Billboard requires a JavaScript enabled browser to get the full experience

Eminem & Royce da 5'9" Debut at No. 1 on Billboard 200 with Bad Meets Evil EP

by Keith Caulfield, L.A.  |   June 22, 2011 11:00 EDT
Interscope Records

Artists in this Article

Journey
Eminem
Brad Paisley
Ledisi
Royce da 5'9"
Jason Aldean
Adele
Katy Perry
Nicki Minaj
Owl City
Lady Gaga
Bruno Mars
LMFAO
Jackie Evancho

Bad Meets Evil -- the hip-hop duo of Eminem and Royce da 5'9" -- bows at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 as its "Hell: the Sequel" launches with 171,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set beats out 11-year old Jackie Evancho's first major-label full-length effort, "Dream With Me," which arrives at No. 2 with 161,000.

 

Bad Meets Evil's 'Hell: The Sequel': Track-by-Track Review

 

Eminem has previously topped the chart six times as a solo act, and twice as part of D12. He last reigned when his own "Recovery" spent seven nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 last year. Until this week, Royce da 5'9" had never gone higher than No. 110 with 2009's "Street Hop."

 

Bad Meets Evil Project with Eminem

Is 'God's Work,' Says Royce da 5'9"

 

As for Evancho, the young singer -- who gained fame after finishing in second place on "America's Got Talent" -- earns her second No. 2 hit. "Dream" follows her EP release "O Holy Night," which debuted and peaked at No. 2 late last year with 239,000. (It was stuck behind Susan Boyle's "The Gift," which was in its second week atop the tally.)

 

Adele's "21" slips two rungs to No. 3 (115,000; up less than 1%), Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" slides two to No. 4 (68,000; down 33%) and Jason Aldean's "My Kinda Party" rises two to No. 5 (51,000; up 26%).

 

Owl City's third full-length album, "All Things Bright and Beautiful" debuts at No. 6 with 48,000. The act's last effort, 2009's "Ocean Eyes," started with 18,000 (No. 27) on its way to an eventual No. 8 peak. Right behind Owl City at No. 7 is Barry Manilow's new "15 Minutes" (36,000) -- his first studio album of original songs since 2001. It's his 13th top 10 -- reaching back to "Barry Manilow II," which hit No. 9 in 1975.

 

"Pieces of Me," the fifth studio album from R&B singer Ledisi, starts at No. 8 with 36,000 -- her first top 10 album and best sales week. Her last set, 2009's "Turn Me Loose," debuted and peaked at No. 14 with 27,000 sold in its first week.

 

Ledisi Scores Her First Top 10 Single

 

Brad Paisley's "This Is Country Music" drops one spot to No. 9 (35,000; down 8%) and the original Broadway cast recording of "The Book of Mormon" descends seven rungs to No. 10 (34,000; down 45%).

 

Outside the top 10 this week are a bevy of albums that climb thanks to Father's Day-driven purchases, including Journey's "Greatest Hits," which flies 101-18 (23,000; up 374%). The title -- which returns to the top 20 for the first time since 1989 -- was included in an iTunes Store promotion where many dad-friendly titles were sale priced at $6.99. Other sets seeing gains thanks to the one-two punch of Father's Day and iTunes: Frank Sinatra's "Nothing But the Best" (a re-entry at No. 23; 19,000 - up 632%) and Bob Marley's "Legend" (111-26; 17,000 - up 292%).

 

Music's Hottest Dads: A Father's Day Photo Gallery

 

Over on the Digital Songs chart, Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" parties its way 28-1 with 235,000 downloads sold (up 259%) -- following a full week's worth of impact from the song's video premiere. It's her sixth No. 1 on the Digital Songs chart -- and fifth from her "Teenage Dream" album.

 

LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" (featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock), climbs a spot to No. 2 (209,000; up 11%) while Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" (featuring Ne-Yo, AfroJack & Nayer) slips a position to No. 3 (200,000; down 5%). Last week's No. 1, Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," tumbles four slots to No. 5 with 188,000 (down 16%).

 

Jason Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem" is steady at No. 4 (189,000; up 12%), Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory" falls one to No. 6 (151,000; down 2%) and Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" gets pushed back a space to No. 7 despite a gain (150,000; up 5%).

 

The highest new entry on Digital Songs is Bad Meets Evil's "Lighters" (featuring Bruno Mars). The track -- from the former act's No. 1-debuting album this week -- starts with 132,000.

 

Closing out the top 10: Lil Wayne's "How to Love" falls 8-9 (131,000; down 2%) and Mars' "The Lazy Song" also slips a notch to No. 10 (123,000; down 7%).

 

Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending June 19) totaled 6.30 million units, up 14% compared to the sum last week (5.51 million) and up 1% compared to the comparable sales week of 2010 (6.14 million). Year to date album sales stand at 143.20 million, up 1% compared to the same total at this point last year (142.36 million). It is the fourth week in a row where year-to-date album volume is greater than the same time in the prior year.

 

Digital track sales this past week totaled 25.11 million downloads, up 2% compared to last week (24.58 million) and up 17% stacked next to the comparable week of 2010 (21.44 million). Year to date track sales are at 610.06 million, up 10% compared to the same total at this point last year (554.39 million).

 

Next week's Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2010 when Eminem's "Recovery" flew in at No. 1 with 741,000, easily bumping Drake's "Thank Me Later" to No. 2 with 157,000 (down 65%).

 

Up for Discussion

Connect with

More Features

All features

All of Billboard.com's Great Lists

Billboard chart app

Billboard archives

Thanks For Joining Billboard

Log in to create your profile, speak your mind and connect with listeners like you.

Why Join ?

Don't just hear it. Live it. Go deeper than a casual listen: Voice your feelings, build a profile around your favorite music, connect with people who share your passions and discover new ones. Sign up for free.

Complete Your Registration at Billboard.com!

Haven't Joined Yet ?

For the full Billboard experience, you need to be a member. Sign up. It's free.

Join Billboard

Forgot your password?

Enter the e-mail address you used to sign up and we will email you the password .

Email Sent !

Your password has been sent to the email address you provided. Please sign in below :

Log In

Forget your password ?

Action Successful

We'd love to hear your feedback on the new Billboard.com!

Whether it's a feature request or a bug

We want to hear from you. Please use this form to anonymously give us your input.