Linkin Park Scores Sixth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'One More Light'

Linkin Park notches its sixth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as One More Light debuts atop the tally. The set earned 111,000 equivalent album units in the week ending May 25, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 100,000 were in traditional album sales. The album is Linkin Park’s seventh studio effort, and was released on May 25 through Machine Shop/Warner Bros. Records.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new June 10, 2017-dated chart (where Linkin Park bows at No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s websites on Wednesday, May 31 -- one day later than usual, due to the Memorial Day holiday in the U.S.

Earlier in the week, industry forecasters suggested that Linkin Park would start at No. 2 on the chart, with perhaps 90,000 units (with around 80,000 of that sum in album sales). However, the set sold stronger than expected, and it comes out on top.

Topping the chart for the sixth time, Linkin Park joins a small group of rock bands that have done the same. Just nine rock bands in total have scored at least six No. 1 albums: The Beatles (with 19), The Rolling Stones (nine), Led Zeppelin and U2 (both with seven), and Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Eagles, Linkin Park and Metallica (all with six each).

One More Light is Linkin Park’s tenth top 10 album. The band previously visited the top 10 with all six of their earlier studio efforts, along with two remix albums, and the band’s collaborative mash-up set with Jay Z, Collision Course.

At No. 2 on the new Billboard 200, Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. rises one spot with 98,000 units (down 16 percent) while the previous week’s leader, Harry Styles’ self-titled album, falls to No. 3 in its second week with 67,000 units (down 71 percent).

Drake’s More Life climbs 7-4 with 57,000 units (down less than 1 percent), Chris Stapleton’s From A Room: Volume 1 dips 4-5 with 50,000 units (down 33 percent) and Ed Sheeran’s ÷ (Divide) rises 9-6 with 43,000 units (down 8 percent).

Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic ascends 10-7 with 39,000 units (down 4 percent), the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2 soundtrack falls 5-8 with a little more than 35,000 units (down 49 percent) and the Epic AF compilation rebounds 12-9 with 35,000 units (down 2 percent). Closing out the top 10 is Migos’ Culture, which rises 13-10 with 30,000 units (down 4 percent).