Music

The 'American Idol' alum rules the chart with her seventh studio album as last week's champion Big Sean falls to No. 6.

• Mar 12, 2015

AceShowbiz - Kelly Clarkson is the new champion on the Billboard 200 chart. The first season winner of "American Idol" has her seventh studio album "Piece by Piece" landed at the top of the chart after it was released on March 3.

Racking up 97,000 units in the week ending March 8 (85.2 percent of which was from traditional album sales), it gives Clarkson her third No. 1 album after her debut album "Thankful" in 2003 and her fourth studio effort "All I Ever Wanted" in 2009. With three wins, the "Heartbeat Song" songstress ties with fellow "Idol" champ Carrie Underwood for the most No. 1 albums among the show's contestants.

At no. 2 of the weekly chart is the "Fifty Shades of Grey" soundtrack which rises one place with 96,000 units for a total of 451,000 units so far. Taylor Swift's "1989" jumps two rungs to No. 3 with additional 77,000 units in its 19th week since its release.

Drake's "If You're Reading This It's Too Late" holds on to its fourth place with 73,000 units in its fourth week, while Ed Sheeran's "X" is up one place at No. 5 with 63,000 units. Last week's champion Big Sean's "Dark Sky Paradise", meanwhile, falls to No. 6 with 58,000 (down 67 percent).

Another newcomer entering the top 10 this week is Brandi Carlile's "The Firewatcher's Daughter" at No. 9 with 43,000 units. It marks her second top 10 effort following her fourth studio album "Bear Creek" which peaked at No. 10 of the chart in 2012.

1. "Piece by Piece" - Kelly Clarkson (97,000)
2. The "Fifty Shades of Grey" Soundtrack - Various Artists (96,000)
3. "1989" - Taylor Swift (77,000)
4. "If You're Reading This It's Too Late" - Drake (73,000)
5. "X" - Ed Sheeran (63,000)
6. "Dark Sky Paradise" - Big Sean (58,000)
7. "V" - Maroon 5 (50,000)
8. "In the Lonely Hour" - Sam Smith (50,000)
9. "The Firewatcher's Daughter" - Brandi Carlile (43,000)
10. "Title" - Meghan Trainor (38,000)