NEW YORK (Reuters) – A Disney starlet crushed an “American Idol” champion on the US pop album chart Wednesday, but Michael Jackson managed to outsell both.
Demi Lovato’s second album ‘Here We Go Again” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with after selling 108,000 copies during the week ended July 26, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The star of Disney Channel’s “Sonny With a Chance” bowed at No. 2 last September when ‘Don’t Forget’ sold 89,000 copies.
But while Lovato ruled the Billboard 200, Jackson’s 2003 hits set “Number Ones” sold 154,000 copies. However, it was ineligible for the Billboard 200, which generally ranks those albums less than 18 months old. Instead, it topped Billboard’s Comprehensive Albums chart, which combines both current and catalog releases.
Elsewhere on the Billboard 200, 2007 “Idol” winner Jordin Sparks’ second album ‘Battlefield’ debuted at No. 7 with 48,000 copies. Her 2007 self-titled debut entered and peaked at No. 10 with 119,000.
Last week’s No. 1 album, Daughtry’s ‘Leave This Town’, slipped to No. 2 with just under 101,000 copies, and Maxwell’s ‘BLACKsummers’night’ was also down one, to No. 3, with 72,000. The multi-artist “Now 31” album held at No. 4 with 58,000, and the ‘Hannah Montana 3;’ TV soundtrack fell two to No. 5 with 54,000.
The Black Eyed Peas’ ‘The E.N.D.’ fell one to No. 6 with 52,000. Kings of Leon’s ‘Only By The Night’ jumped two to No. 8 with 39,000, Taylor Swift’s ‘Fearless’ held at No. 9 with 37,000, and Lady GaGa’s ‘The Fame’ rose one to No. 10 with 28,000.
Overall album sales totaled 6.25 million units, down 7.8% compared to the previous week, and down 20.3% compared to the same sales week of 2008. Year-to-date album sales stand at 201.7 million, down 14.1% compared to the same total at this point last year.
