TONIGHT‘S ALRIGHT: Two years and two weeks after scoring his first No. 1 on Top Country Albums, Scotty McCreery returns to pole position with his latest release, See You Tonight. This is his third album to chart, counting his seasonal Christmas with Scotty McCreery, which debuted and peaked at No. 2 in 2012.
The new album makes multiple top 10 debuts, bowing at No. 6 on The Billboard 200, No. 3 on Top Internet Albums and No. 10 on Top Digital Albums.
Paving the way for the album, the title single enjoys its biggest chart leap this week, flying 37-18 on Country Digital Songs. “See You Tonight” makes its first appearance on the Hot 100, opening at No. 93. On Country Airplay, the track breaks into the top 30 with a move of 32-30. On Hot Country Songs, “See You Tonight” jumps 36-32, making the biggest sales gain of any digital download on the list.
Adding to McCreery’s good chart news, another track from his new album sells enough copies to earn a berth on two tallies. “Forget to Forget You” is new at No. 31 on Country Digital Songs and No. 48 on Hot Country Songs.
The See You Tonight album is McCreery’s 11th Billboard No. 1. He was tied with Adam Lambert for 10th place among all Idols with the most No. 1s, a position McCreery now holds by himself.
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WRAPPED IN WHITE: A song that first led a Billboard chart 61 years ago this week is back on top, thanks to a new version by Kelly Clarkson. Her update of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” debuts at No. 1 on Holiday/Seasonal Digital Songs. Bing Crosby’s recording began an 11-week reign on the Best Sellers in Stores chart during the last week of October 1942. With over 50 million copies sold, Crosby’s “White Christmas” is the best-selling single of all time.
“White Christmas” is Clarkson’s 87th Billboard No. 1, maintaining her lead as the Idol with the most No. 1s. She could collect her 88th chart-topper next week if her new Wrapped in Red debuts in first place on Top Holiday Albums.
R&B RETURN: The brand-new single by Jennifer Hudson makes its first appearance on a Billboard chart, debuting at No. 27 on Adult R&B. “I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel),” featuring T.I., is the first taste from Hudson’s third studio album, expected to be released this winter.
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“Describe” is Hudson’s 11th song to appear on the Adult R&B survey. Her chart run expands to six years, nine months and one week, counting back to the debut of the Dreamgirls song “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” the week of Jan. 27, 2007. That single peaked at No. 3.
If “Describe” goes all the way, it will be Hudson’s fourth No. 1 on Adult R&B. She previously ruled this chart with “Spotlight” (eight weeks in 2008), “If This Isn’t Love” (three weeks in 2009) and “Where You At” (one week in 2011).
BITS AND PIECES: Daughtry’s “Waiting for Superman” flies 23-21 on Adult Top 40… Fantasia’s “Without Me” (featuring Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliott) is up 5-4 in its 19th week on the Adult R&B chart, reaching a new peak position… Mandisa’s “Overcomer” is No. 1 for the sixth week on Christian Songs and for the fifth week on Christian Adult Contemporary. On the Christian Digital Songs tallies, the song drops to No. 2 after 13 weeks on top. “Overcomer” still has a chance to bring Mandisa to the Hot 100 for the first time, as the song returns to Bubbling Under the Hot 100 at No. 16.
Twitter: @fredbronson
