While JT earns the top debut of 2013 so far, Kacey Musgraves debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
As reported yesterday (March 26), Justin Timberlake comes roaring in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 968,000 copies of "The 20/20 Experience," according to Nielsen SoundScan. It's the singer's best sales week ever and the 19th-largest week for an album since SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991.
Timberlake's last album, "FutureSex/LoveSounds," debuted at No. 1 with 684,000 while his 2002 debut, "Justified," bowed and peaked at No. 2 off a 439,000 start.
Impressively, "20/20" instantly becomes the year's best-selling album, easily surpassing Mumford & Sons' "Babel" (658,000).
 All Eyes on Justin |
Released March 19, "20/20" exceeded initial industry sales forecasts of 500,000-plus, which were made a week before the album was released. By the time Sunday, March 24, rolled around—the final day of the sales week—those projections grew to 950,000-975,000.
To put "20/20’s" sales in further perspective: Last year, there were only 11 albums that sold more in all of 2012 than what "20/20" moved in a single week. Last year's top seller was Adele's "21," with 4.4 million sold. The 11th-biggest was Maroon 5's "Overexposed," with 988,000.
Overall, Timberlake's "20/20" also logs the third-largest sales week for a male singer in the SoundScan era, behind only Usher and Garth Brooks. Usher’s "Confessions" (2004) and Brooks’ "Double Live" (1998) sets debuted with 1.10 million and 1.09 million, respectively.
"20/20" was massive digital seller, too. The set sold 452,000 downloads in its debut frame, making it the third-largest week ever for a digital album. Only Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (662,000 in 2011) and Taylor Swift's "Red" (465,000 in 2012) sold more downloads in a single week.
With "20/20’s" arrival, Timberlake's cumulative solo U.S. album sales cross the 9 million mark, rising to 9.2 million. "Justified" has sold 3.8 million while follow-up "FutureSex/LoveSounds" has moved 4.4 million.
Timberlake clearly scared away nearly all of the competition last week, as few major new albums went up against the pop star. In the top 10 this week, there’s only one other debut: Country singer Kacey Musgraves arrives at No. 2 with "Same Trailer Different Park," selling 43,000 copies. She takes a bow at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart as well.