Susan Boyle keeps Alicia Keys from No. 1 on Billboard 200

Alicia Keys, "Element of Freedom": Couldn't hold Susan Boyle's "I Dreamed a Dream" back from No. 1

The debut of Alicia Keys' "Element of Freedom" wasn't nearly strong enough to stop the Susan Boyle train from chugging at the top of The Billboard 200. "I Dreamed a dream had a 14% increase in sales to 661,000 a week before Christmas. "Element" moved 417,00 copies for a No. 2 entry, comparatively slower to the 742,000 start that her 2007 album "As I Am" had during Thanksgiving week that year.

"I Dreamed a Dream" is the second best-selling album this year so far with 2,465,000 units sold. Taylor Swift's "Fearless" is in first, with 2,933,000. There are two weeks left in the year, and it's amazing to think there might be somebody in America who doesn't own "Fearless" yet. Speaking of which, that effort sits at No. 4 for a second week, having moved 294,000 (+42%).

After a long stint at No. 2, Andre Bocelli's "My Christmas" slips to No. 3 (390,000, -3%). Carrie Underwood's "Play On" stays at No. 5 (153,000, +44%), Lady GaGa's "The Fame" keeps the No. 6 spot warm (141,000, +37%), Michael Buble's "Crazy Love" climbs 9-7 (140,000) and Justin Bieber's "My World" holds No. 8 (127,000, +31%).

Robin Thicke is the only other debut in the top tier, with "Sex Therapy" starting at No. 9 with 123,000. His last two efforts had higher starts: 2007's "The Evolution of Robin Thicke" debuted at No. 5 and 2008's "Something Else" bowed at No. 3 (with 137,000 no less).

"Glee: The Music -- Vol. 2" moves 3-10 (111,000, -36%).

The sales total for the year, 411.4 million, is down 13% compared to 2008.