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With few new major album releases out this week -- as is customary at the beginning of the year -- Adele's "21" will likely spend a 15th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart next week. It's projected to sell anywhere between 100,000 to 140,000 copies by week's end on Sunday, Jan. 8, according to industry prognosticators.
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There's a familiar look to the top of the new U.K. album chart, published by the Official Charts Company on Sunday (Jan. 8), on which Adele's "21" sold another 38,000 units to move back 6-1 and become the album with the longest span at No. 1 for some 41 years.
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Adele's "21" album hangs in for a whopping 15th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 124,000 copies according to Nielsen SoundScan (down 14%). It's the only title to move over 100,000 this week, as the No. 2 set -- Drake's "Take Care" -- shifts 42,000 (down 41%).
The last album to spend more weeks at No. 1 was the soundtrack to "Titanic," which claimed 16 frames atop the list in 1998. Considering the scant number of albums that were released this week, "21" will likely nab a sweet 16th week at No. 1.
Can Anything Stop Adele's '21' Reign at No. 1?
Elsewhere on the Billboard 200 this week is the Black Keys' "El Camino," which jumps 7-3 with 42,000 (though its down 8%). The rise is owed to how the album has a less-steep decline than most of the titles on the chart (basically, those with a smaller erosion actually move up the tally).
Young Jeezy's "TM103: Hustlerz Ambition" slips 3-4 (36,000; down 47%), Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" climbs 8-5 (28,000; down 37%) and Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" skips 9-6 (27,000; down 35%).
The chart's highest debut (and lone new entry in the top 50) is SafetySuit's second studio album "These Times," which arrives at No. 7 with 26,000. It was exclusive to Apple's iTunes Store last week before becoming widely available this week to all retailers. It's the highest chart position and best sales week for the Tulsa, Okla. band, which previously topped out at No. 173 on July 25, 2009 with its debut set "Life Left to Go."
LMFAO's "Sorry for Party Rocking" descends 5-8 (25,000; down 48%), the "Now 40" compilation moves 10-9 (24,000; down 42%) and Florence + the Machine's "Ceremonials" drops 6-10 (24,000; down 50%).
Over on the Digital Songs chart, Jason Mraz comes bounding in straight at No. 1 with his new single "I Won't Give Up," selling 229,000 downloads in its first week. The cut is the first offering from his upcoming fourth studio album and marks his second-best sales week ever for a song. Only his smash No. 3 Hot 100 single "I'm Yours" moved more in a week, when it sold 233,000 over Christmas week of 2008.
LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It" falls 1-2 with 212,000 (down 49%), Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" rallies 6-3 (203,000; down a smallish 24%) and Rihanna's "We Found Love" (featuring Calvin Harris) drops 2-4 with 185,000 (down 42%). Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" climbs 7-5 (168,000; down 35%), LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" slides 4-6 (164,000; down 45%) and Jay-Z & Kanye West's "Ni**as In Paris" rises one to No. 7 (163,000; down 33%).
Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa's "Young, Wild & Free" is up two spots to No. 8 (160,000; down 24%), Katy Perry's "The One That Got Away" flies 3-9 (154,000; down 50%) and Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain" tumbles 5-10 (154,000; down 45%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Jan. 8, 2012) totaled 5.80 million units, down 25% compared to the sum last week (7.71 million) and up 7% compared to the comparable sales week of 2011 (5.44 million). Year to date album sales stand at 5.80 million, up 7% compared to the same total at this point last year (5.44 million).
Digital track sales this past week totaled 32.77 million downloads, down 29% compared to last week (46.42 million) and up 10% stacked next to the comparable week of 2011 (29.78 million). Year to date track sales are at 32.77 million, up 10% compared to the same total at this point last year (29.78 million).
Next week's Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2011 when: Cake's "Showroom of Compassion" surprised at No. 1, debuting with 44,000 and Cage the Elephant's "Thank You Happy Birthday" started at No. 2 with 39,000.
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