Chart Buzz: Foo Fighters, Paul Simon, Rihanna, Lady Gaga
Foo Fighters nail their first No. 1 album, Paul Simon makes his biggest debut in years, while Rihanna, Adele and Gaga are making strong impact on the singles’ charts
Foo Fighters have much to celebrate. The rock band celebrates their first No. 1 album in their entire history. Not only is Wasting Light, the new album, reigning at No. 1 in the U.S, it’s also No. 1 in eleven other countries, including the UK where Adele reigned at No. 1 for eleven consecutive weeks. The album sold 235,000 copies in its first week. Only 2005’s In Your Honor sold more units in its first week with 311,000 copies sold. The album is spearheaded by the hit rock single, “Rope.” On the deluxe edition of the album (sold at Best Buy), electronica/dance producer deadmau5 lays down a special dance mix of the single.
Adele’s 21 continues to astound analysts. The album experienced a 5% increase this week and sits comfortably under Foo Fighters’ album debut at No. 2. Adele’s sophomore album has already been certified platinum seven-times by the British Phonographic Industry for domestic shipments in excess of 2.1 million units. It is the first album release of 2011 to be certified platinum in the US.
Paul Simon’s new record, So Beautiful Or So What, makes its chart debut at No. 4 (68,000). With a career spanning all the way back to his Simon & Garfunkle era in the ’60’s, So Beautiful Or So What is his highest-charted album on the Billboard 200. It’s also his first record away from major record label Warner Music, now that he’s signed with indie label Hear Music/Concord.
With the recent passing of their bassist Gerard Smith after a serious bout with lung cancer, indie art rock band TV On the Radio released their fourth studio LP, Nine Types of Light, and makes their album debut at No. 12 (32,000).
Major mudslides on the Billboard 200 were also apparent this week. Wiz Khalifa’s Rolling Papers falls from 3-8 (down 38%) while Britney Spears’ new album, Femme Fatale, falls four slots and now sits at No. 6. Kirk Franklin maintained much of his momentum on Week 3 of his latest disc, Hello Fear, clinging tight to No. 14, but Mary Mary’s latest disc, Something Big, slides “big time” 22-37.
On the singles’ side, Rihanna celebrates her tenth No. 1 single, (“S&M”). Thanks to the collaoborative remix with Britney Spears, the single jumps 3-1, selling 293,000 copies in one week. Katy Perry sits at No. 2 with “E.T.” (284,000), while the Black Eyed Peas’s “Just Can’t Get Enough” claims No. 3 and Lady Gaga’s rushed single, “Judas,” grabs the fourth spot. After the song was leaked unto the Net, Gaga’s camp decided to quickly release the song as a single. Coincidentally, the song and companion music video – with its references to Christian themes – was released prior to the observances of Holy Week and Easter Weekend.
Adele’s “Rolling In the Deep” also saw a major spike in sales on the Digital Songs’ survey, jumping 8-5 (150,000; up 21%).
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This Week in Music Sales: Foo Fighters Earn First No. 1 Album – Hollywood Reporter
CHART BUZZ is a bi-monthly series tracing the latest airplay, radio impressions and unit sales numbers goverened by Billboard and measured by Nielsen Soundscan. For more chart information and additional chart data, go to www.billboard.com or www.billboard.biz. Visit our abbreviated Billboard and iTunes charts at: www.hifimagazine.net/blog/charts
