Week Ending Feb. 21, 2010: A Top Three With A Twist
Paul Grein's Chart Watch
For the first time in chart history, the top three albums on The Billboard 200 are all by mixed-gender groups. Sade's Soldier Of Love holds at #1 for the second week, Lady Antebellum's Need You Now holds at #2 for the second week and the Black Eyed Peas' The E.N.D. rebounds from #8 to #3. Helen Adu fronts Sade, Hillary Scott is the female member of Lady Antebellum and Fergie is a key Pea.
By holding at #1 for a second week, Soldier Of Love equals the mark set in February 1986 by Sade's sophomore album, Promise.
Pop Quiz: What was the most successful album ever by a mixed-gender group?
Quiz Answer: Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is the most successful album ever by a mixed-gender group. The blockbuster logged 31 weeks at #1 in 1977-1978. In second place: Prince & the Revolution's Purple Rain, which spent 24 weeks at #1 in 1984-1985. In third: No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom, which had nine weeks on top in 1996-1997.
I love Sade, always have. But as far as being a mixed gender group, they are not in the same category as the rest. Sade herself is the only lead singer, and the men in her band hardly even sing any background vocals. What ia unique about Fleetwood Mac and the rest of these bands, is that both men and women sing lead vocals.
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