Chart Beat Thursday: Multi-Format Diva Domination

TOPDOG1001 · 11-12-2009

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CARRIE: Carrie Underwood's third album "Play On" opens atop the Billboard 200 and Country Albums. The set is her second No. 1 on the Billboard 200, following 2007's "Carnival Ride." Her first release, "Some Hearts," debuted and peaked at No. 2 in 2005.

The new set is Underwood's third No. 1 on Country Albums, where she becomes one of just four acts since Nielsen SoundScan data began powering the chart in 1991 to bow at the summit with their first three entries. The elite list is exclusively a girls' club: previously achieving the honor were LeAnn Rimes (1996-97), Gretchen Wilson (2004-07) and Miranda Lambert (2005-09).

Billboard 200 chart manager Keith Caulfield notes that Underwood is only the sixth female country artist to collect a pair of No. 1s on the Billboard 200. Olivia Newton-John, Linda Ronstadt, Rimes, Faith Hill and Reba McEntire have also roped two toppers on the tally.

Underwood additionally headlines this week's Country Songs chart, where "Cowboy Casanova" charges 3-1 to become the fastest-rising (10 weeks) of her eight career No. 1s, most among women this decade. Among her 10 songs actively promoted to country radio dating to her first, the six-week No. 1 "Jesus, Take the Wheel," only "Don't Forget to Remember Me" and "I Told You So" fell shy of the top spot, each peaking at No. 2.

As Underwood takes over the top of Country Songs, her Country Music Association Awards co-host last night (Nov. 11) Brad Paisley dips from a peak of No. 2 to No. 6 with "Welcome to the Future." Paisley's impressive streak of consecutive leaders, thus, ends at 10, a string encompassing "When I Get Where I'm Going," with Dolly Parton, in 2006 through "Then" in June. (Paisley does, however, re-enter the chart at No. 41 with the title cut third single from his latest album, "American Saturday Night").

Chart Beat Thursday: Multi-Format Diva Domination - Chart Beat | Billboard.com