Adele‘s “21” album clocks a 23rd week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling 247,000 copies this week (down 17%) according to Nielsen SoundScan. It’s the longest-running No. 1 since Prince & the Revolution‘s “Purple Rain” soundtrack scored 24 weeks at No. 1 in 1984 and 1985.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“21’s” year-to-date sales now stand at 2.07 million (by far 2012’s top album). Well behind in second place among the best-sellers this year is Whitney Houston‘s “Whitney: The Greatest Hits,” with 527,000 sold.
Related
The last time an album sold over 2 million copies this early in a year was in 2003, when 50 Cent‘s just-released “Get Rich Or Die Tryin'” blew through 2.6 million by March 2.
As “21” was released more than a year ago, its 2012 sales are all the more impressive. Reaching back further in the archives, the last time a months-old album rang up 2 million this fast was in 2001, when Shaggy‘s “Hotshot” album moved 2.12 million (through March 4).
“Hotshot” was first released in August of 2000, and in early 2001, Shaggy was riding high on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with two No. 1s: “It Wasn’t Me” and “Angel.”
Getting back to this week’s Billboard 200, however, Adele leads a relatively quiet chart, as there is only one debut in the top 10. “WZRD,” the collaborative album from Kid Cudi and producer Dot da Genius, bows at No. 3 with 66,000. It trails Houston’s “Greatest Hits” at No. 2 with 112,000 (down 36%).
The “Now 41” compilation is up a slot to No. 4 (46,000; down 15%), “The Bodyguard” soundtrack also rises a rung to No. 5 (43,000; down 9%) and Tyga‘s “Careless World” slips two to No. 6 (37,000; down 39%). Adele’s “19” holds at No. 7 (just under 37,000; down 6%), Drake‘s “Take Care” climbs 13-8 (29,000; up 13%) and Rihanna‘s “Talk That Talk” zips 14-9 (25,000; up 9%). Houston’s “Whitney Houston” rounds out the top 10, falling one to No. 10 (25,000; down 15%).
Rihanna & Chris Brown Gain Twitter, Facebook Fans After Release of Remixes
Houston has a total of nine albums on the Billboard 200 this week — and all are within the top 100: she is found at Nos. 2, 5, 10, 13, 21, 31, 32, 50 and 80. The last time one act had nine out of the week’s top 100 sellers was on Oct. 17, 2009, when the Beatles racked 11 out of the top 100.
Over on the Digital Songs chart this week, fun.‘s “We Are Young” (featuring Janelle Monae), is steady at No. 1 with 302,000 (up 4%) while the Wanted’s “Glad You Came” surges 3-2 with 206,000 (up 10%).
Kelly Clarkson‘s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” slips 2-3 (197,000; down 18%), Nicki Minaj‘s “Starships” rises 7-4 (161,000; up 4%) and Gotye‘s “Somebody That I Used to Know” (featuring Kimbra) is up 8-5 (149,000; up 11%). Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” falls 5-6 (145,000; down 13%) and Katy Perry‘s “Part of Me” is down 4-7 (142,000; down 24%).
The chart’s highest debut is found at No. 8, where Far*East Movement‘s “Live My Life” (featuring Justin Bieber) starts with 127,000. Right behind them is Carrie Underwood‘s “Good Girl,” rising 12-9 in its first full week of sales (119,000; up 11%). Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa‘s “Young, Wild & Free” is up a slot to No. 10 with 109,000 (down 3%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending March 4) totaled 6.33 million units, up less than 1% compared to the sum last week (6.31 million) and down less than 1% compared to the comparable sales week of 2011 (6.34 million). Year to date album sales stand at 54.34 million, up 3% compared to the same total at this point last year (52.79 million).
Digital track sales this past week totaled 27.12 million downloads, down 4% compared to last week (24.13 million) and up 7% stacked next to the comparable week of 2011 (25.45 million). Year to date track sales are at 258.04 million, up 7% compared to the same total at this point last year (240.61 million).
Next week’s Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2011 when: Lupe Fiasco‘s “Lasers” started at No. 1 with 204,000 while Adele’s “21” slipped one slot to No. 2 with 133,000 (down 21%).