[Mrluvaluva]

Leona Lewis Makes Big Splash Atop Billboard 200





British import Leona Lewis' "Spirit" bows atop The Billboard 200 this week, making her the first U.K. solo artist to start at No. 1 with their debut effort. The Syco/J album moved 205,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, with sales fueled by her No. 1 Hot 100 single "Bleeding Love." The singer was discovered on Simon Cowell's "The X Factor" in Britain.





Lewis becomes the first Brit solo act to lead The Billboard 200 since Rod Stewart's "Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time" in the Oct. 28, 2006 issue. Moreover, she becomes the first British female soloist to do so since Sade's "Promise" reached No. 1 in February 1986, a couple of months before Lewis' first birthday.

The release of "Spirit" stirs an 11% rise for "Bleeding Love," which returns to No. 1 on Hot Digital Songs with 223,000 sold for the week (2-1). The song has sold 1.1 million copies since U.S. downloads became available in late December, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Last week's Billboard 200 chart-topper George Strait's "Troubadour" (MCA Nashville) falls to No. 2 with 59,000, a 65% sales slide.

Country singer James Otto scores his first Billboard 200 ink with "Sunset Man," which debuts at No. 3 with 58,000. The singer's sophomore set, released via Raybaw/Warner Bros., is led with the single "Just Got Started Lovin' You," which climbed to a new peak 5-4 on Hot Country Songs this week.

The multi-label "NOW 27" compilation continues its decline 3-4 with 47,000, a 21% sales hit. With 46,000 and a 60% sales reduction, R.E.M.'s Warner Bros. set "Accelerate" falls 2-5. The Fox/Razor & Tie soundtrack to "Alvin and the Chipmunks" slips 5-6 to 40,000 (-22%).

With the help of hit "Sexy Can I" with Yung Berg, Ray J's "All I Feel" (Knockout /DEJA34/Koch) enters at No. 7 with 39,000, making it his best charting album yet. His former best came with 2001's "This Ain't a Game," which peaked at No. 21. "Sexy Can I" has peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 thus far.

With 34,000, Rick Ross' "Trilla" (Slip-N-Slide/Def Jam) falls 6-9 on a 20% sales dip. The group's first effort for INO/Columbia, P.O.D. enters at No. 9 with "When Angels & Serpents Dance" with 34,000. The slot is a familiar one for the hard rock troupe, as 2006's "Testify" and 2004's "Payable on Death" also arrived there.

Danity Kane's Bad Boy album "Welcome to the Dollhouse" rounds out the top tier, slipping 7-10 with 28,000 (41%).

Nine Inch Nails' self-released instrumental album "Ghosts I-IV," which was released digitally last month, debuts at No. 14 with 26,000 after its physical release by RED Distribution. Previously, fans were able to obtain the album for only $5 online; NIN says it reaped $1.6 million in sales during its first week.

"Unfold" (Hollywood) by Marie Digby, who gained a following after posting an acoustic version of Rihanna's "Umbrella" on YouTube, starts at No. 29 with 18,000. Ashes Divide's Island debut, "Keep Telling Myself It's Alright," bows at No. 36 with 16,000.


Original article here

[GiRTh]

I'm not surprised at all. I wonder how many Grammy nominations she's going to get? This girl is destined for super stardom.

[x_mel_x]

I just got back from America and everyone LOVES her over there. She was on so many TV shows and was on the radio alot. They said Leona Lewis was going to be a name we will hear for years to come.

[KKBL]

this album is amazing so it deserves #1.

[Mrluvaluva]

From her official website:

Apr 16 2008 - Spirit number one in the States!

Leona’s debut album Spirit has gone straight in at the top of the American album charts! Not only is she first British female to achieve such an amazing feat, but she is the first British artist in history to debut at number one!

Selling a massive 204,841 copies in one week, Sprit outsold the number two (Troubadour by Straight George) and three (Sunset Man by Otto James) albums by an impressive 88,256.

This phenomenal result comes just two weeks after her first single ‘Bleeding Love’ went in at number one, making her the first British female vocalist to take the number one single spot in an almighty 21 years.

Having dropped a few places last week, ‘Bleeding Love’ returned to the number one spot this week which means that Leona has done the unthinkable and bagged a double whammy of chart topping success in the States; a notoriously hard market to crack.

Simon Cowell has commented, ‘What Leona has achieved is simply incredible. This is the hardest market to crack and for her debut album to go in at number 1 is unbelievable.’

[Harry!]

Good luck Leona in the future.

[Riz]

wow she deserves it!

[KKBL]

Bleeding Love went back to #1 on the singles chart in the US and sold 1.2 million copies so far.she might sell 3 million but she wil definetly get 2 million

[Hugo]

She's getting bigger..

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by tooperfect
She's getting bigger..

Does she need to go on a diet?

[Hugo]

Originally posted by Mrluvaluva

Does she need to go on a diet?

LOL. Pregnant maybe

[Spike]

She deserves all the success she gets, its amazing how well she is doing.

[MarkWaldorf]

Congratulations Leona.

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by tooperfect

LOL. Pregnant maybe

Ooh! Do we have a TIBB scoop?

[*mazedsalv**]

Aww Well Done Leona!!
Your amazing!!

[Dan_]

It's a great achievement, especially for someone British.

[Mrluvaluva]

It is Dan.

[Mrluvaluva]

She's done the double!

Billboard hot 100