This week marks the fourth week in a row that the Billboard 200's top three albums are debuts. It’s the first time that that’s happened in a year. It last occurred on the four charts dated Sept. 22, 2012, through Oct. 13, 2012.
Coming in at No. 2 this week is Kings of Leon's "Mechanical Bull," selling 110,000. It marks the band's third top 10 album, following 2010's "Come Around Sundown" (No. 2 debut and peak with 184,000) and 2008's "Only by the Night" (a No. 5 debut with 74,000 that later peaked at No. 4).
Kings of Leon: The Billboard Cover Story
At No. 3, Cher's notches her highest debut ever — and highest-charting solo album — as her new set "Closer to the Truth" bows with 63,000 sold. It’s her first album since 2002's "Living Proof."
Until this week, Cher had never gone higher than No. 4 with her solo albums, reaching that peak with both "Believe" in 1999 and "The Very Best of Cher" in 2003. As one-half of Sonny & Cher, she only went higher once, with 1965's No. 2-peaking "Look at Us." It was stuck in the runner-up slot for eight weeks behind the Beatles' "Help!"
Watch Cher Answer Fan Questions On Camera
Right behind Cher is another entertainment icon that has been charting for decades: Elton John. His new studio album, "The Diving Board," jumps in with a debut at No. 4 with 47,000 sold. It’s his 18th top 10 album.
Last week's No. 1 album, Jack Johnson's "From Here to Now to You," falls to No. 5 with 37,000 (down 69% in its second week). Luke Bryan's "Crash My Party" holds at No. 6, selling 36,000 (down 24%).
Next up: We have three more debuts at Nos. 7, 8 and 9.
Progressive rock band Dream Theater logs its third consecutive top 10 album as its new self-titled set opens at No. 7 with 34,000. It follows 2011's "A Dramatic Turn of Events" (No. 8 debut and peak with 36,000) and 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" (No. 6 debut/peak with 40,000).
Dance trio Krewella arrives at No. 8 with its debut set, "Get Wet," selling 27,000. The act has notched two songs on the Billboard Hot 100 thus far: "Alive" (No. 32 peak) and "Live For the Night" (No. 100).
Metallica is back in the top 10 for the first time since 2008, as its new live album/soundtrack to the movie "Metallica: Through the Never" bows at No. 9 with 26,000. The set is the group's ninth top 10 set overall. The band previously reached the region with "Death Magnetic" (No. 1, 2008), "St. Anger" (No. 1, 2003), "S&M" (No. 2, 1999), "Garage, Inc." (No. 2, 1998), "Reload" (No. 1, 1997), "Load" (No. 1, 1996), "Metallica" (No. 1, 1991) and ". . . And Justice for All" (No. 6, 1988).
Check Out The 'Metallica: Through The Never' Film Review
Closing out the top 10 is Justin Moore's "Off the Beaten Path," which slips 2-10 in its second week, selling 25,000 (down 74%).
Over on the Digital Songs chart, Lorde's "Royals" is steady at No. 1, selling 294,000 downloads (down 4%). Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus also hold at Nos. 2 and 3 with "Roar" and "Wrecking Ball," respectively. The songs sold 239,000 (down 21%) and 221,000 (down 27%).
Avicii's "Wake Me Up!" rises one rung to No. 4 with 182,000 (down 4%), and Eminem's "Berzerk" climbs 9-5 with 134,000 (though it's down by 9%). Lady Gaga's "Applause" rises a spot to No. 6 with 133,000 (down 17%), and Jay Z's "Holy Grail," featuring Timberlake, rises 10-7 with 123,000 (down 8%).
Perry's "Dark Horse," featuring Juicy J, drops 4-8 in its second week, selling 104,000 (down 46%). Drake earns the chart's highest debut, bowing at No. 9 with "All Me," which sold 101,000. The song features 2 Chainz and Big Sean.
Lana Del Rey & Cedric Gervais' "Summertime Sadness" closes out the top 10, climbing three rungs to No. 10 with 99,000 (down 10%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Sept. 29) totaled 5.2 million units, up 13% compared with the sum last week (4.6 million) and down 10% compared with the comparable sales week of 2012 (5.7 million). Year-to-date album sales stand at 205.2 million, down 6% compared with the same total at this point last year (218.4 million).
Digital track sales this past week totaled 20.3 million downloads, down 7% compared with last week (21.9 million) and down 12% stacked next to the comparable week of 2012 (23.1 million). Year-to-date track sales are at 974.6 million, down 3% compared to the same total at this point last year (1 billion).
Next week's Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2012 when: Mumford & Sons' "Babel" held at No. 1 for a second week, selling 169,000 (down 72%). Muse's "The 2nd Law" debuted in the runner-up slot, selling 102,000.
