Boyle's 'Gift' Keeps Giving on Billboard 200, 'Tron' Hits Top 10

Susan Boyle's "The Gift" racks up its fourth non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling another 243,000 (down 10%) according to Nielsen Soundscan. In its five weeks of release, the set has moved 1.43 million.

Taylor Swift's "Speak Now" holds at No. 2 (201,000; up 11%) while the"Glee" Christmas album moves up one spot to No. 3 (193,000; up 49%). The "Glee" kids are also at No. 8, where "Glee, the Music: Season Two: Volume 4" album falls three rungs with 74,000 (down 42%).

The chart's highest debut comes from rapper T.I.'s "No Mercy," which starts at No. 4 with 159,000. It's his first new studio album to miss the No. 1 slot since 2004, when "Urban Legend" debuted and peaked at No. 10. His last album, 2008's "Paper Trail," was his third No. 1 album in a row, bowing atop the tally with a whopping 568,000. It followed his previous penthouse-dwellers, "T.I. Vs T.I.P." (2007) and "King" (2006).

The second-largest new entry comes from Daft Punk and the duo's score to the new Disney film "TRON: Legacy." The Walt Disney Records album enters at No. 10 with 71,000, marking the highest chart position and sales week for the dance music act. Daft Punk's previous best week came when 2001's "Discovery' started with 34,000 at No. 44. "TRON: Legacy" is also the first score album to reach the top 10 since May 21, 2005, when "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" debuted and peaked at No. 6 (96,000).

With "Tron" sharing space in the top 10 with two "Glee" albums this week, it marks the second time this year we've had three soundtracks concurrently in the top 10. It last happened on June 26, when "Glee: the Music, Journey to Regionals" (EP) debuted at No. 1 (154,000), the "Twilight Saga: Eclipse" set started at No. 2 (146,000) and "Glee: the Music, Volume 3: Showstoppers" fell 3-7 (41,000).

As for the rest of the non-debuting top 10: Jackie Evancho's "O Holy Night" slips two spots to No. 5 (149,000; up 3%), Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" moves up two spots, despite a sales decline (82,000; down 21%), Josh Groban's "Illuminations" steps two to No. 7 (75,000; down 3%). Finally, Rihanna's "Loud" scampers up one slot to No. 9 (71,000; down 8%).

On the Digital Songs chart this week, Katy Perry's "Firework" continues to burn at No. 1, selling another 201,000 downloads (down 5%) while Bruno Mars' "Grenade" climbs one rung to No. 2 with 185,000 (up 7%). Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" vaults 14-7 with 110,000 (up 29%) and T.I. featuring Eminem's "That's All She Wrote" bows at No. 8 with 109,000.

Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Dec. 12) totaled 10.21 million units, up 11% compared to the sum last week (9.22 million) and down 15% compared to the comparable sales week of 2009 (12.00 million). Year to date album sales stand at 291.45 million, down 13% compared to the same total at this point last year (333.85 million).

Digital track sales this past week totaled 20.47 million downloads, down 3% compared to last week (21.10 million) and up 7% stacked next to the comparable week of 2009 (19.14 million). Year to date track sales are at 1.064 billion, up 1% compared to the same total at this point last year (1.057 billion).

Source: Keith Caulfield, L.A. | Billboard.com | December 15, 2010 11:16 EST