The Decca Broadway release of the Stephen Schwartz Oz-set musical (already Gold certified) remains atop the chart for its twelfth week. Angel Records' The Color Purple drops down to No. 4 (from weeks in the second slot) while Decca Broadway's Mamma Mia!, which is platinum-certified, stays at third.
Jersey Boys' cast album was release on Rhino Nov. 1, 2005 featuring such Four Seasons hits as "My Eyes Adored You," "Sherry," "December ’63 (Oh What A Night)," "Big Girls Don’t Cry," "Walk Like A Man," "Workin’ My Way Back To You," "Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You," "My Boyfriend’s Back," "Earth Angel," "Short Shorts" and "Rag Doll," among others.
The Rent highlights CD rounds out the top five (its counterpart, the full original cast album, also appeared). Avenue Q bumped up two spots to the top ten at No. 10 and Beauty and the Beast re-entered the chart at No. 14.
This season's Sweeney Todd and last season's Monty Python's Spamalot also charted along with long-running show The Phantom of the Opera. (The latter appears twice — for its cast albums and "Highlights.")
The Top Cast Albums chart debuted in Billboard on Jan. 12, 2006. Stephen Schwartz' Wicked — which opened on Broadway in October 2003 (album released Dec. 16, 2003) — appeared at the top of the first chart. The chart measures sales of albums from stage musicals, Broadway recordings mostly fill the 15-slot table, but cast albums from other locales are also eligible. The addition of the chart to Billboard's 112 charts generates exposure for the genre which does not often chart on the Billboard 200. Billboard can be found on the web at www.billboard.com. Full charts are available by subscription at www.billboard.biz.