Charts: Alicia Keys debuts at No. 1 with 'Fire'

This… girl… is… on… FIYAH!!!

Well, sort of. Alicia Keys debuts at No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Top 200 albums chart with that guy from the Citi Points commercial’s favorite album of 2012, “Girl on Fire.” The set sold 159,000 copies its first week in stores, according to Nielsen SoundScan, which is a steep step down from her last album, 2009′s “The Element of Freedom,” which sold 417,000 copies its first week. In fact, it marks Keys’ weakest start to date.

Regardless, “Fire” marks Keys’ fifth No. 1 album. And she had the week virtually to herself; the next highest debut comes from Timeflies, who arrive at No. 28 with their “One Night” EP.

Taylor Swift holds steady at No. 2 with “Red,” while Rod Stewart jumps up to No. 3 with his “Merry Christmas, Baby,” one of three Christmas albums in the Top 10 (Scotty McCreery just missed the cut, he’s at No. 11 this week). One Direction and Phillip Phillips round out the Top 5. Kid Rock’s “Rebel Soul,” meanwhile, falls four spots to No. 9.

Next week’s chart will see new arrivals from Ke$ha, Wiz Khalifa and Il Divo.

Billboard’s Top 10 albums (sales in parentheses, followed by totals; figures according to Nielsen SoundScan)

1. Alicia Keys, Girl on Fire (159,000; new)
2. Taylor Swift, Red (137,000; 2.22 million)
3. Rod Stewart, Merry Christmas Baby (117,000; 475,000)
4. One Direction, Take Me Home (92,000; 808,000)
5. Phillip Phillips, World From the Side of the Moon (74,000; 244,000)
6. Rihanna, Unapologetic (72,000; 310,000)
7. Lady Antebellum, On This Winter’s Night (59,000; 217,000)
8. Blake Shelton, Cheers It’s Christmas (53,000; 202,000)
9. Kid Rock, Rebel Soul (46,000; 193,000)
10. Now 44 (45,000; 275,000)