Mickey is one happy mouse right about now.
Building momentum with Radio Disney airplay, the soundtrack to the Disney Channel movie High School Musical has completed a seven-week trek to the top. After opening at 143, the disc slowly climbed the charts, hitting number 13 two weeks ago and the six spot last week. For the week ended Sunday, however, the High School Musical soundtrack finally landed at number one, selling 101,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan data released Wednesday.
This marks the first time a television soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 since the Miami Vice album accomplished the feat more than 20 years ago. High School Musical also made history last month when its radio single "Breaking Free" leapt 82 spots on the Hot 100 to number four, marking the biggest jump in Hot 100 history. The disc, which sold 404,000 total copies to date, has already had five tracks break the Top 40.
While the teens topped the charts, the tweens made a solid showing as runners-up. Razor & Tie Records' Kidz Bop series, which features kiddie interpretations of pop hits, missed a number one berth by just 3,000 copies with its ninth installment. Still, Kidz Bop 9 scored a series-best number two bow on 98,000 copies, topping the volume eight's number six bow in '05.
The latest Kidz Bop disc features remakes of Weezer's "Beverly Hills," the Black Eyed Peas' "Don't Lie," the Gorillaz's "Feel Good Inc." and the ringtone hit "Axel F (The Frog Song)."
Though there were no other Top 10 bows, previous chart-topper, Jaheim's Ghetto Classics, took a big slide in its second week. The disc fell to the 10 spot on 59,000 copies, down 93,000 copies from its open.
In other Top 10 action, Jack Johnson's Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George dropped a spot to three, Mary J. Blige's The Breakthrough remained firm at four and James Blunt's Back to Bedlam climbed three spots to five. Rounding out the list was Barry Manilow's The Greatest Songs of the Fifties at six, Andrea Bocelli's Amore at seven, Eminem's Curtain Call at eight and Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts at nine.
The next-best bow came courtesy of the week's most buzzed-about band, the Arctic Monkeys, whose debut disc, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, sold 34,000 copies at 24.
This young U.K. rock outfit is easily the most hyped new British band since Oasis. Last month, the album debuted at number one across the Pond, selling over 360,000 first-week copies (118,000 copies on the first day alone), registering as the biggest first week sales ever for a debut British artist. (Hear'say held the previous record, selling 306,000 copies of its '01 debut, Popstars).
Though released just two months ago, the Monkeys' won Best New Act at the Brit Awards (aka the British Grammys) and three more trophies at the NME Awards, becoming the first band ever to win Best New Band and Best British Band in the same year. Moreover, the disc was voted the fifth-greatest British album of all time by NME writers last month, topping such classics as the Beatles' Revolver and the Clash's London Calling. U.S. TV viewers will get to see for themselves if the band lives up to the buzz when the Monkeys hit Saturday Night Live Mar. 11.
Also making a strong showing was the soundtrack to the box-office-topping Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, which sold 33,000 copies at 26. The soundtrack features songs by LL Cool J, Chaka Khan and Brian McKnight.
Other noteworthy debuts this week included Cascada's Everytime We Touch at 67, Scarface Presents The Product--One Hunnid at 78, Fired Up 3 hits compilation at 84, Insane Clown Posse's Shaggy 2 Dope at 88 with F.T.F.O. and Dilated Peoples' 20/20 at 97.
Meanwhile, over on the singles sales chart, Prince's "Black Sweat" debuted at number one, selling 11,000 copies.
To recap, the Top 10 albums for the week ended Sunday were as follows:
1. High School Musical soundtrack, various
2. Kidz Bop 9, various
3. Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George, Jack
Johnson & Friends
4. The Breakthrough, Mary J. Blige
5. Back To Bedlam, James Blunt
6. The Greatest Hits of the Fifties, Barry Manilow
7. Amore, Andrea Bocelli
8. Curtain Call, Eminem
9. Some Hearts, Carrie Underwood
10. Ghetto Classics, Jaheim