(Reuters) - Christian singer-songwriter Chris Tomlin topped the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday as his album, "Burning Lights," became the fourth Christian album to top the charts.
Tomlin, 40, who scored his first mainstream No. 1 album, sold 73,000 units in its first week, according to figures compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.
It was the first time a Christian album rose to No. 1 since hip-hop and pop artist tobyMac's "Eye on It" in September 2012.
Billboard credited Tomlin's strong performance to sales related to churches and a college Christian conference in Atlanta that drew about 60,000 attendees. Some 40 percent of all sales came from those sources, Billboard said.
Rap-rockers Hollywood Undead's "Notes from the Underground" entered the charts at No. 2, selling some 53,000 units.
The soundtrack to the big screen adaptation of Broadway musical "Les Miserables," last week's top album, came in third.
This week's chart, which tracks sales through January 13, did not reflect any boost in sales the album might get from the film's three Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, including best comedy or musical.
Country-pop star Taylor Swift's "Red" placed fourth, down one spot, while the soundtrack to the musical film "Pitch Perfect" was fifth, two positions higher than last week.
Album sales for the past week totaled 5.09 million, down less than 1 percent from the same week last year. Year-to-date album sales of 11.35 million represent a 4 percent rise compared to the first two weeks of last year.
A total of 28.83 million songs were downloaded last week, an increase of 1 percent compared to the same week last year.
That figure should get a big boost next week after pop star Justin Timberlake released his first new song, "Suit & Tie" featuring rapper Jay-Z, in five years on Sunday night.
The song topped the U.S. iTunes chart within hours of its release. Timberlake will also release a new album, "The 20/20 Experience," later this year.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Kenneth Barry)
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
