Weekly Register: Garth’s ‘Roots’ Remain No. 1

With Christmas behind us and New Year’s Eve around the corner, albums are enjoying a boost from holiday sales. Last week’s overall album sales are up 22 percent from the prior week, while last week’s Country album sales are up 29 percent from the prior week.

The name of the game last week was consistency, with no major debuts and the top four Country albums the same as the prior week. Garth Brooks’ Blame It All On My Roots (Pearl Records Inc.) was the top Country album again (No. 2 overall), selling 199k units last week (681k RTD). The singer will play two full band shows in Las Vegas New Year’s weekend.

Beyonce’s self-titled album was the top overall album for the second consecutive week, selling another 234k units (851k RTD). YTD overall album sales were down 8.5 percent, while Country album sales were down 10.7 percent. With two weeks left in this year’s sales calendar, it doesn’t look like 2013 will match up to 2012.

Brantley Gilbert’s “Bottoms Up” was the top Country track and the top Country debut last week (No. 18 overall), selling 63k units. Pitbull and Ke$ha’s “Timber” regained its spot as the top overall track, selling another 212k units last week (1.5 million RTD). YTD, overall track sales were down 5 percent, while Country track sales were down .6 percent.

No noteworthy debuts will be released this week – the second to final week of 2013 – as the industry slips into a winter freeze.