Lady Antebellum debuts with 481,000 at No. 1 on Billboard 200

Lady Antebellum at the 2010 Grammy Awards

Credit: AP Photo

Sales over the last few years have been in the toilet, but at least we know that country fans are still buying music.

Lady Antebellum debuts on The Billboard 200 album sales chart in a big way, with “Need You Now” bowing with 481,000 copies. Susan Boyle bested it back in November with 701,000 – remember that, wasn’t that weird? – but still, nearing that 500,000 mark is no easy feat.

Sales were amped by the ascending popularity of the title-track single, which the group performed at Sunday’s Grammy telecast. They also took home a pre-telecast award for
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “I Run To You," from their first album – so don’t think the Grammys won’t help the trio on next week’s chart as well.

The “Hope for Haiti Now” compilation is bumped from the summit to No. 2 (143,000, -16%), Lady GaGa’s “The Fame” sits tight at No. 3 (68,000, +10%) and Boyle’s “I Dreamed a Dream” slips 2-4 (59,-000, -31%).

Barry Manilow’s new covers set “The Greatest Love Songs of All Time” starts at No. 5 with 57,000 copies. His latest albums, 2008’s “The Greatest Songs Of The Eighties” and 2007’s “The Greatest Songs Of The Seventies,” went to No. 14 and No. 4, respectively.

The DVD of Michael Jackson’s rehearsal footage film “This Is It” was released last week and the accompanying album benefits from it, flying up 17-6 (55,000, +136%).

Corinne Bailey Rae’s new album “The Sea” debuts at No. 7 (53,000); her first, self-titled effort from 2006 peaked at No. 4.

The “Grammy Nominees 2010” hits compilation slips 5-8 (45,000).

Celtic Woman’s "Songs From the Heart” debuts at No. 9 with 42,000. Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.” closes out the top 10 at No. 10 with 40,000 (+14%).