Hot Shot Debuts: Madonna puts the “hot” in Hot Shot Debut this week as the diva scores her seventh Billboard 200 No. 1 with “Hard Candy.” The feat breaks a tie with Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey to give Madge sole ownership of the No. 2 spot on the all-time list of album No. 1s among female artists. Only Barbra Streisand, with eight, has more. “Hard Candy” moved 280,000 units its first week out.
And that’s not the only accomplishment for the pop great this week, as she also own the Hot Shot Debut title on The Billboard Hot 100 with new single “Give It 2 Me,” which entered at No. 57, almost entirely on the strength of digital sales. The single moved 38,000 downloads to earn the No. 21 spot on Hot Digital Songs.
Over on Top Country Albums, it’s the very reliable Tim McGraw who earns Hot Shot Debut stripes, as his “Greatest Hits: Limited Edition” starts at No. 1 with sales of 29,000. This is his 10th No. 1 on the chart. Meanwhile, “Kristofferson,” the fifth single from McGraw’s latest studio set “Let It Go,” is at No. 20 on Hot Country Songs.
Lyfe Jennings gets the Hot Shot Debut prize on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums with “Lyfe Change,” which bows at No. 1. This is his second consecutive No. 1 on the chart. “Change” shifted 80,000 units on The Billboard 200 to grab the No. 4 position, Jennings’ second bow in the top five.
Greatest Gainers: Marvin Sapp’s “Thirsty” is the Greatest Gainer on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums as it climbs 11-8 with the help of a 50% sales increase. This is Sapp’s first top 10 on the chart. Meanwhile, his single “Never Would Have Made It” marks its 32nd week atop Hot Gospel Songs and enters the history books: no song has ever reigned longer on any radio chart in Nielsen BDS history.
On Top Country Albums, Taylor Swift earns the Greatest Gainer trophy with her self-titled set, even as it holds steady in the No. 2 position. The album is in its 80th week on the chart.
But it’s Natasha Bedingfield who is the greatest of the gainers this week, as she sews on Greatest Gainer stripes on The Billboard 200 and Greatest Gainer/Digital stripes on The Billboard Hot 100. The singer performed on the ever-helpful “American Idol” last week and watches her album “Pocketful of Sunshine” rocket 97-24 while her single of the same name jumps 19-8. The single moved 135,000 downloads, an increase of 110%, to put it at No. 4 on Hot Digital Songs. The album saw sales bounce 199%, to 19,000.
Meanwhile, Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” earns the Greatest Gainer/Airplay award on The Billboard Hot 100 even as the track holds steady at No. 2. The song, featuring Static Major, arrives at No. 1 on Hot 100 Airplay in just its seventh chart week, the fastest coronation since Alicia Keys’ “No One” topped the list in seven frames in November.
Pacesetters: Ne-Yo sets the pace on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums with “Because of You,” which moves 56-41 with the help of his latest single, “Closer.” The song moves 54-41 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Although “Closer” comes from a new album not yet out, “Because of You” is reaping the rewards of the single’s early success.
On Top Country Albums, it’s Alan Jackson who takes home the Pacesetter prize for “16 Biggest Hits,” which steps 39-35 behind a 32% sales increase to 3,000. The album is in its 39th week. It debuted at No. 22 — which remains its highest position — in August 2007.
On The Billboard 200, Vicente Fernandez is the week’s Pacesetter with “Para Siempre,” which climbs 53-48 — a new peak — on the back of a 32% sales bump to 13,000. The album is in its 23rd week.
–Susan Visakowitz with additional reporting by Keith Caulfield, Raphael George, Katie Hasty, Wade Jessen, Geoff Mayfield and Silvio Pietroluongo
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