SUBO’S HOLIDAY GIFT JUST KEEPS ON GIVING

Syco/Columbia’s version of Santa Claus, Susan Boyle, continues her scorched earth policy, racking up another 659k sales, sending I Dreamed a Dream past the 2.5 million sales mark in the U.S., as she picks up steam in her quest to unseat Taylor Swift’s Fearless as the year’s top-selling album. It’s her fourth consecutive week at #1.

J/RMG’s Alicia Keys is the week’s top debut, with a nifty total of 406k for her new Element of Freedom album, good enough to debut at #2 behind the Boyle bandwagon.

Keys bumps Decca’s Andrea Bocelli holiday album, My Christmas, from #2, though the Italian tenor adds another 385k into his coffers, at #3. The aforementioned Swift logs in with another 230k, while 19/Arista Nashville’s Carrie Underwood rounds out the Top 5 with 159k.

Star Trak/Interscope blue-eyed soul man Robin Thicke’s Sex Therapy is the only other Top 10 bow at #9, while Reprise’s Michael Buble (#6), Interscope’s Lady Gaga (#7 with the deluxe version of Fame and #12 for her stand-alone Fame Monster EP), Island/IDJ’s Justin Bieber (#8) and Epic’s Michael Jackson This Is It album (#10) round out the top of the chart.

Sales are up across the board, with John Mayer’s Battle Studies (#27-15, +78%), Def Jam/IDJ’s Rihanna (#28-20, +62%), Universal Republic’s Owl City (#29-23, +57%), Provident/Reunion’s Casting Crowns (#32-25, +56%) and Rhino’s Alvin & The Chipmunks The Squeakquel soundtrack (#38-29, +54%) the weeks’ top gainers.

J Records/RMG’s Rod Stewart (#40), Walt Disney’s Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack (#41), Roc Nation/Atlantic’s Jay-Z (#43), Hollywood’s Selena Gomez and the Scene (#45), RCA/RMG’s Kings of Leon (#47), Columbia Nashville’s Miranda Lambert (#48) and Hear Music’s Paul McCartney (#50) all re-entered this week.

Hitting stores yesterday were Geffen’s Mary J. Blige, RCA/RMG’s Dave Matthews Band CD/DVD live set, Shady/Aftermath/Interscope’s Eminem Relapse: Refill deluxe edition, Polo Grounds/J/RMG’s Hurricane Chris, Epic’s Mudvayne and Cash Money/Universal Motown’s Young Money.

God bless us every one.