Pop Album Chart : It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like . . .

The Top 10 still has a resounding Christmas ring to it, with Amy Grant’s “Home for Christmas” (No. 5), heading the group of four holiday albums. The star-studded “A Very Special Christmas 2” (No. 7) and Garth Brooks’ 2-million-seller “Beyond the Season” (No. 10) aren’t surprises, but the success of Neil Diamond’s “Christmas Album” (No. 8) certainly is. Diamond hasn’t had a major hit album in many years. This one, though, has obviously struck a chord with Diamond fans who like Christmas music.

* This soundtrack may turn out to be an ever bigger hit than “Beauty and the Beast.” With the feature-length cartoon a big box-office hit, the soundtrack, which shot up to No. 22, has the added advantage of being a holiday release. It’s such a popular gift item that those extra sales may push it into the Top 10 in the next few weeks.

Pop Album Chart

Rank Rank 2 Weeks Last Weeks on the Week Ago Chart 1. “The Bodyguard,” soundtrack 1 2 3 2. “Timeless,” Michael Bolton 4 4 10 3. “The Chase,” Garth Brooks 5 3 11 4. “Some Gave All,” Billy Ray Cyrus 7 6 29 5. “Home for Christmas,” Amy Grant 6 14 9 6. “Unplugged,” Eric Clapton 2 5 15 7. “A Very Special Christmas 2,” various artists 9 18 6 8. “Christmas Album,” Neil Diamond 14 41 9 9. “Breathless,” Kenny G 8 9 3 10. “Beyond the Season,” Garth Brooks 10 11 15 * “Aladdin,” soundtrack 40 97 4

Source: Billboard/Soundscan