Janet’s In Control of Billboard 200 With Sixth No. 1 Album

JANET JACKSON

Editor: Keith Caulfield; Contributors: Anthony Colombo, Wade Jessen, Alex Vitoulis; Editorial Director: Geoff Mayfield

For the sixth time in her career, Janet Jackson earns a No. 1 album on The Billboard 200, as “Discipline” debuts with 181,000. She’s now in second place among female artists for the most No. 1 albums (tied with Madonna) behind Barbra Streisand’s eight chart-toppers … Erykah Badu and Webbie both bow in the top four of the chart while Shawty Lo starts in the top 20 … Country legend Dolly Parton nabs her highest charting album since 1993 as “Backwoods Barbie” storms The Billboard 200 at No. 17 … The Original Broadway Cast Recording of “The Little Mermaid” wakes waves at No. 26 on The Billboard 200 — the highest charting cast album since “Rent” started at No. 19 in 1996.

FLASH POINTS

• Janet Jackson crowns The Billboard 200 for the sixth time in her career as her tenth studio album, “Discipline,” debuts at No. 1 with 181,000. Since 1986’s “Control,” her third studio set, all of her releases — including a greatest hits package in 1995 — have reached the top three. Jackson’s last two albums, 2004’s “Damita Jo” and 2006’s “20 Y.O.,” both debuted and peaked at No. 2. “Damita” started with 381,000 while “20 Y.O.” began with 296,000 … During release week, Jackson kept herself quite busy on the promotional trail. She was the featured artist in MTV’s successful 52/52 promotional campaign, ensuring her visibility on the network throughout the week. Additionally, she played the channel’s “TRL” on Feb. 26. “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” got Jackson on Feb. 29 while the diva also appeared on “Larry King Live” (Feb. 28) and “Good Morning America” (Feb. 26).

• Erykah Badu returns with her first release in just over four years as “New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)” debuts at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 with 124,000. Her last set, 2003’s “World Wide Underground” (EP),” started at No. 3 with 144,000 … Last week’s No. 1, Jack Johnson’s “Sleep Through the Static,” drops to No. 3, shifting 92,000 with a 13% decline … Rapper Webbie climbs in at No. 4 with “Savage Life 2,” selling 72,000. His last solo effort, naturally titled “Savage Life,” bowed at No. 8 in 2005 with 68,000 … At No. 13, D4L member Shawty Lo starts with his solo debut “Units in the City,” shifting 31,000 … Also in the top 10 this week, the “Once” soundtrack vaults from No. 31 last week to No. 7, selling 47,000 (up 143%). The album sports the Oscar-winning track “Falling Slowly.” It’s the best sales week and highest chart position for the album … One step above “Once” is Miley Cyrus’ “Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus” set, which jumps 86% after she was featured on Barbara Walters’ Oscar night interview special on ABC.

• Dolly Parton’s “Backwoods Barbie” album sashays onto The Billboard 200 at No. 17, giving the country legend her highest debut ever. It’s her fourth highest charting album overall. Three of her previous sets started lower, but eventually peaked higher: 1993’s “Slow Dancing With the Moon” reached No. 16; her “Trio” effort with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris hit No. 6 in 1987 and “9 to 5 and Odd Jobs” ultimately peaked at No. 11 way back in 1981 … On the Top Country Albums chart, “Backwoods Barbie” flies to No. 3 — her highest charting set since “Eagle When She Flies” reached No. 1 in 1991 … “Barbie’s” start of 27,000 is Parton’s best sales week since her collaborations album “Honky Tonk Angels” (with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette) did 40,000 during the busy Christmas week of 1993.

• The Original Broadway Cast Recording of “The Little Mermaid” makes waves by debuting at No. 26 on The Billboard 200, selling 20,000. It’s the highest charting cast album since 1996’s “Rent” started at No. 19. “Mermaid” also claims the best debut sales week for a cast album since “Rent,” when the latter stomped in with 43,000. Walt Disney Records ensured a handsome debut week by offering those who attended a performance of “Mermaid” the opportunity to pre-order the album. Disney was taking pre-orders for the album all the way back to last year, when the show was in its tryout run in Denver. The pre-order version of the album features a collectible picture disc. (Pre-orders of an album count as a sale with Nielsen SoundScan once they are fulfilled to the customer. So, even if one ordered the album two months ago, the sale won’t register until it was actually mailed out to the customer.)

The Billboard 200 Sales data provided and compiled from Nielsen SoundScan
*1	New	JANET Discipline (Island / IDJMG)	11	9	MARY J. BLIGE Growing Pains (Matriarch / Geffen / IGA)
*2	New	ERYKAH BADU New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) (Universal Motown / UMRG)	12	10	TAYLOR SWIFT Taylor Swift (Big Machine )
3	1	JACK JOHNSON Sleep Through The Static (Brushfire / UMRG)	*13	New	SHAWTY LO Units In The City (D4L / Asylum)
*4	New	WEBBIE Savage Life 2 (Trill / Asylum / Atlantic / AG)	14	5	SOUNDTRACK Step Up 2: The Streets (Atlantic / AG)
*5	2	ALICIA KEYS As I Am (MBK / J / RMG)	15	11	SHERYL CROW Detours (A&M / Interscope / IGA)
*6	14	MILEY CYRUS Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus (Walt Disney / Hollywood )	16	12	KEYSHIA COLE Just Like You (Confidential / Imani / Geffen / IGA)
*7	31	SOUNDTRACK Once (Canvasback / Sony Music Soundtrax / Columbia)	*17	New	DOLLY PARTON Backwoods Barbie (Dolly )
*8	6	SOUNDTRACK Juno (Fox / Rhino / AG)	18	13	CHRIS BROWN Exclusive (Jive / Zomba)
9	7	SARA BAREILLES Little Voice (Epic / Sony Music)	19	21	COLBIE CAILLAT Coco (Universal Republic / UMRG)
10	3	AMY WINEHOUSE Back To Black (Universal Republic / UMRG)	20	18	DAUGHTRY Daughtry (RCA / RMG)
* indicates titles with greatest sales gains this week