On Tuesday, an new CD of religious chants will be released in the US. Why am I interested in the Cistercian monks of the Stift Heiligenkreuz? Because, according to the New York Times:

“Chant: Music for Paradise,” was released in Europe in May — and shot to No. 7 in the British pop charts, at one point outselling releases from Amy Winehouse and Madonna. 

Quite ironically, the monks are a little opposed to their newfound popularity. After all, how can a celebrity simultaneously devote himself to isolation? 

The group got hooked up with Universal Records when a rep got tipped off to the monks’ YouTube video.