Though initial data predicted a nailbiter in the album sales race between Susan Boyle’s holiday-themed “The Gift” and Taylor Swift’s holdover sensation “Speak Now,” when the final receipts were counted, Boyle’s album won by a mile.
Hits Daily Double’s final data, which is usually quite similar to the Nielsen Soundscan data published weekly by Billboard, reveals that Boyle’s album moved a strong 321,506 copies in its first week (Update from Billboard: The official total is 318,000). Though down substantially from her debut “I Dreamed a Dream,” the figure is impressive insofar as it proves Susan Boyle was not a stunt-driven flash in the pan. She has developed a legitimately strong fanbase.
Swift’s album follows at a strong 209,512, beating out Kid Cudi’s new entry “Man on the Moon II,” which opens to the tune of 176,298 sales.
Other top ten debuts will include “Now 36” (87,872 ), Bon Jovi’s greatest hits release (87,077) and Reba McEntire’s “All the Women I Am” (64,604). Final data might also reveal that Cee Lo Green’s “Lady Killer,” which moved just over 34,000 first week units, is also a top ten album this week.
Love listening to Susan Boyle, her voice relaxes me. I am very proud for her and what she had accoumplished.
Keep smiling Susan.
An important point is that Boyle’s CD is a Christmas album, which makes those sales even more impressive.
I believe that’s the highest debut of a Christmas album ever.
She keeps breaking the rules.
WoooooooooHooooooooo!!!Susan Boyle is positive proof that real talent cannot be ignored. I am proud of her too. No only is she incredibly talented, she is also an amazingly honest, kind, intelligent, witty, funny, humble human being. Everyone should read her autobiography The Woman I Was Born To Be. She is wonderful!
Yes,the highest debut for a Christmas album since they started keeping track. Keep on singing Susan ~ there’s alot of us listening!
The success of Susan Boyle’s second CD (a Christmas album, let’s not forget) is proof positive that there is a multitude out there who love good music, recognize great talent when they hear it and who will continue to appreciate and buy her albums for years to come.
Go SuBo!!!!
This is an exquisite Christmas album. No surprise to me that it outsold expectations. Boyle uses her voice, so sensitively and beautifully to get over the core meaning of songs as various as A Perfect Day and O,Holy Night. This lady was a good singer when she started out last year. She is becoming a brilliant one.
The Gift is a fabulous album,and I could not be happier for Susan. Breaking another record with hottest debut of a Christmas album is SUE-per and could not have happened to a better person. Proud to be part of that strong fan base. You go, SuBo! Brilliant
Thank goodness, real talent is finally resurfacing in the music world. And Susan Boyle is leading the charge. We love you, Susan. I am glad to be called a fan.
Thank god people were able to see past some of the bad press. It really is a beautiful album which showcases Susan’s voice very well.
How I do love that beautiful Lady with the glorious golden voice. Susan’s album is doing so well because it is incredibly beautiful. She gives new meaning and depth to what we think of as Christmas carols, once again transporting us to another plane where peace and beauty reign.
Shine on, dear Lady, shine on.
The Gift is another wonderful exposition of talent, faith, hope, determination and spirit. Susan has once again defied all the critics and those who doubted her. What a gift she is to all who want to hear a clear, pure voice singing such uplifting songs. Well done to Susan and all those who work with her. I recommend her amazingly frank and candid book “The woman I was born to be” which tells of her meteoric rise to international fame, the pain and rejection that fuelled her determination and much much more.It’s fascinating, enlightening and very moving.
Susan’s fans will always stand by her no matter what anyone says. They cannot get enough of this beautiful voice and wonderful talent.
Exquisite. What more can I say.
The more I listen to The Gift, the better I like it! Susan’s voice is incredible to start with, and I’m becoming convinced she could take nearly ANY kind of song and make it into a winner! Yes, this is ‘unusual’ for a Christmas album because of the inclusion of some secular songs and a non-Christmas hymn, but it DOES work. Susan has the very rare kind of voice that just naturally grabs at your heartstrings and doesn’t easily let go; the effect is powerful and often incredibly overwhelming. I just put my copy of her CD on ‘repeat’ and listen over and over and over again…while I’m re-reading her wonderful autobiography, “The Woman I Was Born To Be”. I can’t find enough good things to say about this book, either. Just wish everyone would grab a copy and read it, especially, the nay-sayers, the questioners, those who feel that Miss Boyle is possibly being ‘exploited’, those who have survived substantial bullying throughout their lives, those who have had to face life full on despite some sort of so-called ‘disability’, and for that matter, everyone out there who enjoys reading autobiographies which are very honest and ‘tell it like it is’.