Classical vies with soul for pop supremacy!

Written by CAROLYN RICHARDSON

MARY J. BLIGE's first week of release could not topple JOSH GROBAN's record-breaking feat at #1 with his Christmas album entitled Noel.

Released in 1957, ELVIS's Christmas Album stood at #1 for four non-consecutive weeks prior to Josh's accomplishment of five consecutive weeks, according to Billboard Magazine. Groban covers all of the notable Christmas songs on his set, including "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Silent Night," "Ave Maria," and "The First Noel." His rendition of "Ave Maria" will draw comparisons to the great opera tenors, BOCELLI and the late PAVAROTTI.

The classical singer no doubt is still rising, and this disc's success will expose his voice to a wider audience, as the standards he covers can easily become standard recordings to spread holiday cheer. Like BING CROSBY's "White Christmas" and NAT KING COLE's "The Christmas Song," Groban's arrangements are familiar and true to the originals. Groban's feat also pushes Noel to the best-selling album of 2007 with over 2.8 millions albums sold.

Mary J. Blige's eighth studio album, Growing Pains is a follow-up to 2005's The Breakthrough and comes in at #2 with almost 700,000 albums sold in its first week. The album continues the emotional upswing that Blige has been on since her No More Drama release in 2002, which was a statement of the embattled star's new, positive outlook on life.

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul continues her 15-year career with songs that affirm the hope of a better life, healthy relationships and self-acceptance. The disc features "Just Fine," the lead single, which was just nominated for a Grammy. Her second single, "Work That," which was featured in an Apple iPod commercial, is similar to "Just Fine" as an upbeat song that inspires. The song talks about accepting oneself in spite of one's faults and what others may think. On the song, Mary screams out, "I'm talking about things that I know." She has admitted on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that she was molested as a child, and has also struggled with drug and alcohol addictions.

Now married and drug-free, hers is a rags-to-riches story, and as a song on the album expresses, she's still a "Work in Progress." Blige has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and was recently featured on CNN's Heroes Awards. There's not much more for the Queen to conquer, but the star is still moving up, having invested in a beauty products company, Carol's Daughter, and owning her own label, Matriarch Records, distributed by Geffen Records.