As expected, Adele’s “21” spends its 16th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (104,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan; down 16%). Its reign is the longest since the “Titanic” soundtrack also earned 16 weeks at No. 1 in 1998.
Since SoundScan’s sales data began powering the Billboard 200 tally in May 1991, “21” is one of only five sets to notch at least 16 weeks atop the list. Aside from “21” and “Titanic,” the other three are: the Whitney Houston-driven soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” (20 weeks in 1992-1993), Garth Brooks’ “Ropin’ the Wind” (18 in 1991-1992) and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Some Gave All” (17 in 1992).
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In the Billboard 200’s nearly 56-year history, “21” becomes only the 20th album to score at least 16 weeks at No. 1.
And with 104,000 sold last week, “21” notches its 33rd week of 100,000-plus sales. The last album to do so was Usher’s “Confessions,” which also racked 33 stanzas of 100,000 sales in 2004-2005.
At No. 2 this week is a debut from David Crowder Band with its “Give Us Rest” selling a larger-than-expected 50,000 copies. It’s the best chart rank and sales week for the Christian act, who had previously gone as high as No. 11 with 2009’s “Church Music” (36,000 in its debut). The recently disbanded group played its final show at the Passion 2012 conference on Jan. 2 in Atlanta.
The Black Keys’ “El Camino” holds at No. 3 (36,000; down 13%) while Drake’s “Take Care” falls 2-4 (32,000; down 25%).
Snow Patrol’s “Fallen Empires” debuts at No. 5 with 31,000. It’s a new peak for the band, but not its largest sales week. The latter came when “Eyes Open” moved 70,000 in a non-debut week during the busy Christmas shopping period of 2006, when it ranked way down at No. 55.
Young Jeezy’s “T M:103 Hustlerz Ambition” slips 4-6 (24,000; down 33%), Rihanna’s “Talk That Talk” moves 6-7 (22,000; down 20%), and Coldplay’s “Mylo Xyloto” descends 5-8 (20,000; down 30%). Nickelback’s “Here and Now” returns to the top 10 (11-9) with 19,000 (down 18%), and the “Now 40” compilation dips 9-10 (17,000; down 28%).
As the Nos. 8-10 albums all sell fewer than 20,000 copies this week, this marks the first time in SoundScan history that it takes fewer than 20,000 in sales to rank among the top 10 albums of the week.
Previously, the record low figure required to reach the top 10 was recorded on the June 19, 2010, list, when Ke$ha’s “Animal” moved just a few hundred copies more than 20,000 at No. 10.
In better news, over on the Digital Songs chart, Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” hits No. 1 for the first time, jumping 3-1 with 193,000 downloads sold (down 5%). It’s her third Digital Songs chart-topper, following “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You.”
Last week’s No. 1 Digital Song, Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up,” falls to No. 9 with 127,000 (down 44%). That’s the biggest positional fall from the top since “I Need a Doctor” by Dr. Dre featuring Eminem & Skylar Gray collapsed 1-14 on the Feb. 26, 2011, chart.
Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling” rises 5-2 (163,000; down 3%); Tyga’s “Rack City” makes a big jump, flying 13-3 with 160,000 (up 41%); and LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” falls 2-4 (156,000; down 26%). The video for “Rack City” premiered last week (Jan. 10) and has claimed more than 2 million views thus far on Tyga’s YouTube channel.
Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa’s “Young, Wild & Free” (featuring Bruno Mars) climbs 8-5 (151,000; down 6%), Rihanna’s “We Found Love” (featuring Calvin Harris) drops 4-6 (140,000; down 24%), and David Guetta’s “Turn Me On” (featuring Nicki Minaj) blasts 21-7 with 137,000 (up 43%). The latter made a big jump on the Pop Songs airplay chart this week, zipping 27-20 in its fifth week on the tally. It’s Guetta’s fifth top 10 on the Digital Songs chart and Minaj’s seventh.
Jay-Z & Kanye West’s “Ni**as in Paris” moves down one slot to No. 8 with 130,000 (down 20%) while Mars’ “It Will Rain” holds at No. 10 with 120,000 (down 22%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Jan. 15) totaled 5.1 million units, down 12% compared with the sum last week (5.8 million) and up 6% compared with the comparable sales week of 2011 (4.9 million). Year-to-date album sales stand at 10.9 million, up 5% compared with the same total at this point last year (10.3 million).
Digital track sales this past week totaled 28.6 million downloads, down 13% compared with last week (32.8 million) and up 4% stacked next to the comparable week of 2011 (27.5 million). Year-to-date track sales are at 61.3 million, up 7% compared with the same total at this point last year (57.2 million).
Next week’s Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2011 when: all of the top five titles were debuts, led by the Decemberists’ “The King Is Dead” at No. 1 with 94,000 and the “Kidz Bop 19” album at No. 2 with 70,000.