The Whole Delivery

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 ...

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...

Without any notable premieres last week, it was a totally forgettable week for albums sales. Sade stays at the top spot for a second straight week thanks to such dreadful returns, as she moved 190,000 units to become just shy of 700K sold overall. Even though it's only ten songs and really isn't that good at all, that what name recognition among the old crowd will get you. But the paltry sum of this week's top selling album isn't the standout fact for such a porous week . This following stat is : ast week, the top 40 of the Billboard 200 was populated with eight new arrivals, seemingly released to capitalize on the Valentine's Day holiday. This week, with V-Day in the rearview mirror, the chart's highest debut comes from Story of the Year's "The Constant," way down at No. 42 with 14,000. Wow. Pretty meager stuff right there. However, nothing "meager" can be said about Lady Antebellum, as the country group becomes the first to have...

Talk about a way to pronounce your comeback and have every excuse to go back into seclusion. Ms. Mysterious has gone gold in just one week on the charts . Nearly 10 years after the group's last studio effort, Sade is back with "Soldier of Love," blasting in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with 502,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Solder of Love" gives Sade its first No. 1 debut and its best sales week since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991. On top of that, it's the best sales week for an album by a group since AC/DC's "Black Ice" bulldozed into the chart at No. 1 on the chart dated Nov. 8, 2008, with 784,000. "Soldier" is Sade's second No. 1 album. Its first, "Promise," spent two weeks at the top of the chart in 1986. The new album is also the first studio effort from the band -- led by vocalist Sade Adu -- since "Lovers Rock" was released in November of 2000. That set deb...

Good for the White Stripes to take their stand against the Air Force Still number one is Lady Antebellum, as Lil Wayne's finally realized semi-rock album "Rebirth" couldn't top it . Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" stands tall at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second week, as the set shifts 209,000 according to Nielsen SoundScan. Last week, the set bowed atop the list with 481,000, the biggest sales week for a country album since Taylor Swift's "Fearless" opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 592,000 copies in Nov. 2008. Lady Antebellum's second week of 209,000 is down an expected 57% compared to its premiere week. Last year, most high-bowing country albums dropped by anywhere between 55-60% in sales in their second week. And, since Lady A performed the new album's title track on the Grammy Awards on Jan. 31, the album's second-week drop-off was softened. "Rebirth" pushed 176,000 copies, which is decent consi...

Well, tell that to country pop artists, especially the latest advocates for that example, Lady Antebellum : Lady Antebellum's second album, "Need You Now," crashes in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling 481,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That's the biggest debut sales week for any album since Susan Boyle's "I Dreamed a Dream" bowed atop the list with 701,000 in November, and the best for a country album since Taylor Swift's "Fearless" opened at No. 1 on the Billboard with 592,000 copies in Nov. 2008. It is an amazing climb from them in comparison to their first album sales two years ago Lady Antebellum's self-titled first album debuted and peaked at No. 4 with 43,000 in its opening week back in May of 2008. This week, in the set's 94th week on the chart, it climbs one spot to No. 15 with 31,000 (up 32%). It truly is amazing how those country pop artists continue to get album sales in the era of high ...