TOP 20: A SWIFT RETURN

1989 (Taylor’s Version) (Republic) will return to #1 this week as Taylor Swift closes in on Elvis Presley as the artist with the second-most cumulative weeks at #1. This will be Swift’s 66th week leading the album chart, only one week away from tying The King’s 67 weeks on top. The Beatles hold the record for the most weeks by an act at #1 with 132.

Swift also leads an impressive showing this week by Republic, with the label group possibly owning the Top 5 as well as 10 berths of the Top 20. If the rankings hold, the House of Lipman will become the first label group to hold down the entire Top 5 in a single week. We should note, however, that our projections put Reprise’s Michael Bublé just outside the Top 5, setting it up as a potential spoiler on the week’s final chart.

In addition to Bublé’s Christmas, holiday perennials by Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole and Vince Guaraldi make their first appearance of the season in the Top 20.

Now, if you'll excuse us, the kiddie pool is almost full of eggnog.