As reported earlier (Dec. 21), Michael Buble's "Christmas" album should hold at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for a fifth consecutive week -- the seven-day period that ends at the close of business on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
Industry sources project the album will sell around 400,000 to 450,000 copies by the end of the week, which should easily bump the title into second-place among 2011's best-sellers.
As the present, it is the year's third-biggest album, with 1.96 million sold according to Nielsen SoundScan, behind Adele's "21" (5.3 million) and Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (2.03 million).
On SoundScan's Building chart below -- a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week (ending Sunday), as reported by six major merchants, Buble's "Christmas" is at No. 1.
Right behind him is, unsurprisingly, Adele's "21." Sources say that the album may have its best sales week yet, moving somewhere between 375,000 to 400,000. Its highest sales frame came during its debut week way back in February, when it started with 352,000 at No. 1.
"21" is already the best-selling album of any year since 2004, when Usher's "Confessions" sold 8 million.
Below Adele on the Building tally at No. 3 is Young Jeezy's new "TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition," which may bow with 200,000 to 250,000.
Justin Bieber's "Under the Mistletoe" is in fourth place on the Building list, followed by Lady Antebellum's "Own the Night" (No. 5), Drake's "Take Care" (No. 6), Nickelback's "Here and Now" (No. 7), Scotty McCreery's "Clear As Day" (No. 8), Common's just-released "The Dreamer, the Believer" (No. 9) and the "Now 40" album (No. 10).
Nielsen SoundScan Building Chart Rank LW
BB 200Artist Title 1 1 Michael Buble "Christmas" 2 2 Adele "21" 3 NEW Young Jeezy "TM:103 Hustlerz Ambition" 4 3 Justin Bieber "Under the Mistletoe" 5 5 Lady Antebellum "Own the Night" 6 7 Drake "Take Care" 7 6 Nickelback "Here and Now" 8 9 Scotty McCreery "Clear As Day" 9 NEW Common "The Dreamer, the Believer" 10 11 Various "Now 40" The Building Chart reflects the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week (which ends Sunday) as reported by six major merchants: iTunes, Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Starbucks, Target and Anderson Merchandisers. Billboard estimates that they make up about 85% of all U.S. album sales.
