Rapper Lecrae collects his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 as his new Anomaly opens atop the list. It sold 88,000 copies in the week ending Sept. 14. It's also the first chart-topper for Lecrae's label, Reach Records.
Anomaly's launch is Lecrae's best sales week, trumping the 72,000-unit start of 2012's Gravity, which debuted and peaked at No. 3. (Gravity was also Lecrae's highest-charting album — and only top 10 — until Anomaly's arrival.)
Anomaly is the Grammy winner's sixth No. 1 on the Gospel Albums chart and his fifth leader on Christian Albums. (Most Christian hip-hop releases are eligible to appear on both sales charts.)
Thus, Anomaly is the first title to crown both Gospel Albums and the Billboard 200, and just the fifth set to lead both Christian Albums and the Billboard 200. In terms of the latter achievement, it follows Chris Tomlin's Burning Lights (in 2013), TobyMac's Eye on It (2012), LeAnn Rimes' You Light Up My Life — Inspirational Songs (1997) and Bob Carlisle's Butterfly Kisses (Shades of Grace) (1997).
While Lecrae, 34, might not quite be a household name — he's yet to chart a single on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 — he has sold 1.4 million albums and 2.9 million track downloads. He has released seven studio albums, and made his chart debut in 2005 with Real Talk (No. 39, Gospel Albums). He reached the all-genre Billboard 200 for the first time in 2008 with Rebel, which peaked at No. 88.
Lecrae leads a parade of new entries in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, where six more titles arrive. The seven debuts are the most the top 10 has seen since Oct. 26, 2013, when seven titles also stepped in (led by Miley Cyrus' Bangerz).
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Will Lecrae Nab His First Number 1 Album on Billboard?
Lecrae's new 'Anomaly' album could be one of eight debuts in the Billboard 200's top 10 tomorrow.
Rapper Lecrae is not only aiming to nab his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Anomaly, but his album could be one of up to eight debuts in the top 10.
Industry sources forecast his album to sell around 80,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Sept. 14. He could finish just ahead of Jhene Aiko's new Souled Out (perhaps 70,000) and Maroon 5's current No. 1, V, with maybe 70,000 as well. Earlier, Aiko's forecasted sales were slightly closer to Lecrae's, giving the appearance of a possible race to No. 1. The gap between the two has since widened.
The Billboard 200's new top 10 will be revealed on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
On SoundScan's Building chart (below), Lecrae, Aiko and Maroon 5 are Nos. 1-3, respectively. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week as reported by six major merchants.
Rapper Lecrae is not only aiming to nab his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Anomaly, but his album could be one of up to eight debuts in the top 10.
Industry sources forecast his album to sell around 80,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Sept. 14. He could finish just ahead of Jhene Aiko's new Souled Out (perhaps 70,000) and Maroon 5's current No. 1, V, with maybe 70,000 as well. Earlier, Aiko's forecasted sales were slightly closer to Lecrae's, giving the appearance of a possible race to No. 1. The gap between the two has since widened.
The Billboard 200's new top 10 will be revealed on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
On SoundScan's Building chart (below), Lecrae, Aiko and Maroon 5 are Nos. 1-3, respectively. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week as reported by six major merchants.
Duck Dynasty's Sadie Robertson Stuns ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Judges
“Dancing With the Stars” kicked off the show’s latest season last night with “Duck Dynasty” star Sadie Robertson taking to the dance floor and stunning the judges.
The 17-year-old danced the cha cha, with parents Willie and Korie Robertson watching from the crowd. And the response to her first performance with partner Mark Ballas was incredible.
“Duckling no more! Here we have a bird of paradise,” proclaimed judge Bruno Tonioli.
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba added, ”You’re a star, honey. You don’t even know it yet.”
Watch Sadie’s dance below:
The “Duck Dynasty” family has become known for their overt Christian faith in recent years including the family praying at the dinner table at the conclusion of each episode of the show.
And it seems Robertson isn't planning to stop talking about and showing her faith. In footage that aired on “Dancing With the Stars” before her performance, she was seen praying with her family.
The 17-year-old danced the cha cha, with parents Willie and Korie Robertson watching from the crowd. And the response to her first performance with partner Mark Ballas was incredible.
“Duckling no more! Here we have a bird of paradise,” proclaimed judge Bruno Tonioli.
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba added, ”You’re a star, honey. You don’t even know it yet.”
Watch Sadie’s dance below:
The “Duck Dynasty” family has become known for their overt Christian faith in recent years including the family praying at the dinner table at the conclusion of each episode of the show.
And it seems Robertson isn't planning to stop talking about and showing her faith. In footage that aired on “Dancing With the Stars” before her performance, she was seen praying with her family.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Thousand Foot Krutch's "Oxygen: Inhale" Is a Breath of Fresh Air in Top 10
Thousand Foot Krutch's latest release "Oxygen: Inhale" debuts at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Simultaneously, it lodges in at #2 on the Top Current Rock Albums chart (just behind the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack at No. 1), No. 6 on the Top Internet and No. 1 on the Top Christian/Gospel Albums charts. The recording also spent most of last week at No. 1 on the iTunes Rock chart and hit No. 5 on the iTunes overall Albums chart. The fan funded album gives TFK their highest ever position on the Billboard charts.
Driving the successful debut in part is the recording's lead single, "Born This Way," which hits No. 34 at Active Rock this week. NASCAR and SEC colleges also crank up the song's volume on ESPN through mid-December as the single continues to roar up the radio charts. The song further picks up well-over a quarter-of-a-million views and 4,000+ likes on YouTube pushing TFK's YouTube channel views to over 1,100,000 last month alone, a record for the band.
Lead singer Trevor McNevan has this to say about the new record: "We wanted to make a raw rock record. We decided to strip away all the background sounds and popular over-production, so that what you hear are just the instruments and the voice."
"To me, the words are as important as the melody," McNevan says. "The song has to say something important, to connect with the audience on a deeper level. I had this image of prostitutes, addicts, business men/women, people from all walks of life, holding up a sign that reads 'Breathe Through Me.' Love includes everyone. We were called to love one another, help and support one another, and to walk through life together."
Driving the successful debut in part is the recording's lead single, "Born This Way," which hits No. 34 at Active Rock this week. NASCAR and SEC colleges also crank up the song's volume on ESPN through mid-December as the single continues to roar up the radio charts. The song further picks up well-over a quarter-of-a-million views and 4,000+ likes on YouTube pushing TFK's YouTube channel views to over 1,100,000 last month alone, a record for the band.
Lead singer Trevor McNevan has this to say about the new record: "We wanted to make a raw rock record. We decided to strip away all the background sounds and popular over-production, so that what you hear are just the instruments and the voice."
"To me, the words are as important as the melody," McNevan says. "The song has to say something important, to connect with the audience on a deeper level. I had this image of prostitutes, addicts, business men/women, people from all walks of life, holding up a sign that reads 'Breathe Through Me.' Love includes everyone. We were called to love one another, help and support one another, and to walk through life together."
'Dancing with the Stars' Cast Revealed And Includes Famous Christian and Family Friendly Stars
Sadie Robertson of "Duck Dynasty" will appear on the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars," as revealed this morning.
The full cast of season 19 of "DWTS" was announced on "Good Morning America" Thursday, when Robertson was announced. The 17-year-old is paired with professional Mark Ballas, and she joins a cast that includes Olympian Lolo Jones and Lea Thompson. Lolo Jones is an outspoken Christian and Lea Thompson has starred in several family friendly movies on UP.
The full cast of season 19 of "DWTS" was announced on "Good Morning America" Thursday, when Robertson was announced. The 17-year-old is paired with professional Mark Ballas, and she joins a cast that includes Olympian Lolo Jones and Lea Thompson. Lolo Jones is an outspoken Christian and Lea Thompson has starred in several family friendly movies on UP.
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