WordPress tells me that my top search term of the day is “Chelsea Lately Sex Tape”. This is weird, because I don’t think I’ve ever written about Chelsea Lately or a sex tape. Anyway, I’m gonna use that as a tag just to see how many more hits I get.
However, this column isn’t about search results, either! It’s about the Billboard charts and the fact that the “Glee: Power of Madonna” album enters the Album chart at #1, selling 98,000 copies. It’s the first non-Disney related television franchise to score a #1 album since “Miami Vice” back in ’85 (someone correct me if I’m wrong here), and it’s also (if my research is correct), the first “tribute” album to one artist to ever debut at the top of the album charts. Something tells me that a lot of Gleeks and Madonna fans run in the same circles, so there’s definitely a synergy there.
The “Glee” kids lead a charge of three new albums in the Top 10 and seven new albums in the top twenty. Also debuting this week: the “Iron Man 2” soundtrack (basically serving as an AC/DC Greatest hits album) at #4, a new one from Jimmy Buffett at #7, hard rockers Circa Survive and Sevendust at #11 and #12, Cypress Hill’s highest charting album in a decade at #19, and Willie Nelson at #20. Obviously, potheads came out and represented strongly at the record stores last week.
The Academy of Country Music awards made a huge impact on the charts. Winners on the chart and at the cash register included Lady Antebellum (#2, +27%), Miranda Lambert (#13, +105%) and the Zac Brown Band, whose 18-month old “Foundation” album reaches a new peak at #9. Add in a passel of hit singles and the Grammy Best New Artist win, and these guys have quietly sold 2 million copies of their debut album.
Cypress Hill and Willie Nelson aren’t the only vets returning to the charts this week. Hair metal legends Ratt have their best chart showing in 20 years, popping up at #30 with “Infestation”. Meanwhile, classic pop singer Peggy Lee shows up at #50 with the Starbucks exclusive “Opus Series”. Now, I’m not gonna bother looking up when the last time was when Peggy Lee had an album in the Top 50, but I’ll venture a guess and I’ll say that there were still separate water fountains for white folks and “coloreds” at that time.
Next week looks to be a 3-way dogfight for the top, with Atlanta rapper B.O.B. leading the charge, with Irish hard rockers Bullet for My Valentine and the resurgent Lady Antebellum challenging for that spot. Here’s the top twenty this week.
1) “Power of Madonna” Glee Cast
2) “Need You Now” Lady Antebellum
3) “My World 2.0” Justin Bieber
4) “Iron Man 2 Soundtrack” AC/DC
5) “Raymond v Raymond” Usher
6) “Now That’s What I Call Music 33” Various Artists
7) “Encores” Jimmy Buffett
8) “My World” Justin Bieber
9) “Foundation” Zac Brown Band
10) “The Fame” Lady GaGa
11) “Blue Sky Noise” Circa Survive
12) “Cold Day Memory” Sevendust
13) “Revolution” Miranda Lambert
14) “Animal” Ke$ha
15) “Still Standing” Monica
16) “The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies)” The Black Eyed Peas
17) “Battle of the Sexes” Ludacris
18) “Congratulations” MGMT
19) “Rise Up” Cypress Hill
20) “Country Music” Willie Nelson
By the way…21 years ago this week, the #1 single in the country was…by Madonna. “Like a Prayer” topped the charts on April 30th, 1989. Here’s the video.
2 comments
GG says:
Apr 30, 2010
So, B.o.B. is a buy yes? I haven’t decided yet.
blerdwords says:
Apr 30, 2010
I like it. But I’ve still only listened to it once.