Nielsen SoundScan, the company that reports actual over-the-counter sales, has reported today that 143/Reprise recording artist Josh Groban’s new album, Noël, was the number one selling album in Canada for the week ending October 14th. Noël was released on October 9th and is Groban’s second number one record in Canada following in the footsteps of it’s predecessor Awake.

For this long-anticipated classic recording of holiday songs, Groban is joined on Noël by the London Symphony Orchestra and several guest artists and has once again collaborated with Grammy®-winning producer David Foster.

Recorded in L.A. and the famed Abbey Road Studio in London in between performances of the 26 year-old Groban’s “Awake” Tour, the collection of holiday songs on Noël includes such classics as It Came Upon a Midnight Clear with Josh on acoustic piano, Silent Night, Little Drummer Boy, The Christmas Song, O Come All Ye Faithful and Ava Maria. Groban duets with Faith Hill on The First Noël, with a choir under the direction of gospel legend Kirk Franklin. In addition, singer Brian McKnight adds his vocals on Angels We Have Heard On High and the haunting version of I’ll Be Home For Christmas features messages from troops stationed overseas.

“I was inspired by all the Christmases I’ve been fortunate enough to celebrate with my family over the last 26 years,” commented Groban. “I was committed to making a classic Christmas album yet one that sounded different than anything that’s been heard on a holiday record. David Foster and I were passionate about creating the perfect collection of songs.”

Groban, whose collective international CD sales have topped 17 million copies, just completed a tour of Australia and the Philippines where he is continued his sold out “Awake” concert tour which has been seen by over 800,000 people. He is expected to make promotional TV appearances in November including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center”.

For more information on Noël, visit Groban’s YMZ artist page.