RACE GOES TO SWIFT

The country teen crossover star logs in her 11th week at #1, as Fearless once more proves peerless, beating back the competition with a nearly 20% gain to 75k.

That’s more than enough for her to finish ahead of Epic thrash rockers Lamb of God’s Wrath (#2) and Hollywood’s Jonas Brothers: 3D Concert Experience (#3), the week’s only two Top 10 debuts.

The big story this week is the rise of N.E.E.T./Interscope’s Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack, taking the post-Oscar bounce to new levels with a virtual 100% increase to 46k, good for #4. The label has also released an A.R. Rahman re-mix of the album’s Best Song winner, “Jai Ho,” with Pussycat Dolls. Roadrunner’s Vancouver rockers Nickelback round out the Top 5.

Columbia’s Beyonce (#6), Interscope’s surging Lady GaGa (#7), J/RMG’s Jamie Foxx (#8), Epic’s The Fray (#9) and Roc-a-Fella/IDJ’s Kanye West complete the Top 10.

For those who keep track, that gives Epic and Interscope two apiece on the leaderboard.

Sony Music Nashville star Jake Owen leads the group of chart newcomers at #13, followed by A&M/Octone’s latest artist development story, Somali-Canadian hip-hop MC, reggae artist and poet K’naan at #30, Reprise veteran rockabilly and cable TV personality Chris Isaak (#37) and Listen to the Lion/Blue Note legend Van Morrison’s critically acclaimed Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl (#39).

Arista/RMG’s Jennifer Hudson (#34) and DTP/Def Jam’s Ludacris (#50) both re-enter the Top 50.

Those gaining over the past week include Lady GaGa (+5%), Capitol Nashville’s Darius Rucker (#37-31, +9%), Atlantic’s Zac Brown Band (#44-36, +8%) and Decca’s long-running Mamma Mia! soundtrack (#41-38, +2%).

This week, U2’s No Line on the Horizon hits the streets, while next Tuesday (3/10), Idol alum Kelly Clarkson’s RCA/RMG album, All I Ever Wanted, and the latest from Def Jam/IDJ’s The-Dream will be released.