CHART STORY: FROM SÌ TO SHINING SÌ

Classical icon Andrea Bocelli officially celebrates his first #1 album in the U.S. as Sì (Decca/Verve)—the singer’s16th studio album and first new material in 14 years—debuts atop the HITS Top 50 Chart this week, moving 125k.

This is the first classical album to top the chart since 1997’s Titanic soundtrack. The same can be said for the U.K.; not since Titanic has a classical set conquered.

Bocelli’s been with Universal his entire recording career and is currently signed to Decca U.K. for the world. He’s also still with Filippo Sugar of Sugar Music—the Italy-based exec who signed him to his first deal.

Interscope’s A Star Is Born soundtrack slips to #2 in its fourth week while still posting 88k.

Top debuts include Joji (88rising/12Tone), who bows big at #3 with 57k; Tory Lanez’s Love Me Now (Mad Love/Interscope) comes in at #4 with 54k. Meanwhile, John Legend’s A Legendary Christmas (Columbia) arrives just outside of the Top 20 with about 21k, and Pentatonix’s Christmas Is Here! (RCA) can be found at #36 with 16k. Expect these sets to make an increasingly joyful noise as Yuletide nears. Speaking of which: Is it too early to start chugging eggnog?

UMG leads the marketshare race with 64%, WMG follows with 21% and SME is #3 with 14%, while the indies claim 1%.

Streeting this week are new projects from Columbia’s Barbra Streisand, Def Jam’s Vince Staples, Ace Unit/Interscope’s Kris Wu, Republic’s Metro Boomin, Quality Control/Motown/Capitol’s Takeoff, N-Less/Interscope’s Moneybagg Yo, RCA Nashville’s Pistol Annies, a deluxe edition of the holiday set from Centricity’s Lauren Daigle and RCA’s H.E.R.