Out Now: US Album Releases - Les Miserables OST Destined For Chart Success, Christian Rocker Chris Tomlin Evolves With New Album, Can Dropkick Murphys Improve Chart Record?

Out Now: US Album Releases - Les Miserables OST Destined For Chart Success, Christian Rocker Chris Tomlin Evolves With New Album, Can Dropkick Murphys Improve Chart Record?

The movie might be looking like a shoo-in for several Oscars nods, but what will music fans think of Les Miserables’ soundtrack? It’s been the subject of debate, thus far, with the former American Idol star Adam Lambert slamming the actors for not being able to sing as well as you would expect for a Hollywood adaptation of one of the world’s most famous musicals.

According to the Popdust.com blog, the soundtrack is looking as though it could become the first soundtrack to top the charts since last year’s Hunger Games. Add to that the fact that Anne Hathaway’s version of ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ is currently sailing up the charts in its own right, it looks as though the music-buying public either isn’t as discerning as Lambert, or simply disagrees with him. 

Watch the trailer for Les Miserables

Albums released this time of year often tend to get buried, as the general public busy themselves with re-jigging their disorganised lives and spend all their disposable income on ill-fated exercise equipment. Meanwhile, reviews editors can be found staring wildly into the abyss, wondering where all the musicians went and why there’s nothing to review. It’s a vicious cycle.

Lucky for Chris Tomlin then that he’s got a solid fanbase on his side, who helped his last four albums into the Billboard Top 20 and three of those were number one on the Christian Albums chart. Burning Lights is the latest album from Tomlin and represents a change in sound for the Texan songwriter, though he’s retained his focus on simple songwriting, with songs that folk can song along with.

Les Mis and Chris Tomlin are the likeliest contenders in terms of chart-bothering this week, but two albums of note from more alternative genres are those from Dropkick Murphys and Black Veil Brides: the former a longstanding Irish folk- punk group and the latter an ostentatious glam rock band, with one foot in the past – specifically the late 70s and 80s, when Kiss and Mötley Crüe reigned supreme.

The Dropkick Murphys have such faith in their new album Signed and Sealed In Blood that they have appealed to fans to tattoo themselves with the band’s new logo. The band formed way back in 1996 so by now, the year 2013, you’ll probably know if you like Dropkick Murphys enough to get their logo tattooed about your person. It’s a no from us though you can expect good things from the band in terms of sales. Their popularity has grown progressively in the USA with each album release and their last album, 2011’s Going Out in Style hit number 6 in the album charts so they’ll have high hopes for continuing the trend with today’s release.

Black Veil Brides release Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones before embarking on a supporting tour. The band are known for their raucous live shows, where their love of the more showy side of their favourite genres can really come into its own. On record, they’ve gone for something just as showy, launching a concept record about the birth of their alter egos, The Wild Ones.