Decca Broadway's recording of the hit musical Wicked, Rhino's release of 2006's Tony Award-winning Best Musical Jersey Boys and Mamma Mia! (also on Decca Broadway) remain in the top three positions on the chart.
The Walt Disney Records recording of The Lion King and Angel's release of The Color Purple round out the top five.
Rhino's release of Phillip George and David Lowenstein's 1960s' tuner Shout! The Mod Musical was made available Nov. 7. The musical currently playing in New York City announced it would close Dec. 31 with plans to launch a national tour in spring 2007. The cast album entered at No. 14 on the chart.
Broadway newcomers A Chorus Line and Mary Poppins are represented on the chart by their CD counterparts: Masterworks Broadway's New Broadway Cast Recording and Walt Disney's Original London Cast Recording, respectively.
Along with Wicked and Mamma Mia!, the cast recordings of Monty Python's Spamalot and Avenue Q have remained on Billboard's Top Cast Album Chart for the full 47 weeks since the chart's inception. The release of Stephen Schwartz's Wicked has topped the chart for 42 of the 47 weeks the chart has been published. The recording has dominated the spot, only being toppled before by the Columbia Records two-disc "Harry" release (comprised of the recording of Broadway's The Pajama Game revival and selections of Connick, Jr.'s 2001 show Thou Shalt Not) and The Color Purple for one week each. Rhino's release of Jersey Boys, following its big Tony win, also took hold of the top slot for four weeks.
*
A recent addition to Billboard's listings, 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.
