Album Sweep: December 13, 2014...

Hey gang, it's the time I normally do my first half of the "album sweep", sampling the songs making their debut on the Top 200 Albums chart in Billboard magazine. As of this week, the editors changed the makeup of that chart, including both singles sales (as 10 song purchases equals an album) as well as streaming (where there's a 1500 to 1 ratio) into the mix. Personally, I could write for days my feelings about this, but needless to say, above all, promising a sales-only chart to carry on to only be cut in half is a dick move guaranteed to stifle indie and upcoming musicians in favor of pop fodder, not to mention the logisitic problems with songs included in multiple albums and free rein to fudge any numbers they want for their chart. It's like back in 1982 with less morality. Ugh. Well I was considering not even continuing the album sweep, and I still might end it, but in the meantime I'll bring you the latest albums on the sales chart only. There's only ten newbies, so I can do it in one shot...

The top-selling album of the week is Taylor Swift's 1989, which sold over 281,000 copies to regain the top spot for a fourth non-consecutive week.

The highest new entry of the week at #3 is a compilation from Shady Records, the label started by rapper Eminem in 1999. Shady XV, including tracks from Slaughterhouse, D12, 50 Cent, and the artist himself, the double-disc set sold over 138,000 copies...

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Rapper and label head Rick Ross also makes the top-10 at #6 with Hood Billionaire. It's his second top-ten effort this year; he topped the album chart in the spring with Mastermind...

As Beyonce rolled out a deluxe edition of her self-titled "stealth" album from last year this week, an EP containing only the new material, Beyonce: More Only, lands at #17. The original (combined with the expanded issue) leaps from #199 to #37. This is one of those instances where I don't trust where Billboard is "counting" track sales, since both versions have these tracks....

"Mr. Worldwide" himself, Pitbull, enters at #18 with his eighth studio album Globalization. In 2011 he went to #7 with Planet Pit...

A-List DJ and producer David Guetta returns at #31 with his sixth album Listen. His last effort Listen To The Beat came in at #5 in 2011...

Circa Survive, a post-hardcore band from the Philly-area suburb of Doylestown, come in at #40 with their fifth full-length release Descensus. In 2010 they climbed to #11 with Blue Sky Noise...

Atlanta-based deathcore act Attila enters at #43 with Guilty Pleasure, their sixth album. Last year they took About That Life to #22...

Former Disney child star turned pop siren Selena Gomez released her first greatest hits set For You, including songs with her band The Scene, and is in at #45. She topped the albums chart in 2013 with Stars Dance....

Elevation Worship ascends to #48 with Wake Up The Wonder. The North Carolina musical/Christian collective went to #23 earlier this year with Only King Forever...

Australian rap curio Iggy Azalea shuffles in at #58 with Reclassified, an "expanded" version of her The New Classic album (which happens to be at #59). With some of the original track missing from this version, I guess that's why they make it a different release. Still very shady...

That's it for the newbies on the top 100...out of these ten, the three to pick up first are the David Guetta, Pitbull, and Selena Gomez sets...