John Mayer’s Battle Studies debuts at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album sold 286,000 copies in its first week of release.

Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas is at number two, selling 185,000 copies (which is a 36% sales increase from last week). Norah Jones’ The Fall debuts at number three, selling 180,000 copies in its first week of release.

Casting Crowns’ Until the Whole World Hears debuts at number four, selling 167,000 copies in its first week of release. 50 Cent’s Before I Self Destruct debuts at number five, selling 160,000 copies in its first week of release.

Justin Bieber’s My World EP debuts at number six, selling 137,000 copies in its first week of release. The This Is It soundtrack falls three spots to number seven, selling 96,000 copies (which is an 18% decrease in sales from last week).

The Twilight: New Moon soundtrack moves up two spots to number eight, selling 93,000 copies (which is a 77% gain in sales). Carrie Underwood’s Play On drops six spots to number nine, selling 86,000 copies (which is a 33% decrease in sales). Taylor Swift’s Fearless falls five spots to number ten, selling 84,000 copies (which is an 8% decrease in sales from last week).

This week’s sales (7.98 million units) are up 13% from last week, but down 16% compared to the same week last year.

Here are this week’s new music releases:

Beyonce – I Am… Yours. An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas [2 CD/1 DVD]
Birdman – Pricele$$
Andrea Bocelli – Mi Navidad
Susan Boyle – I Dreamed a Dream
Californication: Season 3 soundtrack album
Bill Cosby – Bill Cosby Presents the Cosnarati: State of Emergency
Adam Lambert – For Your Entertainment
Regis & Joy Philbin – Just You. Just Me
Pope Benedict XVI – Music From the Vatican – Alma Mater: Featuring the Voice of Pope Benedict XVI [CD/DVD]
The Priests – Harmony
The Princess and the Frog soundtrack album
Ike Reilly – Hard Luck Stories [MP3 download only]
Rihanna – Rated R
Jay Sean – All Or Nothing
Shakira – She Wolf
Angie Stone – Unexpected
Jimmy Wayne – Sara Smile
Hayley Westenra – Winter Magic

Here are the winners of the 2009 American Music Awards.

Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift
Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist: Michael Jackson
Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist Taylor Swift
Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Due or Group: The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Pop/Rock Album: Number Ones, Michael Jackson
Favorite Country Male Artist: Keith Urban
Favorite Female Country Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group: Rascal Flatts
Favorite Country Album: Fearless, Taylor Swift
Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues Male Artist: Michael Jackson
Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues Female Artist: Beyonce
Favrotie Soul/Rhythm & Blues Band, Duo or Group: The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues Album: Number Ones, Michael Jackson
Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist: Jay-Z
Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album: Blueprint 3, Jay-Z
Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Latin Artist: Aventura
Favorite Alternative Rock Music Artist: Green Day
Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist: Mary Mary
Favorite Soundtrack Album: Twilight soundtrack
T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist: Gloriana

Bon Jovi’s The Circle debuts at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album sold 163,000 copies in its first week of release.

Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas moves up one spot to number two, selling 136,000 copies (which is only an 8% decrease in sales from last week). Carrie Underwood’s Play On falls two spots to number three, selling 128,000 copies; this is a 60% decline in sales.

The This Is It soundtrack falls two spots to number four, selling 117,000 copies (this is a 40% decrease in sales from last week). Taylor Swift’s Fearless moves up one spot to number five, selling 91,000 copies (which is a 30% increase in sales).

The Now That’s What I Call Music Volume 32 compilation album falls one spot to number six, selling 68,000 copies (which is a 33% decrease in sales from last week). Michael Buble’s Crazy Love moves back up one spot to number seven, selling 58,000 copies; however, this still represents a 2% decrease in sales.

Flyleaf debuts at number eight with Memento Mori, which sold 56,000 copies in its first week of release. The Glee soundtrack falls five spots to number nine, selling 56,000 copies (which is a 51% decline in sales from last week). The New Moon soundtrack holds steady at number ten, selling 53,000 copies (which is a 1% increase in sales).

This week’s album sales (7.04 million units) are up 3% from last week, but down 21% compared to the same week last year.

Here are this week’s new music releases:

Kris Allen – Kris Allen
Justin Bieber – My World
Boyz II Men – Love
Jeremy Camp – Jeremy Camp Live
Casting Crowns – Until the Whole World Hears
Forever the Sickest Kids – The Weekend: Friday [EP]
Sara Groves – Fireflies and Songs
Robin Guthrie – Songs to Help My Children Sleep
Norah Jones – The Fall
Kid Sister – Ultraviolet
Leona Lewis – Echo
John Mayer – Battle Studies
Paul McCartney – Good Evening New York City [2 CD/1 DVD]
The New Collisions – Invisible Embraces [MP3 download only]
OneRepublic – Waking Up
Katy Perry – MTV Unplugged [CD/DVD]
Pretty Ricky – Pretty Ricky
Rakim – The Seventh Seal
The Tangent – Down and Out in Paris and London
Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
We All Have Hooks For Hands – The Shape of Energy
We Shot the Moon – A Silver Lining
Robbie Williams – Reality Killed the Video Star

Steven Tyler has announced that he is not leaving Aerosmith. Tyler made a surprise appearance with Joe Perry on November 10 at a New York City venue. While he was up on the stage, Tyler reportedly told the crowd: “I am not leaving Aerosmith.”

Carrie Underwood’s Play On debuts at number one on the Billboad Top 200 album chart. The album sold 318,000 copies in its first week of release.

The This Is It soundtrack falls one spot to number two, selling 196,000 copies (which is a 48% decrease in sales from last week). Andrea Bocelli’s My Christmas debuts at number three, selling 149,000 copies in its first week of release.

The Glee soundtrack debuts at number four, selling 113,000 copies in its first week of release. The Now That’s What I Call Music Volume 32 compilation album debuts at number five, selling 102,000 copies in its first week of release.

Taylor Swift’s Fearless falls three spots to number six, selling 70,000 copies (which is a 36% decrease in sales from last week). Weezer’s Raditude debuts at number seven, selling 66,000 copies in its first week of release.

Michael Buble’s Crazy Love falls one spot to number eight, selling 59,000 copies (which is just a 17% decrease in sales). Sting’s If On a Winter’s Night falls three spots to number nine, selling 59,000 copies (this is a 26% decrease in sales from last week). The Twilight: New Moon soundtrack falls two spots to number ten, selling 52,000 copies (which is a 24% decrease in sales from last week).

This week’s sales (6.86 million units) are up 9% from last week, and down 2% compared to the same week last year.

Here are this week’s new music releases:

2012 soundtrack album
Tori Amos – Midwinter Graces [CD/DVD]
Bon Jovi – The Circle [CD/DVD]
Brazos – Phosphorescent Blues
Ashley Brown – Speak Low [currently an MP3 download only; a CD version is scheduled for release on January 5, 2010]
Dashboard Confessional – Alter The Ending
Ray Davies and the Crouch End Festival Chorus – The Kinks Choral Collection
Echo & The Bunnymen – The Fountain
Flyleaf – Memento Mori
General Elektriks – Good City for Dreamers
Wyclef Jean – DJ Drama Presents Wyclef Jean – Toussaint St. Jean: From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion
Katatonia – Night Is the New Day
Kidz Bop Kids – Kidz Bop Sings the Beatles
Pirate Radio soundtrack album
Stan Ridgway & Pietra Wexstun – Silly Songs for Kids, Volume One
Alejandro Sanz – Paraiso Express
Switchfoot – Hello Hurricane
Throwdown – Deathless
Wale – Attention: Deficit
Steve Wariner – Steve Wariner c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins

Reports are swirling around the internet that Steven Tyler is leaving Aerosmith. The reports are being fueled by a comment Tyler made with a British magazine called Classic Rock: “I don’t know what I’m doing yet, but it’s definitely going to be something Steven Tyler – working on the brand of myself – Brand Tyler.”

Guitarist Joe Perry also fueled the speculation with an interview he gave to the Las Vegas Sun on November 6, where he said that, “Steven quit as far as I can tell.” Perry also mentioned that Steven has not been in communication with the rest of the band, and they learned about Steven’s plans through the Classic Rock interview that was posted online.

The soundtrack for Michael Jackson’s This Is It debuts at number one on theBillboard Top 200 album chart. The album sold 373,000 copies in its first week of release.

Creed’sFull Circle debuts at number two, selling 110,000 copies in its first week of release. Taylor Swift’s Fearless moves up four spots to number three, selling 109,000 copies (which is a 225% increase from last week).

Rod Stewart’s Soulbook debuts at number four, selling 84,000 copies in its first week of release. Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Night Castle debuts at number five, selling 83,000 copies in its first week of release.

Sting’s If On A Winter’s Night debuts at number six, selling 80,000 copies in its first week of release. Michael Buble’s Crazy Love falls four spots to number seven, selling 71,000 copies; this is a 30% decrease in sales from last week.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack falls seven spots to number eight, selling 69,000 copies (which is a 55% decrease in sales). Tim McGraw’s Southern Voice falls seven spots to number nine, selling 59,000 copies (which is a 57% decrease in sales). Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 falls six spots to number ten, selling 41,000 copies (however, this is only a 5% decrease in sales).

This week’s sales (6.31 million units) are up 10% from last week, but down 9% compared to the same week last year.