]
Commercial performance
Winter Songs achieved moderate commercial success internationally, appearing on several national album charts. The album peaked at number 24 on the Australian Albums Chart,[9] number 73 on the German Albums Chart,[10] and reached number 12 in Ireland. In New Zealand (RMNZ), it peaked at number 25,[11] while in Scotland and the United Kingdom, it reached number 16.[12][13] On 22 July 2013, Winter Songs was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting sales of over 100,000 units.[14]
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