Josh Groban Is Probably Dreading Christmas
Because that’s when his holiday album Noel‘s ride on the top of the charts will end. But he shouldn’t feel too bad: It sold 669,000 (!) copies last week, raising its year-to-date sales total to 2.77 million and giving him the prize of the highest-selling album of 2007. The High School Musical 2 soundtrack is second–and only 70,000 albums behind–so the last week of the year, which will probably be light on the Christmas-album-buying tip, will likely be crucial as far as how this battle plays out. Look, it’s actually something exciting on the pop charts! Who’d have thought!
Biggest Debuts: Bow Wow and Omarion’s Face/Off–currently “losing” to Hell Rell in their Worst Album Cover Of The Year match–bowed (ha ha GET IT?) at No. 11, selling 107,000 copies. Birdman’s 5*Stunna entered at No. 18 and sold 86,000 copies; Mario’s Go came in at No. 21, moving 77,000 copies; and the Wu-Tang Clan’s 8 Diagrams entered at No. 25, selling 68,000 copies; and The-Dream’s Love/Hate came in at No. 30, selling 59,000 copies.
Notable Jumps: Mannheim Steamroller now has a top five album, everyone. Why? Because sales of Christmas Song jumped 98% from last week; the album sold 180,000 copies. One hundred and eighty thousand copies! Do they have golden tickets inside? Do they come with free foot rubs?
Nickelback Award For Inexplicable Durability: In addition to the Steamroller madness, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is No. 1 on the Top Pop Catalog chart. Anyone else afraid that this means that even more all-Christmas radio-format flips are in the offing for 2008?
This week’s top 20: 1. Josh Groban, Noel 2. Alicia Keys, As I Am 3. Eagles, Long Road Out Of Eden 4. Now 26 5. Mannheim Steamroller, Christmas Song 6. High School Musical 2 soundtrack 7. Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus 8. Taylor Swift 9. Carrie Underwood, Carnival Ride 10. Garth Brooks, Ultimate Hits 11. Bow Wow & Omarion, Face/Off 12. Chris Brown, Exclusive 13. Rascal Flatts, Still Feels Good 14. Led Zeppelin, Mothership 15. Celine Dion, Taking Chances 16. Jonas Brothers 17. Colbie Caillat, Coco 18. Birdman, 5*Stunna 19. Andrea Bocelli, The Best Of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere 20. Sugarland, Enjoy The Ride
