Adele and Casting Crowns duke it out for Billboard 200 throne

Christian rockers Casting Crowns are vying for their first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 next week with “Come to the Well.” Should the band succeed, it will mark the first time that an album has topped both the Billboard 200 and the Christian albums chart since LeAnn Rimes” “You Light Up My Life” in 1997, according to Billboard.com.

With Nielsen SoundScan’s tally still a few days away from its Sunday close, it”s too soon to tell it Casting Crowns will triumph or if Adele”s “21” will land at the top as both are on target to sell between 100,000-110,000 units, according to Hits Daily Double.

Poised to come in a distant third is “American Idol” Scotty McCreery”s “Clear As Day,” with sales of  60,000-65,000. Slated to slip to No. 4 from No. 1 is Evanescence”s self-titled set with 45,000 units. Lady Antebellum”s “Own The Night”  and Lil Wayne”s “Tha Carter IV” are too close to call for No. 5 and No. 6, with each on target to sell between 35,000-40,000. 

Tony Bennett”s “Duets II” will likely end up at No. 7, while the Top 10″s only other debut, Joe”s “The Good, The Bad, The Sexy”  will launch at No. 8, Five Finger Death Punch”s “American Capitalist” slips to No. 9 and fellow “Idol” contestant Lauren Alaina”s “Wildflower” falls to No. 10. Barring a last-minute surge, Jane”s Addiction”s “The Great Escape Artist” will likely have to settle for No. 11.