It’s a country music week on Billboard’s album chart, due to the broadcast of the CMA Awards last week. Just about every album that takes a jump on this week’s chart comes from that genre, with the key beneficiary being new artist Taylor Swift, , who jumps from 26-8 with her self-titled debut. Taylor won the evening’s Horizon award, given to promising young entertainers in the biz.
The other big chart news comes from the top, where Jay-Z enters with “American Gangster”. This marks Jay’s tenth Number One album, which ties him with Elvis Presley for second place on the list of artists with the most trips to the top of this particular chart. Quite an amazing feat!
On the singles chart, it’s all T-Pain, all the time. The Florida vocalist (I’m loath to call him an actual singer), earns yet another Top 10 single this week as his protege Flo-Rida jumps to the #6 position with “Low”. That gives T-Pain a “featured credit” on teh #1, 6, 7 and 8 songs this week. Maybe some day I’ll get the appeal.
Early reports suggest that Alicia Keys will join Britney Spears and DMX next week as the only artists to top the charts with their first four releases.
And isn’t it weird to see Finger Eleven in the Top 10 (and Good Charlotte a little further down in the Top 40) with the knowledge that their albums flopped hard?
This Week’s Top 10 Charts (courtesy Billboard communications and Nielsen Soundscan)
Top 10 Albums:
1)American Gangster-Jay-Z
2) Long Road Out of Eden-The Eagles
3)The Ultimate Hits-Garth Brooks
4) Exclusive-Chris Brown
5) Carnival Ride-Carrie Underwood
6)Noel-Josh Groban
7)Blackout-Britney Spears
8)Taylor Swift-Taylor Swift
9)I-Empire-Angels & Airwaves
10) B.A.R.S. (The Barry Adrian Reese Story)-Cassidy
Top 10 Singles:
1) Kiss Kiss-Chris Brown feat. T-Pain
2) No One-Alicia Keys
3) Apologize-Timbaland feat. OneRepublic
4) Crank That-Souja Boy Tellem
5) Bubbly-Colbie Caillait
6) Low-Flo-Rida feat. T-Pain
7) Good Life-Kanye West feat. T-Pain
8) Cyclone-Baby Bash feat. T-Pain
9) Stronger-Kanye West
10) Paralyzer-Finger Eleven
