Here we go! Just days after Taylor Swift announced Speak Now, her highly anticipated follow-up to the blockbusting Fearless, reports have surfaced that Susan Boyle is eyeing an October release for an as-yet-untitled Christmas album. You know what else is coming out in October? Speak Now! Mere coincidence? Of course not. Who could ever forget Boyle and Swift’s epic, down-to-the-wire battle for 2009 sales supremacy? A quick recap: Fearless looked like it had the game locked up, but Boyle’s I Dreamed a Dream, in a stirring underdog campaign, refused to let the seemingly insurmountable odds (Fearless had the whole year to rack up sales, but Dream only had from its November release on) beat back its dreams and pushed forward mightily, coming on super-strong in the late months. Ultimately, however, Dream fell just short (a measly 100,000 copies), allowing Swift’s reign of domination to continue unabated.
Clearly, the loss hasn’t sat well with Boyle, and she pounced on the opportunity presented by the announcement of Speak Now to strike back. What’s more, she’s coming with the big guns: While Swift’s album will be all about her recent experiences — meaning songs about dating Taylor Lautner, we guess — Boyle’s prepping a full slate of gentle, universal Christmas jams. Who’ll reign supreme? It’s Swift! Boyle! Round II!
Susan Boyle Recording Christmas Album: Sources [Billboard]
