Michael Buble’s ‘Christmas’ Stays Atop Billboard 200

Michael Buble’s Christmas album stays steady at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for a third week, selling 479,000 copies (up 64%) according to Nielsen SoundScan. Its handsome sales are the largest for a non-debuting album since Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed a Dream sold 510,000 in its fifth week of release over the Christmas holiday in 2009.

Buble’s third week at No. 1 gives the singer his biggest chart-topper yet, besting the two-week reign of 2009’s Crazy Love.

At No. 2 this week is a new entry from Buble’s fellow Warner Bros. act the Black Keys, with El Camino. The band’s album drives in with 206,000 sold — immediately marking its best sales week and highest charting album ever. Its last album, 2010’s Brothers, debuted and peaked at No. 3 with 73,000.

The Black Keys‘ set is one of four new arrivals in the top 10 this week. Amy Winehouse’s posthumous album Lioness: Hidden Treasures, enters at No. 5 with 114,000 — the late singer’s highest-debuting album ever. She’s only once previously visited the top 10, with her 2007 set Back to Black. It initially debuted at No. 7, on its way to an eventual No. 2 peak following her multiple wins at the 2008 Grammy Awards ceremony.

Just above Winehouse is Billboard artist of the year Adele, with 21, down a slot to No. 3 (187,000; up 30%) and Justin Bieber‘s Under the Mistletoe, falling one to No. 4 (158,000; up 19%).

Andrea Bocelli’s Concerto: One Night in Central Park rises two spots to No. 6 (70,000; up 14%), Drake‘s Take Care descends three to No. 7 (73,000; down 19%) and Nickelback’s Here and Now drops 5-8 (66,000; down 16%).

Rounding out the top 10 are two debuts: Glee: the Music, Season 3: Volume 7 at No. 9 (58,000) and Korn’s The Path of Totality at No. 10 (55,000).

For the Glee franchise, this is the lowest debut sales week of any of the regular Glee releases (volumes 1-7), and the third-lowest of all 14 Glee entries. Only the Rocky Horror Glee EP and The 3D Concert Movie soundtrack started with smaller sales, with 48,000 and 20,000, respectively. Still, it’s the Glee show’s 13th top 10 album overall — only the Concert Movie set missed the region, debuting and peaking at No. 16.

As for Korn, Path is the rock band’s 11th top 10 set. Their first came with 1996’s Life is Peachy, which rose to No. 3.

On the Digital Songs chart this week, LMFAO reclaims the top slot with “Sexy and I Know It” rising 3-1 with just a bit over 149,000 downloads sold (down 5%). Last week’s leader, Bruno Mars’ “It Will Rain,” falls to No. 4 with 129,000 (down 22%).

“Sexy’s” 149,000 frame is the smallest at No. 1 since Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” was tops with just under 149,000 in the sales week ending Dec. 21, 2008. Further, this is the second week the No. 1 Digital Song has sold less than 200,000 — the first time we’ve had back-to-back sub-200,000 frames at the top since May of 2010.

Back in this week’s top 10, Rihanna’s “We Found Love” (featuring Calvin Harris), maintains its No. 2 position (just under 149,000; down 9%) while the “Glee” cast’s cover of Fun.’s “We Are Young” debuts at No. 3 with 137,000. The original version by the band debuts down at No. 25 with 49,000 (up 1,650%).

Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling” falls 4-5 (125,000; down 1%), Katy Perry’s “The One That Got Away” rises 7-6 (117,000; up 24%) and Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Ni**as In Paris” slips 5-7 (108,000; down 5%). Perry’s track benefits from a 69-cent sale price in the iTunes Store, in addition to buzz generated by her hosting turn on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” on Dec. 10.

Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” gains thanks to the “Glee” cast’s rendition of the tune last week on the Fox TV show, as it rises 20-8 with 96,000 (up 90%). It’s the first time the country star has visited the top 10. (“Glee’s” version of “Solo” starts at No. 60 with 24,000.)

T-Pain’s “5 O’Clock” (featuring Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen) slides 8-9 with 88,000 (down 7%) and Adele‘s “Someone Like You” moves 9-10 with 84,000 (down 10%).

Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Dec. 11) totaled 9.66 million units, up 20% compared to the sum last week (8.06 million) and down 5% compared to the comparable sales week of 2010 (10.20 million). Year to date album sales stand at 296.44 million, up 2% compared to the same total at this point last year (291.44 million).

Digital track sales this past week totaled 21.67 million downloads, up 5% compared to last week (20.67 million) and up 6% stacked next to the comparable week of 2010 (20.47 million). Year to date track sales are at 1.16 billion, up 9% compared to the same total at this point last year (1.06 billion).

Next week’s Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2010 when: Taylor Swift’s Speak Now returned to the No. 1 slot (259,000; up 29%), bumping Susan Boyle‘s The Gift down to No. 2 with 254,000 (up 5%). Michael Jackson’s Michael was the top debut, starting at No. 3 with 228,000.