Entertainment> Music

Susan Boyle leads album chart for sixth week

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-07 09:49

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – Susan Boyle racked up a sixth consecutive week at No. 1 on the U.S. pop album chart on Wednesday, but the Scottish singer faces a challenge for next week's title from pop newcomer Ke$ha.

Early prognostications from label sources suggest that both Boyle's "I Dreamed a Dream" and Ke$ha's just-released debut album, "Animal," could each sell around 100,000 copies by week's end on January 10. With Ke$ha's very youthful audience going up against Boyle's more-mature demographic, however, it's a tough call on who may come out on top.

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After six weeks, Boyle's album has sold 3.1 million copies, becoming the No. 2 album of 2009 behind Taylor Swift's "Fearless," with sales of 3.2 million.

In the week ended January 3, "I Dreamed a Dream" sold 137,000 copies. Lady Gaga's "The Fame" climbed four places to a new high of No. 2 with 82,000. The 62-week old album had previously topped out at No. 4 in March.

Alicia Keys' "The Element of Freedom" climbed one to No. 3 with 80,000 in its third week, while Mary J. Blige's "Stronger With Each Tear" dropped two to No. 4 with 62,000 in its second. Swift's "Fearless" held at No. 5 with 60,000 copies in its 60th week.

Justin Bieber's "My World" EP rose one to No. 6 with 52,000, and the soundtrack to "Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel" soared 13 places to No. 7 with 51,000, bolstered by the film's hot performance at the box office.

The Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." jumped seven to No. 8 with 47,000, Lady Gaga's "The Fame Monster" EP rose three to No. 9 with 44,000, and Owl City's "Ocean Eyes" jumped four to No. 10, also with 44,000.

Overall album sales totaled 7.76 million units, down 55% compared to the sum last week, and down 9% compared to the comparable sales week of 2009.