Taylor Swift And Susan Boyle Hold Michael Jackson Back From #1

Robbie Daw | December 22, 2010 10:48 am

Michael, Michael Jackson’s posthumous collection of polished-up unreleased tunes, proved to be no match for Taylor Swift’s Speak Now and Susan Boyle’s The Gift, both of which kept the sales momentum going in the lead-up to Christmas. Still, MJ’s latest managed to trump new releases from R. Kelly and Diddy-Dirty Money. Taylor Swift’s Speak Now, which sold 259,000 copies last week and has been out since late October, actually knocks The Gift (254,000) down to #2 and settles in for a third non-consecutive week at the top. Michael debuts with 228,000 sold, giving the album a #3 entry.

That leaves R. Kelly’s tenth album Love Letter with a #6 delivery (154,000), while Diddy-Dirty Money’s Last Train To Paris arrives at #7 (101,000). (And sorry, Puffy & Co., but something tells us Chelsea Handler doesn’t date artists who debut at #7.)

Elsewhere, though Crystal Bowersox debuts way down at #28 with Farmer’s Daughter, the album sold 58,000 in its first week—about 19,000 more than American Idol winner Lee DeWyze moved with Live It Up right out of the gate.

Finally, it looks like Ciara’s Basic Instinct has done the Matrix right into flopsville. The album debuts at #44 (37,000), a far cry from the #3 entry of CiCi’s previous LP Fantasy Ride.

The Top 10 of Billboard’s Top 200 Albums:

1. Taylor Swift, Speak Now *3 weeks* 2. Susan Boyle, The Gift 3. Michael Jackson, Michael *new* 4. Jackie Evancho, O Holy Night 5. Glee Cast, Glee: The Music—The Christmas Album 6. R. Kelly, Love Letter *new* 7. Diddy-Dirty Money, Last Train To Paris *new* 8. Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday 9. Kid Rock, Born Free 10. Glee Cast, Glee: The Music, Vol. 4