Stryper's 'No More Hell To Pay' Cracks Billboad Top 40

"No More Hell To Pay", the new album from rockers Stryper, sold around 9,600 copies in its first week of release to debut at No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Second Coming", a collection of re-recorded versions of Stryper's classic songs, opened with around 4,400 units back in April to land at No. 117.

Stryper's covers album, 2011's "The Covering", registered a first-week tally of around 4,600 copies to enter the chart at No. 175.

The band's previous collection of new material, 2009's "Murder By Pride", premiered with 5,900 copies to debut at No. 73.

Commented Michael Sweet, "'No More Hell To Pay' marks our 30-year anniversary and what a journey it has been! It's our eleventh studio release since our first album in 1984 ('The Yellow & The Black Attack') and it's quite possibly our best record to date."

"No More Hell To Pay", the new album from Christian hard rockers STRYPER, sold around 9,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Second Coming", a collection of re-recorded versions of STRYPER's classic songs, opened with around 4,400 units back in April to land at No. 117.
STRYPER's covers album, 2011's "The Covering", registered a first-week tally of around 4,600 copies to enter the chart at No. 175.
The band's previous collection of new material, 2009's "Murder By Pride", premiered with 5,900 copies to debut at No. 73.
"No More Hell To Pay" was released on November 5 in North America via Frontiers Records. The effort was made available in two formats — standard CD and deluxe digipak featuring exclusive video content. Produced by STRYPER guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet himself, the set features some of STRYPER's strongest and heaviest material ever.
Commented Michael Sweet, "'No More Hell To Pay' marks our 30-year anniversary and what a journey it has been! It's our eleventh studio release since our first album in 1984 ('The Yellow & The Black Attack') and it's quite possibly our best record to date.

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/strypers-no-more-hell-to-pay-cracks-u-s-top-40/#FX1gHe4zrZbuGbEP.99

"No More Hell To Pay", the new album from Christian hard rockers STRYPER, sold around 9,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Second Coming", a collection of re-recorded versions of STRYPER's classic songs, opened with around 4,400 units back in April to land at No. 117.
STRYPER's covers album, 2011's "The Covering", registered a first-week tally of around 4,600 copies to enter the chart at No. 175.
The band's previous collection of new material, 2009's "Murder By Pride", premiered with 5,900 copies to debut at No. 73.
"No More Hell To Pay" was released on November 5 in North America via Frontiers Records. The effort was made available in two formats — standard CD and deluxe digipak featuring exclusive video content. Produced by STRYPER guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet himself, the set features some of STRYPER's strongest and heaviest material ever.
Commented Michael Sweet, "'No More Hell To Pay' marks our 30-year anniversary and what a journey it has been! It's our eleventh studio release since our first album in 1984 ('The Yellow & The Black Attack') and it's quite possibly our best record to date.

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/strypers-no-more-hell-to-pay-cracks-u-s-top-40/#FX1gHe4zrZbuGbEP.99

"No More Hell To Pay", the new album from Christian hard rockers STRYPER, sold around 9,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Second Coming", a collection of re-recorded versions of STRYPER's classic songs, opened with around 4,400 units back in April to land at No. 117.
STRYPER's covers album, 2011's "The Covering", registered a first-week tally of around 4,600 copies to enter the chart at No. 175.
The band's previous collection of new material, 2009's "Murder By Pride", premiered with 5,900 copies to debut at No. 73.
"No More Hell To Pay" was released on November 5 in North America via Frontiers Records. The effort was made available in two formats — standard CD and deluxe digipak featuring exclusive video content. Produced by STRYPER guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet himself, the set features some of STRYPER's strongest and heaviest material ever.
Commented Michael Sweet, "'No More Hell To Pay' marks our 30-year anniversary and what a journey it has been! It's our eleventh studio release since our first album in 1984 ('The Yellow & The Black Attack') and it's quite possibly our best record to date.

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/strypers-no-more-hell-to-pay-cracks-u-s-top-40/#FX1gHe4zrZbuGbEP.99

'Duck Dynasty' Christmas Album Tops Billboard Country Music Chart

The new Christmas album from the "Duck Dynasty" clan debuted at the top of Billboard's Top Country Albums chart this week.

"Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas" took over the top spot and also ranked second on the publication's list of Top Holiday Albums behind Kelly Clarkson's "Wrapped in Red."

"Duck the Halls" is currently fourth on the Billboard 200, which ranks top-selling albums for the week across all genres. The Christmas record is situated behind new albums from Arcade Fire, Katy Perry and Clarkson.

The Robertsons are joined on the album by country music stars like Luke Bryan, Alison Krauss, Josh Turner and George Strait.

The Robertsons also share their Christian faith through the album by singing songs like "Away in a Manger," which features a reading from the Gospel of Luke, and "Silent Night." The album concludes with a prayer from Phil Robertson, the family patriarch, and a closing message from Willie Robertson, Phil's son and the president of Duck Commander.

The album was released on Oct. 29, and sold 69,000 copies in a week's time.

'Duck Dynasty' Family to Appear in 87th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Robertson family of A&E's hit reality television show "Duck Dynasty" will make an appearance at the 87th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade later this month.

The Robertsons will be joined at the parade by a host of other celebrities, including Jimmy Fallon, Kristin Chenoweth, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri and many more.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, whose motto is "A Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere," was first held in 1924 and was made up of only about a dozen different attractions. This year's spectacle will include, among other things, 30 floats, 11 marching bands, 1,600 dancers and cheerleaders, 15 character balloons and, of course, Santa Clause.

The parrade is expected to be watched by more than 3.5 million people in person and by more than 50 million people nationwide.

The parade doesn't commence until Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. ET, though the Robertsons have already been busy preparing for the holiday season.

Last week the family's Christmas album, "Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas," was released. In addition to performances by members of the Robertson clan, country stars like Alison Krauss, Josh Turner and Luke Bryan also performed on the record.

Willie Robertson, president of Duck Commander, told Reuters last week that his family is proud of the album.

"It is definitely from our perspective of a down-home middle-America Christmas," Robertson told the news wire. "There is some funny stuff and then there is some serious stuff."

Between 55,000 and 60,000 copies of the Christmas album may have been sold in its first week, according to Billboard, and it may land in the top five of the Billboard 200 chart this week. The Billboard 200's top 10 list will be released on Wednesday.

Britney Spears' Favorite Author is Pastor Max Lucado

Pop singer Britney Spears was asked by one of her fans in a recent Twitter Q&A what her favorite book is. Spears replied, “Anything by Max Lucado,” the New York Daily News reported.

Lucado is a bestselling and prolific author of Christian books and minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. Some of his titles include “Fearless,” “Facing Your Giants,” and “God Came Near,” among many others.

The media is artificially generating controversy because Lucado wrote an article against gay marriage in 2004, noted the Daily Mail, while she claims her latest single is a tribute to her gay fans

While Lucado’s views are hardly surprising given his conservative evangelical theology, some might be surprised by Spears naming his books as her favorites — for many reasons, although one pointed out by the Daily News is that Spears has been an advocate of gay marriage.

In 2009, the singer responded to a query from gossip blogger Perez Hilton on the topic by quoting herself: “Love is love! People should be able to do whatever makes them happy! – Britney”

Then again, with the Spears family’s Christian background, the singer’s appreciation for Lucado may not be so surprising in the end.

Susan Boyle's First Solo Performance in US to be at Joel Osteen's Church

Susan Boyle, the U.K. singer who in wowed judges on "Britain's Got Talent" and eventually the world with her powerful rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream," is set to put on her biggest U.S. performance yet with a show this month at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.

"Victoria and I, like all of America, fell in love with Susan Boyle the first time we saw her," Pastor Osteen said, according to Broadwayworld.com. "We are delighted and honored that she chose Lakewood Church for her first solo performance in this country."

Boyle, who will be singing tracks from her new holiday-themed album, Home for Christmas, said she was looking forward to performing at Lakewood Church.

One of the singles Boyle will perform is her newly-released cover of the Christmas classic "O Come, All Ye Faithful," as a duet with the late Elvis Presley. Boyle, an ambassador for the charity Save The Children, has said proceeds from sales of the holiday single will benefit the U.K. organization.

Lakewood is reportedly Boyle's first stop on her U.S. tour, a promotional effort for Home for Christmas, her fifth studio album. The former church worker will also be making her film debut in "The Christmas Candle" motion picture, based on author Max Lucado's book of the same name.

It was her rendition of the Les Misérables track "I Dreamed a Dream" on "Britain's Got Talent" four years ago that catapulted Boyle onto the world stage. That same year, in November, Boyle released her debut album, titled I Dreamed a Dream, which topped charts all over the world