Michael Buble Still #1, Adele Has Biggest Sales In A Year Since Usher’s ‘Confessions’

Perhaps Michael Buble’s Saturday Night Live appearance, which found him taking part in mock duets with Justin Bieber, Ke$ha and Lady Gaga, gave the Canadian singer’s album Christmas an added last-minute boost (not that it needed it) to maintain the #1 position on Billboard‘s Top 200 for a fourth week? Regardless, with no real competition in the way of big releases last week, the holiday LP sold another 448,000 copies — enough to keep it from budging on the publication’s album chart dated December 31, 2011. Just below Christmas, Adele’s Grammy Album Of The Year contender 21, which has now sold a total of 5.28 million copies this year, rises up to the runner-up spot on the chart. Billboard notes that the “Someone Like You” singer’s sophomore effort is now the biggest-selling album in a calendar year since Usher’s Confessions sold eight million in 2004. It’s no surprise, then, that Adele was named the trade publication’s Top Artist Of The Year.

As for Buble’s Christmas, it currently stands at 1.96 million copies sold in 2011. This puts it just behind 21 and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way (2.03 million). But given the rate the holiday album is selling, Buble could surpass Gaga, since there are still 10 more shopping days left in the year.

The Top 10 Of Billboard’s Top 200 Chart

1. Michael Buble, Christmas *4 weeks* 2. Adele, 21 3. Justin Bieber, Under The Mistletoe 4.The Black Keys, El Camino 5. Lady Antebellum, Own The Night 6. Nickelback, Here And Now 7. Drake, Take Care 8. Andrea Bocelli, Concerto: One Night In Central Park 9. Scotty McCreery, Clear As Day 10.Amy Winehouse, Lioness: Hidden Treasures

Michael Buble’s Christmas is out now on 143/Reprise Records. Purchase it at eMusic.