Josh Groban Grabs a Second Week at No. 1
December 05, 2007
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| JOSH GROBAN |
Editor: Keith Caulfield; Contributors: Gary Trust, Alex Vitoulis; Editorial Director: Geoff Mayfield
Josh Groban holds at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 for a second week with "Noel" as the Eagles surge to No. 2 with a 70% increase following the band's interview on "60 Minutes" ... Mannheim Steamroller collects its third top 10 album while Justin Timberlake zips up the chart after his "FutureSex/LoveSounds" was reissued last week ... In Progress Reports, we've got updates on the new No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart (hint: it's a Christmas tune), a four-way tie for the most weeks at No. 1 in the history of the Modern Rock chart and Jason Michael Carroll's "Livin' Our Love Song" hits an astounding 40th week on the Hot Country Songs chart.
FLASH POINTS
• Josh Groban's "Noel" holds at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 for a second week with a 33% increase, shifting 539,000. The album shot to No. 1 last week following the singer's performance on the favorite-things edition of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." This week, Winfrey is still waving her magic wand over the chart, as Groban appeared on yet another episode of her show last week. This time it was a "behind-the-scenes" show documenting how they put the favorite-things episode together. This behind-the-scenes show featured two performances from Groban ... The Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" surges to No. 2 with 313,000 (up 70%) after the band was profiled on the Nov. 25 edition of "60 Minutes." The album has now blown through nearly 1.8 million copies in its five weeks of release ... With Christmas fast approaching, it's only natural to see holiday albums rise up The Billboard 200. Mannheim Steamroller's "Christmas Song" vaults from No. 21 to No. 10 with 77,000 (up 24%). It's the third top 10 album for the Chip Davis-led act ... Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds zooms from No. 75 to No. 26 with 38,000 (a 120% jump) after the set was reissued last week with bonus tracks and a DVD.
• There are only two new entries in the top 75 of The Billboard 200 this week, with Pitbull's "Boatlift" coming in at No. 50 and Mudvayne's "By the People, For the People" landing at No. 51. The albums both sold about 22,000. The Pitbull set is a new studio effort while the Mudvayne album is an odds'n'sods/rarities compilation. As has become tradition, the Tuesday following the Thanksgiving holiday is basically void of significant new releases.
• This same week last year saw Incubus take advantage of a sluggish release schedule and debut at No. 1 with "Light Grenades." The album shifted 165,000 in its first week, edging out the first "Hannah Montana" soundtrack by 7,000. "Grenades" was Incubus' first No. 1 album and has sold 700,000 to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan. In its second week, the album took a severe tumble, falling all the way to No. 37 with a 65% decline. While the percentage decrease wasn't startling, the position move was stunning. Incubus can claim the awkward honor of having the biggest drop from No. 1 ever. It surpassed the previous title holder, Marilyn Manson's "The Golden Age of Grotesque," when that album fell from No. 1 to No. 21 in 2003 ... Incubus' album wasn't the only one that debuted on the chart at this time last year. Clipse's long-delayed "Hell Hath No Fury" finally bowed on the chart (No. 14) while Ying Yang Twins' "Chemically Imbalanced" started at No. 40. Those were the only three new releases that debuted on the chart that week. However, a number of Christmas titles that had been on the market a few weeks finally bowed on the chart, including Mary Mary's "A Mary Mary Christmas" at No. 148.
• Speaking of Christmas albums, there are 26 holiday titles on The Billboard 200 this week, as compared with the 20 that graced the chart the same week last year. Last year's list was led by Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong" at No. 7 while the "Now That's What I Call Christmas! 3" album climbed to No. 10. Other holiday titles on the chart at this point last year included offerings from James Taylor, Bette Midler, Celtic Woman, Brad Paisley, Wynonna, Elvis Presley, Third Day, Kenny G, Aly and AJ and Luis Miguel. Of last year's batch of Christmas albums, "Now That's What I Call Christmas! 3" is the fourth-best-selling holiday album this week, as it's at No. 4 on Top Holiday Albums with 51,000.
The Billboard 200
Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan |
| *1 | 1 | JOSH GROBAN Noel (143 / Reprise / Warner Bros.) | 11 | 9 | CHRIS BROWN Exclusive (Jive / Zomba) |
| *2 | 5 | EAGLES Long Road Out Of Eden (ERC ) | 12 | 13 | TAYLOR SWIFT Taylor Swift (Big Machine ) |
| 3 | 2 | ALICIA KEYS As I Am (MBK / J / RMG) | 13 | 16 | LED ZEPPELIN Mothership (Swan Song / Atlantic) |
| 4 | 3 | VARIOUS ARTISTS NOW 26 (EMI / Sony BMG Strategic Marketing Group / Universal / Zomba / Capitol) | 14 | 20 | RASCAL FLATTS Still Feels Good (Lyric Street / Hollywood) |
| 5 | 4 | GARTH BROOKS The Ultimate Hits (Pearl ) | 15 | 24 | JONAS BROTHERS Jonas Brothers (Hollywood ) |
| 6 | 6 | SOUNDTRACK High School Musical 2 (Walt Disney ) | 16 | 18 | COLBIE CAILLAT Coco (Universal Republic / UMRG) |
| *7 | 12 | MILEY CYRUS Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus (Walt Disney / Hollywood ) | 17 | 14 | JAY-Z American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam / IDJMG) |
| 8 | 8 | CELINE DION Taking Chances (Columbia / Sony Music) | 18 | 10 | JORDIN SPARKS Jordin Sparks (19 / Jive / Zomba) |
| 9 | 7 | CARRIE UNDERWOOD Carnival Ride (Arista / Arista Nashville / RMG/SBN) | 19 | 11 | KEITH URBAN Greatest Hits (Capitol Nashville ) |
| *10 | 21 | MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER Christmas Song (American Gramaphone ) | 20 | 25 | SUGARLAND Enjoy The Ride (Mercury (Nashville) / UMGN) |
| * indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week |
MARKET WATCH
• Album units, current chart week: 12.26 million units
• DOWN 12.1% from last issue's charts: 13.96 million units
• DOWN 16.9% from same week, 2006: 14.75 million units
• This week: The top five albums sell more than 100,000 copies.
• This week last year on The Billboard 200: Incubus' "Light Grenades" bowed at No. 1 with 165,000 while Clipse's "Hell Hath No Fury" was the next-highest debut at No. 14 with 78,000. The top 10 albums each sold more than 100,000.
BORDERLINES
• The No. 200 album this week, Clay Walker's "Fall" (Curb), sold 5,000.
• The No. 200 album for the same week of 2006, Lyfe Jennings' "The Phoenix" (Columbia), sold 6,000.
• Average total of the No. 200 album for the same week of the year during the past 10 years (1998-2007): 9,680.
PROGRESS REPORTS
• On the AC/Adult Contemporary chart, Kimberley Locke's "Frosty the Snowman" flies from No. 10 to No. 1, giving the artist her third No. 1. All three of the chart-toppers have been Christmas tunes, starting with 2005's "Up on the Housetop" and continuing with 2006's "Jingle Bells." All of these songs can be found on her iTunes-exclusive holiday album fittingly titled "Christmas" ... A full one-third of the AC chart this week is made up of seasonal titles, with five of those debuting this week. Colbie Caillat's "Mistletoe" starts at No. 17 while offerings from Dave Koz featuring Kelly Sweet (No. 22), Barry Manilow (No. 23), Michael W. Smith featuring Mandisa (No. 26) and Elliott Yamin (No. 28) also joining the crowd ... At this point last year, eight of the songs on the 30-position chart were Christmas songs.
• Foo Fighters' "The Pretender" holds the top spot on the Modern Rock chart for a 16th straight week this issue, entering a four-way tie for most weeks at No. 1 in the chart's 19-year history. The track matches the reigns of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Scar Tissue" (1999), Staind's "It's Been Awhile" (2001) and Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (2004-2005) ... Foo Fighters may not hold at No. 1 next week, as "Pretender" is declining in radio plays and this week's runner-up, Seether's "Fake It," is gaining on the Foos.
• Jason Michael Carroll's "Livin' Our Love Song" spends its 40th week on Hot Country Songs as it descends from No. 6 to No. 9. It's the fourth single to spend 40 weeks or more on the chart this year -- the most since 2002 also saw four titles turn the trick. This year, Jake Owen's "Startin' With Me" closed out a 41-week run in July while Tracy Lawrence's "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" finished a 44-week marathon in June ... In late January of this year, Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" wrapped up a 46-week run, though it first crossed the 40-week barrier in December 2006.
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan |
| 1 | 1 | ALICIA KEYS As I Am (MBK / J / RMG) |
| 2 | 2 | JAY-Z American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam / IDJMG) |
| 3 | 3 | CHRIS BROWN Exclusive (Jive / Zomba) |
| 4 | 4 | KEYSHIA COLE Just Like You (Confidential / Imani / Geffen / IGA) |
| 5 | 6 | VARIOUS ARTISTS NOW 26 (EMI / Sony BMG Strategic Marketing Group / Universal / Zomba / Capitol) |
| *6 | 29 | JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE FutureSex/LoveSounds (Jive / Zomba) |
| *7 | 11 | SOUNDTRACK This Christmas (Jive / Zomba) |
| 8 | 13 | J. HOLIDAY Back Of My Lac' (Music Line / Capitol) |
| 9 | 5 | FREEWAY Free At Last (Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam / IDJMG) |
| 10 | 10 | BOYZ II MEN Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA (Decca ) |
| * indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week |
Top Country Albums
Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan |
| *1 | 2 | EAGLES Long Road Out Of Eden (ERC ) |
| 2 | 1 | GARTH BROOKS The Ultimate Hits (Pearl ) |
| 3 | 3 | CARRIE UNDERWOOD Carnival Ride (Arista / Arista Nashville / RMG/SBN) |
| 4 | 5 | TAYLOR SWIFT Taylor Swift (Big Machine ) |
| 5 | 6 | RASCAL FLATTS Still Feels Good (Lyric Street / Hollywood) |
| 6 | 4 | KEITH URBAN Greatest Hits (Capitol Nashville ) |
| 7 | 8 | SUGARLAND Enjoy The Ride (Mercury / UMGN) |
| 8 | 7 | REBA MCENTIRE Reba Duets (MCA Nashville / UMGN) |
| *9 | 13 | TOBY KEITH A Classic Christmas (Show Dog Nashville ) |
| 10 | 10 | ROBERT PLANT / ALISON KRAUSS Raising Sand (Rounder ) |
| * indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week |
Top Pop Catalog Albums
Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan |
| *1 | 4 | TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA The Lost Christmas Eve (Lava / AG) |
| *2 | 2 | VARIOUS ARTISTS NOW That's What I Call Christmas! 3 (EMI / Universal / Zomba / Sony BMG Strategic Marketing Group / Sony Music) |
| *3 | 17 | CELTIC WOMAN A Christmas Celebration (Manhattan / BLG) |
| *4 | 6 | MICHAEL BUBLE Let It Snow! (EP) (143 / Reprise / Warner Bros.) |
| *5 | 16 | TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA Christmas Eve And Other Stories (Lava / AG) |
| *6 | 15 | VINCE GUARALDI TRIO A Charlie Brown Christmas (Soundtrack) (Fantasy / Concord) |
| *7 | 25 | FRANK SINATRA, DEAN MARTIN & SAMMY DAVIS JR Christmas With The Rat Pack (Capitol ) |
| *8 | 22 | IL DIVO The Christmas Collection (SYCO / Columbia / Sony Music) |
| 9 | 13 | POINT OF GRACE Winter Wonderland (Word-Curb / Warner Bros.) |
| *10 | 21 | CELINE DION These Are Special Times (550 Music / Epic / Sony Music) |
| * indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week |
A LOOK AHEAD
• Among the titles released this week, due on next week's charts: Blake Lewis' "Audio Day Dream," Ghostface Killah's "The Big Doe Rehab," Daft Punk's "Alive 2007," Rufus Wainwright's "Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall," Birdman's "5 Star Stunna," 2Pac's "Best of 2Pac Parts 1 and 2," Scarface's "M.A.D.E.," Godsmack's "Good Times, Bad Times," Trace Adkins' "American Man: Greatest Hits Vol. II," the "Live Earth" CD/DVD compilation, Wyclef Jean's "Carnival II," the Wreckers' "Way Back Home: Live From New York," Yuridia's "Entre Mariposas" and Nelly Furtado's "Loose: The Concert."
• Next week's Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2006 when: the top three slots of The Billboard 200 all welcomed new entries. Ciara's "The Evolution" came in on top with 338,000 while the Eminem mixtape "The Re-Up" started at No. 2 with 309,000. Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape" rounded out the trio at No. 3 with 243,000. The top 15 albums each sold more than 100,000.
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