Future debuts at No. 2 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums with his first studio set, “Pluto,” with sales of 41,000 in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Future has released numerous mixtapes since 2010 and has notched nine hits on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Two of those climbed all the way into the top 10: “Racks” (YC featuring Future, No. 6) and “Magic” (No. 10). This week, his featured turn on Rick Ross‘ “Ring Ring” dials up a No. 88 debut.
Related
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In blast-from-the-past news, veteran female R&B vocal group SWV returns with its first studio album in nearly 15 years, as “I Missed Us” enters R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at No. 6 (14,000). The reunion set is the trio’s fifth top 10 on the tally and first since 1997’s “Release Some Tension” (which peaked at No. 5 that year). The new album’s lead single, “Co-Sign,” has so-far reached No. 48 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Nick Minaj‘s “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,” meanwhile, spends a third week (its entire chart run so far) atop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (48,000, down 40%). It’s sold 383,000 since its release.
USHER UP: On R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Usher‘s “Climax” logs a second week at the summit, adding the chart’s Greatest Gainer/Airplay tag. The ballad gains by 10% to 34 million audience impressions, according to Nielsen BDS.
Rihanna‘s “Birthday Cake,” featuring Chris Brown, bullets for a second frame at No. 2 (29 million, up 3%), while LoveRance‘s “Up!” aptly describes its chart move; the song lifts 5-3 in its 33rd frame (25 million, up 6%).
While no new titles invade the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs top 10 this week, notable is Ne-Yo‘s rise. Last week, the singer/songwriter returned to the top tier for the first time since January 2010, as Young Jeezy‘s “Leave You Alone,” on which he’s featured, rose 11-10. This week, the cut jumps to No. 8.
Ne-Yo moved from Def Jam to the Motown label in January, not only as an artist but also as a senior VP of A&R. He’s at work on his forthcoming fifth studio set.