Sara Evans Tops Albums Chart With 'Stronger'
Sara, smile. You've got a No. 1 album.
We're speaking of Sara Evans, of course, who makes a triumphant return to the Billboard country albums chart with Stronger. The CD sold 55,000 copies its first week out, according to Nielsen SoundScan, which tallies such commercial goings-on.
Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson must be grinning, too. Their duet, "Don't You Wanna Stay," is the most-played country song in America for the third straight week.
There are three other new albums to applaud: Kenny Rogers' The Love of God, which debuts at No. 8, and two various-artists packages, each titled The Best of Country, one entering at No. 72, the other at No. 74.
Christian Kane's The House Rules returns to the chart fray at No. 73.
Brad Paisley's "Old Alabama," featuring the founding members of the band Alabama, is the week's highest charting new song. It arrives at No. 44.
Also new is Gloriana's "Wanna Take You Home," bowing at No. 56.
Colt Ford's "Country Thang" and the Harters' "If I Run" re-enter at No. 58 and No. 60, respectively.
The No. 2 through No. 5 albums, in that order, are Aldean's My Kinda Party, Lady Antebellum's Need You Now, Aaron Lewis' Town Line (last week's No. 1) and Rascal Flatts' Nothing Like This.
Trailing directly behind "Don't You Wanna Stay" within the Top 5 songs cluster are Billy Currington's "Let Me Down Easy," Thompson Square's "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not," Paisley's "This Is Country Music'' and the Zac Brown Band's "Colder Weather."
Didja notice that in the song titles cited above there are two "wannas," one "gonna," one "kinda" and one "thang." Weep for us, Shakespeare.