'Glee': 'Teenage Dream' tops the charts

“Teenage Dream” is officially on its way to becoming bigger than “Don't Stop Believin'.”

“Glee's” rendition of the Katy Perry song debuted at No. 1 in digital track sales this week, a first for the show. “Teenage Dream” sold 214,000 tracks, the highest debut-week sales of any “Glee” track to date.

In comparison, the show's version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” peaked at No. 2 on digital track sales charts. It sold 177,000 copies.

The success of “Teenage Dream” is particularly striking in the context of the show. The tune is performed by a gay student (Darren Criss) and an all boys' choir while Kurt (Chris Colfer) looks on in adoration. The song also doesn't feature any of the core cast members.

Additionally, “Glee” is now at No. 2 for the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, knocking James Brown down to No.3 and nipping at the heels of Elvis Presley. “Glee” has had 93 songs appear on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, while Presley had 108.

— Vlada Gelman (follow my TV musings on Twitter at @stayingin)

RELATED:
Complete 'Glee' coverage on Show Tracker

Photo: Darren Criss as Blaine. Credit: Justin Lubin / Fox.

Comments

[stephen59]

It's surely fair to note that the arrangement of Teenage Dream is extremely clever, first to last. It's surely half the reason for this success...

[a capella fan]

Darren Criss was wonderful. He was also backed by an awesome arrangement of vocal tracks sung by Tufts University's all male a capella group, The Beelzebubs ( "The Bubs"). The Dalton Academy Warblers were actors lip synching the Bubs' tracks.