1. Taylor Swift, "Red"
196,000
2. Various Artists, "Now 44"
99,000
3. Rod Stewart, "Merry Christmas, Baby"
74,000
4. Ne-Yo, "R.E.D."
66,000
5. Aerosmith, "Music from Another Dimension"
63,000
6. Jason Aldean, "Night Train"
48,000
7. Mumford & Sons, "Babel"
41,000
8. Meek Mill, "Dreams and Nightmares"
41,000
9. Kendrick Lamar, "good kid, m.A.A.d. city"
40,000
10. Third Day, "Miracle"
29,000
Taylor Swift's "Red" reigns supreme for a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 196,000 according to Nielsen SoundScan (down 43%). Swift beats the No. 2 title -- the debuting "Now 44" collection -- by nearly 100,000 copies. The latter set arrives with 99,000, marking the 43rd straight title in the regular "Now" series to debut in the top 10. (The very first "Now" set debuted outside the top 10, but eventually climbed into the region.)
The "Now" series' earlier release, "Now 43," debuted at No. 1 on the Aug. 25 chart with 111,000 sold.
"Red" is the first album from Swift to spend its first three weeks at No. 1. Her 2010 set "Speak Now" earned two frames atop the list from the start, and then dipped out of the No. 1 slot for five weeks. It eventually came back for four more weeks at No. 1.
Before that, Swift's one other No. 1, 2008's "Fearless," debuted at the top, and then slipped to No. 4 in its second frame. It returned to rule for another 10 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1.
"Red's" total U.S. sales now stand at 1.75 million.
At No. 3 again this week on the Billboard 200 is Rod Stewart's "Merry Christmas, Baby," which holds with 74,000 (down just 17%) in its second frame.
Behind Stewart is an arriving Ne-Yo with "R.E.D." at No. 4, moving a larger-than-expected 66,000 copies. A week ago, label sources had forecasted that the singer/songwriter's album would sell around 55,000. "R.E.D." is Ne-Yo's fifth straight top 10 album, following career-opening No. 1s with 2006's "In My Own Words" and 2007's "Because of You," a No. 2 set in 2008 with "Year of the Gentleman" and then a No. 9 peak for 2010's "Libra Scale." The latter title debuted where it peaked, and launched with 112,000.
Aerosmith returns with its first album of all original material since 2001, as "Music From Another Dimension" shoots in at No. 5 with 63,000. The veteran band's last studio set of new music was "Just Push Play," which debuted and peaked at No. 2 with 240,000 sold on March 24, 2001 chart. Between "Just Push Play" and "Music From Another Dimension," they issued one studio project, the (mostly covers) blues effort "Honkin' On Bobo," which debuted and peaked at No. 5 in 2004.
Aerosmith May Self-Release Albums If 'Band Stays Together'
Jason Aldean's "Night Train" slips 4-6 this week with 48,000 (down 32%), Mumford & Sons' "Babel" holds at No. 7 with 41,000 (down 6%), Meek Mill's "Dreams and Nightmares" drops 2-8 with just over 41,000 (down 75%) and Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City" descends 5-9 with 40,000 (down 36%).
Christian band Third Day rounds out the top 10 with its new album "Miracle," bowing in the No. 10 slot with 29,000. It's the fourth top 10 effort for the act, which opened at No. 9 with its last album, 2010's "Move" (37,000). On the Christian Albums chart, "Miracle" is the act's 13th top 10 and sixth No. 1.
was really hoping Lady A's album would get it! 
