Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” makes a dramatic leap up the Billboard 200 to No. 1 after street-date violations pushed the album onto the chart early last week … last week’s chart-topper, Mary J. Blige’s “Growing Pains,” slips to No. 3 … the soundtrack to the film “Juno” is the chart’s highest debut at No. 8 while in Progress Reports, we’ve got news on Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Babyface, Joe Nichols, Kimberley Locke, Freda Payne, Belinda Carlisle and Sylvester.
FLASH POINTS
• All eyes are on Radiohead this week as the band’s album makes its expected ascention on the Billboard 200 after street-date violation sales forced its entry last week at No. 156 with 9,000. This week, the album sells 122,000 and zooms to No. 1 — the biggest jump the chart has seen since 1997. On the chart dated April 12, 1997, the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Life After Death” flew from No. 176 to No. 1 after it too suffered an early debut thanks to street-date transgressions.
• Last week’s chart-topper, Mary J. Blige’s “Growing Pains,” slips to No. 3 with 89,000 (down 56%).
• With 122,000 sold in its first full week in stores, the tally for “In Rainbows” is the smallest debut for the band since since 1997’s “OK Computer” started with 51,000 in 1997 at No. 21. Its last effort, 2003’s “Hail to the Thief,” bowed at No. 3 with a career-high 300,000 … Of course, its difficult to compare the new album’s sales with any of Radiohead’s past releases, as it’s unknown how many of the band’s fans opted to purchase the pay-what-you-want digital version of “In Rainbows” last year instead of waiting for its physical CD release.
• The new album is the group’s fourth consecutive studio set to reach the top three of the Billboard 200, stretching back to 2000’s “Kid A,” which debuted atop the chart with 207,000. The act followed it up with 2001’s “Amnesiac” (No. 2 with 231,000) and then “Hail to the Thief” … Radiohead’s three studio sets released prior to “Kid A” missed the top 20. The biggest of the pre-“Kid A” bunch was “OK Computer,” which debuted and peaked at No. 21.
• Meanwhile, Alicia Keys’ “As I Am” holds at No. 2 for a second week. It debuted in the penthouse on the Dec. 1, 2007, chart and has spent its eight-week chart run lodged firmly in the top three. It has sold 2.7 million copies to date and is the singer’s fastest-selling album.
• The soundtrack to the film “Juno” makes a grand entrance at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 with 38,000. The album was only available digitally until yesterday, when the physical release bowed in stores. However, street-date violation sales of the physical configuration last week push the album onto the big chart a week early. Of the set’s 38,000 sold last week, digital retailers accounted for 99% of the total … Naturally, “Juno” is No. 1 on the Top Soundtracks and Top Digital Albums charts … Previous to this week, the “Juno” album had sold 37,000 digital downloads in its first three weeks of release. It bowed digitally Dec. 11. To date, the set has shifted 75,000.
• Don’t be alarmed by the 123-32 jump for Elliott Yamin’s “Sounds of the Season” holiday EP. The set, exclusively available through Target, was offered at a bargain basement price last week at the retailer. It moved 23,000 this week — a gain of 112%. It’s not the only album to benefit from blowout pricing. Among the obvious beneficiaries are KT Tunstall’s own “Sounds of the Season,” re-entering at No. 92 with a 176% gain.
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The Billboard 200 Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan |
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| *1 | 156 | RADIOHEAD In Rainbows (TBD / ATO) | 11 | 16 | KEYSHIA COLE Just Like You (Confidential / Imani / Geffen / IGA) |
| 2 | 2 | ALICIA KEYS As I Am (MBK / J / RMG) | 12 | 24 | FERGIE The Dutchess (will.i.am / A&M / Interscope / IGA) |
| 3 | 1 | MARY J. BLIGE Growing Pains (Matriarch / Geffen / IGA) | *13 | 33 | SOUNDTRACK Alvin And The Chipmunks (Fox / Razor & Tie) |
| 4 | 4 | VARIOUS ARTISTS NOW 26 (EMI / Sony BMG Strategic Marketing Group / Universal / Zomba / Capitol) | 14 | 9 | MILEY CYRUS Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus (Walt Disney / Hollywood ) |
| 5 | 8 | TAYLOR SWIFT Taylor Swift (Big Machine ) | *15 | 31 | ONEREPUBLIC Dreaming Out Loud (Mosley / Interscope / IGA) |
| 6 | 5 | CHRIS BROWN Exclusive (Jive / Zomba) | 16 | 13 | LED ZEPPELIN Mothership (Swan Song / Atlantic) |
| 7 | 7 | GARTH BROOKS The Ultimate Hits (Pearl ) | 17 | 14 | LUPE FIASCO Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool (1st & 15th / Atlantic / AG) |
| *8 | New | SOUNDTRACK Juno (Rhino ) | 18 | 23 | SOUNDTRACK Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (Nonesuch / Warner Bros.) |
| 9 | 10 | COLBIE CAILLAT Coco (Universal Republic / UMRG) | 19 | 11 | CARRIE UNDERWOOD Carnival Ride (Arista / Arista Nashville / RMG/SBN) |
| 10 | 6 | EAGLES Long Road Out Of Eden (ERC ) | 20 | 12 | SOUNDTRACK High School Musical 2 (Walt Disney ) |
| * indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week | |||||
MARKET WATCH
• Album units, current chart week: 9.06 million units
• DOWN 37.5% from last issue’s charts: 14.51 million units
• DOWN 3.7% from same week, 2007: 9.41 million units
• This week: The top two albums sell more than 100,000 copies.
• This week last year on the Billboard 200: the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack celebrated its first week at No. 1 as it ascended to the top spot in its fifth week on the chart, selling 66,000. The previous week’s No. 1, Omarion’s “21,” dropped to No. 10 with a 65% decline, selling 42,000. The top debut on the chart was Carly Simon’s “Into White” at No. 15 with 40,000. No albums sold more than 100,000
BORDERLINES
• The No. 20 album this week, the “High School Musical 2” soundtrack (Walt Disney), sold 29,000.
• The No. 20 album for the same week of 2007, the Fray’s “How to Save a Life” (Epic/Sony Music), sold 36,000.
• Average total of the No. 20 album for the same week of the year during the past 10 years (1999-2008): 49,756.
PROGRESS REPORTS
• Billy Ray Cyrus achieves his seventh top 10 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart — and first since 1999 — as “Ready, Set, Don’t Go” moves from No. 11 to No. 10 this week. The song, a collaboration with daughter Miley, is his first top 10 single since “Busy Man” reached No. 3 back in 1999 … In other news on the Hot Country Songs chart, Joe Nichols notches his highest debut ever on the list, as “It Ain’t No Crime” bows at No. 45. His previous best start came with “Another Side of You” last year when it started at No. 50.
• This week, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds’ cover of James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” becomes his first top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary chart since 1994. In its 20th week on the tally, the song rises from No. 12 to No. 10, the first time the singer/producer has graced the top 10 of the list since the chart dated Nov. 12, 1994, when his “When Can I See You” spent its lone week in the top 10. Babyface has charted six singles on the Adult Contemporary chart, the first being 1990’s “Whip Appeal.”
• Switching gears, on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, Kimberley Locke’s cover of “Band of Gold” ascends to No. 1 this week, giving the former “American Idol” contestant her second chart-topper on the list. The song was originally a No. 3 Billboard Hot 100 hit for Freda Payne in 1970. While Payne’s original version never reached the Hot Dance Club Play chart, the singer was featured on Belinda Carlisle’s 1987 cover, which went to No. 26. A few years earlier, in 1983, dance legend Sylvester took his version of the tune to No. 18.
| Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan |
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| 1 | 1 | MARY J. BLIGE Growing Pains (Matriarch / Geffen / IGA) | |||
| 2 | 2 | ALICIA KEYS As I Am (MBK / J / RMG) | |||
| 3 | 5 | KEYSHIA COLE Just Like You (Confidential / Imani / Geffen / IGA) | |||
| 4 | 4 | JAHEIM The Makings Of A Man (Divine Mill / Atlantic / AG) | |||
| 5 | 3 | CHRIS BROWN Exclusive (Jive / Zomba) | |||
| 6 | 6 | LUPE FIASCO Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool (1st & 15th / Atlantic / AG) | |||
| 7 | 7 | JAY-Z American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam / IDJMG) | |||
| 8 | 10 | BIRDMAN 5*Stunna (Cash Money / Universal Motown / UMRG) | |||
| 9 | 9 | KIRK FRANKLIN The Fight Of My Life (Fo Yo Soul / Gospo Centric / Zomba) | |||
| 10 | 16 | THE-DREAM Love/Hate (Radio Killa / Def Jam / IDJMG) | |||
| * indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week | |||||
| Top Country Albums Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan |
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| 1 | 3 | TAYLOR SWIFT Taylor Swift (Big Machine ) | |||
| 2 | 2 | GARTH BROOKS The Ultimate Hits (Pearl ) | |||
| 3 | 1 | EAGLES Long Road Out Of Eden (ERC ) | |||
| 4 | 4 | CARRIE UNDERWOOD Carnival Ride (Arista / Arista Nashville / RMG/SBN) | |||
| 5 | 5 | RASCAL FLATTS Still Feels Good (Lyric Street / Hollywood) | |||
| 6 | 7 | SUGARLAND Enjoy The Ride (Mercury / UMGN) | |||
| 7 | 6 | ROBERT PLANT / ALISON KRAUSS Raising Sand (Rounder ) | |||
| 8 | 8 | REBA MCENTIRE Reba Duets (MCA Nashville / UMGN) | |||
| 9 | 9 | KEITH URBAN Greatest Hits (Capitol Nashville ) | |||
| 10 | 10 | KENNY CHESNEY Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates (BNA / SBN) | |||
| * indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week | |||||
| Top Pop Catalog Albums Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan |
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| *1 | 7 | BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers (Tuff Gong / Island / UMe) | |||
| 2 | 5 | GUNS N’ ROSES Greatest Hits (Geffen / IGA) | |||
| *3 | 11 | EAGLES The Very Best Of (Warner Strategic Marketing ) | |||
| *4 | 35 | NATALIE GRANT Awaken (Curb ) | |||
| 5 | 8 | MICHAEL BUBLE It’s Time (143 / Reprise / Warner Bros.) | |||
| 6 | 10 | PINK FLOYD Dark Side Of The Moon (Capitol ) | |||
| 7 | 14 | JOURNEY Journey’s Greatest Hits (Legacy / Columbia / Sony Music) | |||
| 8 | 9 | JOSH GROBAN Closer (143 / Reprise / Warner Bros.) | |||
| *9 | 20 | ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING Wicked (Decca Broadway / Decca) | |||
| 10 | 15 | JIM BRICKMAN Christmas Romance (Compass ) | |||
| * indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week | |||||
A LOOK AHEAD
• Among the titles released this week, due on next week’s charts: the physical CD release of the soundtrack to “Juno,” the original Broadway cast recording of “Xanadu,” Kate Nash’s debut set “Made of Bricks” and Sia’s “Some People Have Real Problems.”
• Next week’s Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2007 when: the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack spent a second week at No. 1 with a depressing 60,000 sold. The soundtrack to Disney Channel’s “Jump In!” bowed at No. 5 with 49,000. No albums sold more than 100,000.