Billboard classical crossover chart

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17 Nov 2007
On Billboard's classical crossover chart, tenor Andrea Bocelli is now approaching something like complete domination. Last week's new arrival to the chart, at no. 2 (where it remains), was "The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere"; this week's top newcomer is "Lo mejor de Andrea Bocelli: Vivere," the Spanish-language issue of the same recording. While Josh Groban's holiday release, Noel, is now marking five weeks at no. 1, Bocelli now has five discs in the top eleven, including Amore (no. 6), Under the Desert Sky (no. 9) and Amor (no. 11).

There are two more newcomers to the classical crossover chart: "Northern Lights" (no. 14) by Sissel, the Norwegian folksinger who appears on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas CD referred to above, and "The Ultimate Collection" by another crossover tenor star, Russell Watson.

xcept · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 2:00 pm Post subject:

23rd Nov

The new arrival on Billboard's classical crossover chart this week, at no. 18, is "Christmas Break: a relaxing classical mix," a compilation of Christmas carols and classical selections on a seasonal theme gathered from various Telarc recordings. Returning to the crossover chart are "Star Wars: The Corellian Edition" (no. 24), a re-release of John Williams's score to the original film in the Star Wars franchise, and "Folk Songs" (no. 25), a collection of Nordic tunes arranged and sung by the three women of Trio Mediæval.

Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli continue to dominate the top of the crossover chart. Groban has discs at no. 1 ("Noel") and no. 4 ("Awake"), while Bocelli has five titles in the top 11. Two of the remaining four in the top 10 are by the operatic boy-band Il Divo.

xcept · Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject:

15 Dec 07

On the Top Classical Crossover Artists chart, Josh Groban vaults to first place, followed by Il Divo and Andrea Bocelli (Groban and Bocelli having swapped places since 2006, with Il Divo holding firm at No. 2).

Another Simon Cowell-discovered artist, Paul Potts, makes his entry at No. 4, with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir slipping a rung from its 2006 position to fifth place.

Sales strength for the Groban/Il Divo/Bocelli trinity shows up again on the Top Classical Crossover Albums chart: Groban's "Awake" (143/Reprise) is at No. 1, followed by Il Divo's "Siempre" (Syco/Columbia), Bocelli's "Under the Desert Sky" (Sugar/Decca), Groban's "Noel" (143/Reprise) and Bocelli's "Amore" (Sugar/Decca).

Reuters/Billboard