Music Thread #1 For 3/24/10: Weekly Album Sales News, As Marvin Sapp Makes History For Gospel Music

Overall, it was another dreadful week for album sales, as it only took a measly 93,000 copies to reach the number one spot. But it wasn't last week's #1 Luda keeping his position. Instead, country group Lady Antebellum topped the charts yet again.

But the way bigger story overshadowing more dismal numbers is Marvin Sapp's "Here I Am" debuting at #2 on the charts, making it the highest ranking gospel album ever in Billboard 200 history.

Sapp's previous high-water mark came with his previous set, "Thirsty," when it hit No. 28. Until this week, no gospel album had gone higher than No. 3 -- a rank last reached by a gospel set when God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation debuted and peaked at No. 3 on June 14, 1997 with "God's Property." Sapp's "Thirsty" spent 81 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and has sold 712,000 to date -- an impressive number for a gospel set. Its long chart run and handsome sales figure is partially owed to his surprise smash single "Never Would Have Made It." The tune peaked at No. 14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and lingered for 56 weeks on the list

Great for Marvin and gospel music indeed.

Going from spot #1 to #3 is Luda with "Battle of the Sexes", seemingly looking like it will be his worst release ever (in terms of numbers and overall quality of the album). After last week's 137K, second week sales for his latest album garnered 61K in return.

The other notable debut on the charts this week came from the 32-track (yes, you read correctly) rock compilation album "The Edge". That album finished #4 with 53,000 sold.

Spots #5 to #9

Lady Gaga's "The Fame" moves up three slots to No. 5 with 48,000 (up 2%), Sade's "Soldier of Love" holds steady at No. 6 with 40,000 (down 23%) and Jimi Hendrix's "Valleys of Neptune" falls three rungs to No. 7 with a little over 39,000 (down 59%). The Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." rises one spot to No. 8 with just under 39,000 (down 9%), Gorillaz's "Plastic Beach" drops seven spaces to No. 9 with 38,000 (down 66%)

And all you needed to do to get into the Top 10 was sell 31,000 copies. And who did just that?

One Mr. Bieber with his first version of "My World". He, Usher, and everyone backing the canadian King of Twitter will hope that the sequel will have more units sold than the #1 this week.

But until next time, this has been your Billboard chart sales review.