The Weeknd’s Starboy album is aiming for a fourth nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, according to industry forecasters. Sources suggest the set could earn another 60,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Jan. 19. The chart’s highest debut will likely come from The xx, which could log its highest charting album ever, as its new I See You album may bow at No. 2 with around 50,000 units.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The top 10 of the new Feb. 4, 2017-dated Billboard 200 chart -- where Starboy could score a fourth week at No. 1 -- is scheduled to be revealed on Billboard’s websites on Sunday, Jan. 22.
The xx's previous album, Coexist, is its highest charting set, as it debuted and peaked at No. 5 in 2012 (with 73,000 copies sold in its first week, according to Nielsen Music). The band's new I See You will likely be the only debut in next week’s top 20.