Music Thread #1 For 3/11/10: Lady Antebellum Takes Back The Top Spot Over Sade

Since Billboard wasn't as early as they usually are with releasing the news on Wednesday, I had to postpone the album sales report until today.

Then again, with how dreadful these album sales figures were, I guess maybe that is a reason why they were a little tardy.

Regardless of it, Lady Antebellum won't be complaing, as they flip flop spots with Sade to be this week's #1:

Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, bumping Sade's "Soldier of Love" down to No. 2, while six albums debut in the top 10 of the tally, the most since last October.

After a three-week break at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" returns to No. 1 with 126,000 (up 6%), marking its third total week atop the list. It opened at No. 1 with 481,000 six weeks ago, and then held at No. 1 for a second week with 209,000. The set stepped aside for three weeks to the runner-up slot, playing second fiddle to Sade's "Soldier of Love." The latter set drops to No. 2 this week with 79,000 (down 37%).

With no real strong notable releases from last week, the 126,000 copies sold by Lady A was a sign of dreadful things to come. And with Sade needing only 79,000 to get the runner up spot this week, you could here label execs sigh in major pain for another week.

This was the week where weak debuts would definitely get a spot on the Top 10:

Also this week, six new albums arrive in the top 10 -- the most the tally has seen since the list dated Oct. 17, 2009 when eight started in the region. Right behind Sade, we see the bow of Blake Shelton's new "Hillbilly Bone" at No. 3 with 71,000. It's the country singer's sixth studio set and it earns his highest rank ever on the chart. Additionally, it claims his best sales week since his second album "The Dreamer" started with 77,000 at No. 8 in 2003.

Up next in the parade of debuts is last year's third-place finisher from "American Idol," Danny Gokey, who sees his debut set "My Best Days" land at No. 4 with 65,000. Over on the Top Country Albums chart, it starts at No. 3 behind Lady A and Shelton. Gokey's set follows the post-season eight "Idol" album releases from winner Kris Allen ("Kris Allen," No. 11 with an 80,000 debut), runner-up Adam Lambert ("For Your Entertainment," No. 3; 198,000) and fourth-place finisher Allison Iraheta ("Just Like You," No. 35; 32,000).

The other four debuts in the top ten were the Alice in Wonderland soundtrack "Almost Alice" (#5), which obviously didn't come close to bringing in the cash that it's father movie brought in this week, Lifehouse's "Smoke and Mirrors" (#6), the ridiculously underrated Raheem DeVaugh's "The Love and MasterPeace" (#9), and country singer's Easton Corbin self titled album (#10).

Taking the #7 and #8 spots on the chart are unsurprising mainstays Laga Gaga's "The Fame" and The Black Eyed Peas "The E.N.D", who enjoyed their 39th week on the charts.

If your debut didn't end up in the top 10 this week with how abysmal sales were, like Jason Derulo's self-titled 1st release (#11) and DJ Khaled's latest waste of money "Victory" (#14), then it probably won't be in the Top 10 in the upcoming future at all.