Rhino's Jersey Boys release returned to the top spot four weeks ago, beating out the constant chart-topper, Decca Broadway's Wicked (which again places at No. 2). The musical based on the Four Seasons had previously enjoyed a four-week run at No. 1 following its Tony win as Best Musical and also reclaimed the countdown's lead position the week of Feb. 8.
Ghostlight Records released Legally Blonde's original Broadway cast recording July 17. It debuted at No. 1 and climbs back to No. 3 this week (from last week at No. 7). The musical — which just aired on MTV — features a score by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin.
Decca Broadway's Mamma Mia! and Masterworks Broadway's Grease (the new recording featuring the current revival cast) round out the top five.
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 94 weeks since the chart's inception.
In other movement, the original Broadway cast recording of Annie (Legacy/Columbia) re-enter the chart 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 81 of the 94 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.
Billboard can be found on the web at www.billboard.com. Full charts are available by subscription at www.billboard.biz.