Lady Antebellum's 'Need You Now,' returns to No.1 on the Billboard 200 with 126,000 copies sold after a three-week run second to Sade's Soldier of Love,' according to Nielsen Soundscan. With 79,000 copies sold, 'Soldier of Love' is ranked No. 2 for the first time since its debut on the charts. Lady A's return marks the first time in over a year an album has reverted back to No. 1 after a three week break: Taylor Swift's 'Fearless' had a similar scenario, climbing from No. 2 to No. 1 in its fifth week on the chart during the closing week in 2008.A whopping six albums debuted this week in the top 10, a Billboard record since October of 2009 where eight albums debuted in the top of the chart. The first is Blake Shelton's 'Hillbilly Bone' at No. 3 with 71,000, right behind 'Soldier of Love.' The EP boasts a rockabilly "honky tonk" title track soaked in rural pride, showing appreciation of a culture full of grits, fiddle-playing and "country queens," even if one lacks southern roots. The six-song effort (or rather cleverly referenced as a 'Six-Pak') is Warner's new marketing attempt to release more albums at a higher frequency (Shelton plans to release two more 'Six-Pak's this year alone).
2009's third-place 'American Idol' finisher Danny Gokey released his first album last week 'My Best Days,' which debuted at No. 4 with 65,000 copies sold. Also, the soundtrack for Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' debuts at No. 5 with 58,000 copies. Entitled 'Almost Alice,' the album features notable hits by All-American Rejects, Tokio Hotel, Kerli, Wolfmother, Franz Ferdinand, as well as Avril Lavigne's 'Alice,' the lead single off the album. Lifehouse's 'Smoke and Mirrors' entered the charts at No. 6 with 54,000 copies sold. Available as a standard or deluxe edition (with four additional tracks), their chart numbers mark the band's best effort in a sales week since their 2005 eponymous album (63,000 at No. 10).
The last two debuts in the top 10 include R&B vocalist Raheem DeVaughn's 'The Love and MasterPeace' at No. 9 with 45,000 and country crooner Easton Corbin's self-titled debut at No. 10 with 43,000. Jason Derulo's eponymous debut -- featuring hit singles 'Whatcha Say' and 'In My Head' -- entered the charts just shy of the top 10 (No. 11 with 42,000 copies sold).
