Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle both scored big first-week sales with their debut albums.
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Boyle's debut represents the best sales week for an album in the U.S. this year and also posted the best first-week sales since AC/DC's "Black Ice" moved 784,000 in its first week of release in October 2008, according to Billboard.
In addition, Boyle's debut reportedly beat Ashanti's 2002 self-titled debut as the best opening week for a female artist since Soundscan began tracking sales in 1991, while only one other album has had a bigger debut sales week in Soundscan's tracking history -- as Snoop Dog's "Doggystyle" moved 803,000 in its first week in 1993.
Lambert more than double the first-week sales of Kris Allen, as the American Idol eighth-season champ's debut album dropped last week at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 album sales chart after selling only 80,000 copies during its initial week of release.
Lambert's first-week debut album sales are the best for an Idol runner-up since fourth-season runner-up Bo Bice, whose "The Real Thing" moved 227,000 copies in its first week in December 2005 and debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200. Clay Aiken's October 2003 debut "Measure of a Man" remains the highest-selling Idol runner-up debut ever. It moved 613,000 copies and dropped at No. 1 on The Billboard 200.
Lambert signed a recording contract with 19 Recordings/RCA Records a few weeks after Idol's eighth-season finale. His recording contract was announced on the same day he formally revealed he's gay in a Rolling Stone cover story interview.
Last week, Lambert caused controversy with an S&M-themed performance of his debut single "For Your Entertainment" at the end of ABC's live broadcast of the American Music Awards ceremony.
Sandwiched between Boyle and Lambert on The Billboard 200 was Andrea Bocelli's "My Christmas," which sold 218,000 copies.
Rounding out the Top 10 on the album sales chart were Rihanna's "Rated R" (181,000), Lady Gaga's "The Fame Monster" (174,000) and "The Fame" (151,000), Miley Cyrus' "The Time Of Our Lives" (150,000), Taylor Swift's "Fearless" (125,000), Carrie Underwood's "Play On" (124,000), and Norah Jones' "The Fall" (110,000).
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio
