NO STOPPING BOYLE,
BUT ALICIA HAS KEYS

Don’t look now, but her Syco/Columbia album I Dreamed a Dream is on target for another 500-600k next week, which would catapult her well over double-platinum in a month, and keep the Midlands Mama at #1 for the fourth consecutive turn.

It continues a scorching closing Q4 run for Rob Stringer’s Sony Music team and particularly, Steve Barnett’s Columbia, strong as well on this week's chart with two Glee collections in the Top 10.

Decca’s Andrea Bocelli My Christmas album also remains steady, probably good enough for #2.

Big release this week is J/RMG R&B ruler Alicia Keys’ The Element of Freedom, which includes her version of the Jay-Z hit, “Empire State of Mind.” Based on reports from one-day retailers with egg nog hangovers overdose at the office party, the album is in the 330-350k range.

Star Trak/Interscope’s Robin Thicke is next at 100-110k for his fourth release, Sex Therapy, which is not a concept album about Tiger.

The market was up 18% vs. last week, down 7% vs. same week last year and still down 13% year to date. For everyone waiting to exhale… you almost made it through another year.