Just a little swapping of positions, but nothing earth-shaking in the top 10 of Billboard’s Gospel Albums charts.

This week, it looks a little something like this…

#1 | Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
#2 | Israel Houghton – Love God. Love People.
#3 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#4 | Shekinah Glory Ministry – Refreshed By Fire
#5 | WOW Gospel 2010
#6 | Kerry Douglas – Gospel Mix Vol. IV
#7 | Jonathan Nelson – Better Days
#8 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant
#9 | Tamela Mann – The Master Plan
#10 | William McDowell – As We Worship: Live

Can I just say a super big KUDOS to William McDowell and the folks at Light Records? You all didn’t really see the behind-the-scenes of it, but these folks created and implemented a great plan for his project. The album has been on the charts for 63 weeks, but with the success of his single, “I Give Myself Away,” it continues to gain in sales. Through intentional publicity and radio efforts, he finally broke the top 10 this week– that’s God’s favor, a good plan, some hard work and great label folks. Holla!

Okay, next week, I’m predicting Lecrae’s Rehab will take the #1 spot. Aside from that, not sure how it will all shake out.

Who here grabbed that Mavis Staples project???

Either folks have REALLY been waiting for this new music, or we may see a couple of dips in sales next week.  In any case, we’ll celebrate this week!

This week, four of the top five positions on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart are album debuts. Congrats to Shekinah Glory Ministry for topping the chart with the #1-selling album in gospel this week, entitled Refreshed By Fire.  Shout-out to Mavis Staples for debuting at #2 with You Are Not Alone. Big congrats, also, to Jonathan Nelson, whose newest project, Better Days, debuted at #4! Finally, big shout-out to Beverly Crawford on her #5 debut with Live from Los Angeles, Vol. 2.

WHEW! The rest of the top 10 looks like this…

#1 | Shekinah Glory Ministry – Refreshed By Fire
#2 | Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
#3 | Israel Houghton – Love God. Love People.
#4 | Jonathan Nelson – Better Days
#5 | Beverly Crawford – Live from Los Angeles, Vol. 2
#6 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#7 | WOW Gospel 2010
#8 | Kerry Douglas – Gospel Mix Vol. IV
#9 | Tamela Mann – The Master Plan
#10 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant

Who’s got what on this list?

Did anyone grab the new projects from Shekinah Glory, Mavis Staples, Jonathan Nelson or Beverly Crawford?

Talk to me!

VaShawn Mitchell has debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart with the new release of his latest album, Triumphant (EMI Gospel).  This sales week represents the highest week of his career.  Congrats!

Also, Brian Courtney Wilson jumped from #12 to #7 on the chart.  Great job!

The rest of the top 10 looks like this…

#1 | Marvin Sapp - Here I Am
#2 | VaShawn Mitchell – Triumphant
#3 | WOW Gospel 2010
#4 | Various Artists (from Fred Hammond) - Life In the Word
#5 | Forever Jones - Get Ready
#6 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC - Souled Out
#7 | Brian Courtney Wilson – Just Love
#8 | Fred Hammond – Love Unstoppable
#9 | Trip Lee - Between Two Worlds
#10 | BeBe & CeCe Winans - Still

What do you think???

Life In the Word, the first project in the joint venture between Fred Hammond’s fHammond Family Entertainment and Universal Christian Music Group has debuted at #2 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart. Fred’s 2009 release, Love Unstoppable, came in at #6 this week, so he’s got TWO albums in the Top 10.  Congrats!

Also, kudos to Lowell Pye for debuting at #10 on the chart, with his solo debut, Finally, which hit stores last Tuesday. Click here to listen to snippets and to buy it!

The rest of the top 10 shakes out to look a little something like this…

The full run-down of the top 10 looks like this…

#1 | Marvin Sapp - Here I Am
#2 | Various Artists – Life In the Word
#3 | WOW Gospel 2010
#4 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC - Souled Out
#5 | Trip Lee – Between Two Worlds
#6 | Fred Hammond - Love Unstoppable
#7 | Brian Courtney Wilson - Just Love
#8 | Forever Jones – Get Ready
#9 | BeBe & CeCe Winans - Still
#10 | Lowell Pye - Finally

To be honest, I haven’t grabbed Lowell’s project yet– anyone got it?  Anyone lovin’ it?

Tell me about!

For a second week, it seems that an artist has debuted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Gospel Albums charts that many probably were not expecting to land there.

This time, it’s the project Landmark, a new album from Jasper Williams & Salem Bible Church Mass Choir, which debuted at #6.  This traditional gospel project was given a solid rating by The Black Gospel Blog (one of my faves for its historical accuracy and broad coverage).

The full run-down of the top 10 looks like this…

#1 | Marvin Sapp - Here I Am
#2 | WOW Gospel 2010
#3 | Trip Lee - Between Two Worlds
#4 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC – Souled Out
#5 | Fred Hammond - Love Unstoppable
#6 | Jasper Williams & Salem Bible Church Mass Choir – Landmark
#7| Brian Courtney Wilson – Just Love
#8 | BeBe & CeCe Winans – Still
#9 | Forever Jones - Get Ready
#10 | Donnie McClurkin - Playlist: The Very Best of Donnie McClurkin

Since his debut at #8 last week, gospel hip-hopper PRo has dropped to #22.  I’d probably blame that on a bunch of pre-sales, as well, without momentum beyond first week.  Either way, you guys have said good things about him… I think folks should check him out.

Ok, so who’s got good ol’ Jasper Williams’ project???

Talk to me!

Everything’s pretty much business as usual in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Gospel Albums charts, with the exception of two projects that I wasn’t really expecting to be there.

One is a compilation album from Donnie McClurkin.  It’s actually been on the charts for a while, but I don’t know how it managed to peek into the #10 spot. Not mad about it , though… welcome!

The other is Redemption, a new album from gospel hip-hop artist PRo (I did some googlin’), which debuted at #8.  The project features guest vocals from Lecrae and others.

The rest of the rundown looks like this…

#1 | Marvin Sapp - Here I Am
#2 | WOW Gospel 2010
#3 | Trip Lee - Between Two Worlds
#4 | Fred Hammond - Love Unstoppable
#5 | BeBe & CeCe Winans – Still
#6 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC – Souled Out
#7 | Forever Jones - Get Ready
#7 | PRo – Redemption
#9| Brian Courtney Wilson - Just Love
#10 | Donnie McClurkin - Playlist: The Very Best of Donnie McClurkin

Anyone have PRo’s album?  Heard of him? Like him?! Click here to listen to snippets of his album, Redemption.

Talk to me!

Nothing monumental to report, though Forever Jones, Fred Hammond and Brian Courtney Wilson all experienced sales increases that pushed them higher in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Gospel Albums charts.

In fact, Forever Jones had the greatest sales gain of any gospel album last week… g’head guys!

The full rundown looks like this…

#1 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#2 | WOW Gospel 2010
#3 | Trip Lee – Between Two Worlds
#4 | Fred Hammond – Love Unstoppable
#5 | Forever Jones – Get Ready
#6| Brian Courtney Wilson – Just Love
#7 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC – Souled Out
#8 | BeBe & CeCe Winans – Still
#9 | DeWayne Woods – My Life’s Lyric
#10 | Juanita Bynum – More Passion

What I’m kinda hoping for is that something from Walter Hawkins’ catalogue will pop into the top 10 next week… I’ll be taking down the playlist I made for him this weekend– maybe you’ll make a coupla purchases???

What do you think of the charts this week?  Of the projects listed above, whose albums do you NOT have?

After Trip Lee’s chart-topping debut last week, Marvin Sapp has regained the #1 chart position on the Gospel Albums chart at Billboard.  Trip Lee follows close behind, though, in the #2 spot.

Also, Phil Tarver, the music director and worship leader of Shekinah Glory Ministry, enters the chart at #4 with his new solo project, Place of Worship.  Congrats!

#1 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#2 | Trip Lee – Between Two Worlds
#3 | WOW Gospel 2010
#4 | Phil Tarver – Place of Worship
#5 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC – Souled Out
#6 | DeWayne Woods – My Life’s Lyric
#7 | Fred Hammond – Love Unstoppable
#8 | BeBe & CeCe Winans – Still
#9| Brian Courtney Wilson – Just Love
#10 | Juanita Bynum – More Passion

Did anyone here grab Phil Tarver’s new project when it came out?

Whatd’ya think of the charts this week???

The new album from gospel hip-hop artist Trip Lee, Between Two Worlds, made a HUGE statement at retail this week, earning the #1 position at Billboard on both the Gospel AND Christian albums charts. In doing so, he unseated chart leaders Marvin Sapp and MercyMe, respectively.

Trip Lee’s new project also landed at #10 on the Rap albums chart.  All in all, a pretty strong showing for this project.  Congrats!

Also, My Life’s Lyric, the new album from DeWayne Woods & When Singers Meet, has debuted at #3, while Darwin Hobbs’ latest effort, Champion, debuts at #6.

So, LOTS of movement in the top 10. It now looks a little something like this…

#1 | Trip Lee - Between Two Worlds
#2 | Marvin Sapp – Here I Am
#3 | DeWayne Woods – My Life’s Lyric
#4 | WOW Gospel 2010
#5 | Forever Jones – Get Ready
#6 | Darwin Hobbs- Champion
#7 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC – Souled Out
#8 | BeBe & CeCe Winans – Still
#9| Fred Hammond – Love Unstoppable
#10 | Juanita Bynum – More Passion

If Trip Lee can maintain his sales momentum, he should be at #1 for at least another week or two.  DeWayne Woods and Darwin Hobbs should also have pretty solid footing in the top 10 for a while.

What do you think of the charts this week?  Who has Trip Lee’s new project?  Who’s gonna check it out now???

Talk to me, folks!