'Fearless' holds onto top slot

Taylor Swift album sells 262,000 copies

By PHIL GALLO

'Fearless'

Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” held on to the No. 1 slot for a fourth nonconsecutive week, selling 262,000 copies in the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen SoundScan data.

Albums by Beyonce and Britney Spears were clearly popular stocking stuffers this year. Beyonce’s “I Am ... Sasha Fierce” sold 211,000 copies to leap to No. 2 from No. 5; Spears’ “Circus” rose a slot to No. 3 on 203,000 sold.

Kanye West’s “808s and Heartbreak” sold 165,000 copies to rise six slots to No. 5.

In this last chart week of 2008, sales totaled 17.02 million, a spike of 17% from the final week of 2007. That final week of ‘07 included only one day of last-minute holiday shopping as opposed to three days in ‘08.