Billboard Cast Album Chart Goes Green with Young Frankenstein Debut | Playbill

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News Billboard Cast Album Chart Goes Green with Young Frankenstein Debut The original Broadway cast recording of Young Frankenstein debuted in the top ten on the Billboard Top Cast Album chart as Wicked reclaimed the lead position that had recently been held by the Jersey Boys.

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The new Mel Brooks-Thomas Meehan Broadway musical version of Brooks' film comedy hit stores Dec. 26 on the Decca Broadway label. Young Frankenstein entered the chart this week at No. 7.

Decca Broadway's Wicked returned to the top of the chart, beating Rhino's Jersey Boys cast recording (which places at No. 2). The latter had enjoyed a month-long stint at No. 1.

Legally Blonde's original Broadway cast recording on Ghostlight Records held steady at No. 3 with Decca Broadway's Mamma Mia! right behind. Sony Classical's Hairspray climbed from No. 8 to No. 6 last week and edged up one more spot this week (its 100th week on the chart) to round out the top five.

Along with Wicked and Mamma Mia!, the cast recordings of Avenue Q (RCA Victor) and Monty Python's Spamalot (also on Decca) have remained on Billboard's Top Cast Album Chart for the full 104 weeks since the chart's inception.

In other movement on the chart, the Sweeney Todd original cast recording (RCA Red Seal) and the new Broadway cast recording (Nonesuch) both placed on the countdown. The new Tim Burton film adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical no doubt spurred the Sweeney movement. The original Sweeney CD debuted for the first time (at No. 11) while the recent revival's album makes a re-entrance (at No. 14). *

Legally Blonde recently joined the company of those that have unseated the release of Stephen Schwartz's Wicked — which has topped the chart for 85 of the 104 weeks the chart has been published. The only other recordings to topple the stronghold are Spring Awakening, the Columbia Records two-disc "Harry On Broadway" release (with Broadway's The Pajama Game revival and selections of Connick, Jr.'s Thou Shalt Not) and The Color Purple for one week each.

Jersey Boys has held the top spot on the chart for the most times (15 total weeks) other than constant chart-topper Wicked. The Four Seasons musical had previously enjoyed a four-week run at No. 1 following its Tony Award win as Best Musical and also reclaimed the countdown's lead position the week of Feb. 8. Then prior to its recent four-week streak, it also held the top spot for a six-week run (ending Nov. 8).

Billboard can be found on the web at www.billboard.com. Full charts are available by subscription at www.billboard.biz.

 
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