Culture

Adam Lambert Who? Rihanna Who? Susan Boyle CD Owns the Charts

by Hugh Askew | December 2, 2009 at 01:24 pm

616 views | 56 Recommendations | 5 comments

None too glamorous Susan Boyle, the feel good music story of the year, does a slam dunk on super glam Adam Lambert. Boyle, the sometimes frumpy Scot with a voice like crystal, sold over 700,000 copies of her deput CD, I Dream a Dream. First week sales are the highest ever for a female artist.

She also managed the second highest single week results ever, coming in second to Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle in 1993.

It seems amazing that a lady no one had heard of a few months ago would prove such a success. Her showing on the Britains got Talent television show was a huge ratings success, and the YouTube video of that show set a record for the number of viewers. Susan Boyle outsold the controversial Lambert by a ratio of nearly 4 to 1 in its first week.

Sex sells. As do controversy and scandal. But apparently not as much as a high-note-hitting underdog from Scotland.

Fresh off her chart domination of the U.K., Susan Boyle has gone all Braveheart on our musical shores, nearly quadrupling the sales of her nearest new competitor (that would be Adam Lambert, not—surprise, surprise—Rihanna. Guess sex and scandal ain't such a bad combo, either. Nor is placing second on a reality show).

Boyle's I Dream a Dream sold a massive 701,000 copies its first week out, easily securing its spot atop the Billboard album charts, along with a guaranteed mention or two four in the annals of chart records. Behold the domination that is SuBo:

Boyle's album is now the biggest debut of 2009 (better luck on your next comeback, Eminem), the highest debut ever for a female solo artist since SoundScan began keeping track of such records, the second biggest debut album in SoundScan history (Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle moved 803,000 copies back in '93), and adds the U.S. to her ever-lengthening list of global number ones. She's already earned the prime spot in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and, of course, the U.K., where she moved 410,000 copies—the biggest debut in British chart history.

Which isn't to say Rihanna and the Glambert didn't make good showings of their own. They just weren't good enough.

As for the No. 2? Well, 'tis the season to feel jolly, and Andrea Bocelli's My Christmas is apparently fitting the bill for Americans, earning its second week in the second spot.

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Babel-Fish

at 14:21 on December 2nd, 2009

She has a fantastic voice, beauty is never skin deep.

Amy Judd

at 14:32 on December 2nd, 2009

good for her

quotato

at 16:56 on December 2nd, 2009

Many John Doe's and Jane Doe's have more talent than known celebrities whose names are plastered all over the worlds media. Some of the unknown talents are still young. Let us hope that a band of youthful talent knocks Susan Boyle off the charts soon. In the meantime---the sweet smell of success, for an artist of any age, refreshes the dull state of our music culture today.

aurealeus

at 19:58 on December 2nd, 2009

She's got such a beautiful voice. It amazes me that they would dare tinker with it in the studio recording of Wild Horses. Listen carefully and you might notice an echo reverberating in the mix.