Reba McEntire Is #1

It’s all about country music on top of the Billboard 200 for the third week in a row, as Reba McEntire scores her second topper on the chart. McEntire’s “Keep On Loving You” enters at No. 1 with 96,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan — her second visit to the penthouse after 2007′s star-studded “Reba Duets” set.

The country queen replaces the King of Country, as last week’s No. 1, George Strait’s “Twang,” slides to No. 2 in its second frame with 61,000 (down 61%).

McEntire is also the champ on the all-encompassing Top Comprehensive Albums chart. It houses both older and current albums (the latter are generally those that are 18 months old or less). Over on the Billboard 200 chart, only current or new albums are ranked.

Check out Reba perform “Keep On Loving You” on QVC

Sugarland No. 1 On Billboard 200; Jackson Still Week’s Top-Seller

Billboard.com

While Michael Jackson is still the week’s top seller, Sugarland’s new Wal-Mart exclusive CD/DVD package “Live on the Inside” enters at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 76,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It’s the country duo’s second No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in just over a year. Sugarland earned its first chart-topper with its 2008 studio album, “Love on the Inside,” which ascended to the top of the tally after debuting at No. 2 the previous week.

But it’s the King of Pop who continues to have the top selling album in the U.S. His “Number Ones” set shifted another 98,000 last week (down 14%), placing it at No. 1 on the Top Comprehensive Albums chart for a sixth non-consecutive week.

The Top Comprehensive Albums chart houses both older and current albums (the latter are generally those that are 18 months old or less). Over on the Billboard 200 chart, only current or new albums are ranked. That’s why Jackson’s “Number Ones” — released in 2003 — is absent from the latter tally.

Jackson’s No. 1 run is the longest for a male artist since 50 Cent’s “The Massacre” also did six weeks in late 2007 and early 2008. It’s also his longest reign with the top album in the country since 1987′s “Bad” album spent six weeks as the U.S.’ best-seller. His 1991 “Dangerous” set earned four weeks at No. 1, while 1995′s “HIStory” was No. 1 for two weeks and 2001′s “Invincible” topped the tally for one week.

Sugarland’s 76,000 entry at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart is the lowest sales week for a No. 1 -debuting album in Nielsen SoundScan’s 18-year history. The previous low was actually set just earlier this year, when Chrisette Michelle’s “Epiphany” entered at No. 1 with 83,000.

Last week’s No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Fabolous’ “Loso’s Way,” slips to No. 10 in its second week on the chart, moving 37,000 (down 63%). This week’s second-highest new entry comes from country quartet Gloriana, which arrives at No. 3 with its self-titled debut effort (44,000). The 16th volume of the popular children’s series “Kidz Bop Kids” series starts at No. 8 with 38,000 while R&B singer K’Jon sees his debut album “I Get Around” enter at No. 12 with 33,000.

As for the rest of the Billboard 200 top 10, the “Now 31″ compilation rises 4-2 with 45,000 (down 16%) while the Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.” slides up one notch to No. 4 with 44,000 (down 10%). Rising one rung, Kings of Leon’s “Only By the Night” also sold just over 44,000 (down 6%) while Daughtry’s “Leave This Town” (falling from No. 2 to No. 6) was just a handful of units behind Kings of Leon, also selling about 44,000 (down 29%). Maxwell’s “BLACKsummers’night” falls four slots to No. 7 with 43,000 (down 22%) and Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” holds at No. 9 with 37,000 (down 1%).

Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending August 9) totaled 6.03 million units, up 1.2% compared to the sum last week (5.96 million) and down 15.7% compared to the same sales week of 2008 (7.16 million). Year to date album sales stand at 213.8 million, down 14.3% compared to the same total at this point last year (249.4 million).

U2 SCORES Q1′s TOP-SELLING INTERNATIONAL ARTIST ALBUM

U2′s “No Line On The Horizon” was the best-selling album by an international act in the U.S. for the first quarter of 2009, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

This is U2′s 12th album and is #2 in overall sales this year. Taylor Swift’s sophomore album takes the #1 spot, with over 824,000 units sold this quarter.

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