Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” continues to rule the Billboard 200 for a second week as the set shifts 174,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That’s down a steep 84% from its historic 1,108,000 start last week.
While it’s not unusual for albums that enter with mighty big sales frames to tumble hard in week No. 2, Gaga’s fall is amplified, courtesy of AmazonMP3.
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As the album’s first week was unusually bolstered by likely hundreds of thousands of sales generated by AmazonMP3’s decision to sell the digital version of the set for 99 cents on two separate days, its second-week fall appears even greater than what we normally see for blockbuster sellers.
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At the rate of Gaga’s decline, we could see Adele’s “21” (No. 2 this week, up one slot, with 121,000 — down 4%) return to the penthouse very soon.
The top debut this week belongs to Death Cab for Cutie’s “Codes and Keys,” which starts at No. 3 with 102,000. It’s the follow-up to the band’s No. 1 2008 album “Narrow Stairs” (which sold 144,000 upon its debut). While the new album sells fewer copies in its first week than “Narrow” did, it still marks the act’s second-best sales frame. Notably, downloads made up 57% of the opening week for “Codes.”
Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder sees his bare-bones “Ukulele Songs” album arrive at No. 4 with 71,000 — marking the first top 10 solo record for the rock icon. He previously charted on his own with the “Into the Wild” soundtrack, which debuted and peaked at No. 11 in 2007 with a 39,000 start.
Right behind Vedder is My Morning Jacket with its latest, “Circuital,” bowing at No. 5 with 55,000. It’s the best sales week and highest-charting set for the group, whose previous high-water mark came with the bow of “Evil Urges” at No. 9 with 49,000 three years ago.
The final debut in the top 10 comes courtesy of Flogging Molly’s “Speed of Darkness,” launching at No. 9 with 25,000. It’s the second top 10 effort for the group. Its last studio release, 2008’s “Float,” debuted and peaked at No. 4 with 48,000.
As for the rest of the top 10, Brad Paisley’s “This Is Country Music” slips four rungs to No. 6 in its second week (53,000; down 65%), and the “Now 38” set is down one to No. 7 (39,000; down 13%). Jason Aldean’s “My Kinda Party” rises a slot to No. 8 (33,000; up 1%), and “Glee, the Music: Season Two, Volume Six” slides six places to No. 10 (25,000; down 68%).
Over on the Digital Songs chart, Adele continues to reign supreme with “Rolling in the Deep” at No. 1 (244,000; down 4%) while Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything” also holds at No. 2 (217,000; up 3%). LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” rallies 6-3 with 169,000 (up 9%), and Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory” is stationary at No. 4 (166,000; up less than 1%). Lil Wayne’s “How to Love” flies a monster 47 spots to No. 5 with 151,000 (up 309%) after its first full week of availability at digital retailers.
Katy Perry’s “E.T.” rises a position to No. 6 despite a decline in sales (137,000; down 7%) while Bruno Mars’ “The Lazy Song” is also up a rung to No. 7, though down in sales (136,000; down 1%). Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” continues its ascent, rising 10-8 with 132,000 (up 4%), Jennifer Lopez’s “On the Floor” is steady at No. 9 (127,000; down 2%), and DJ Khaled’s “I’m on One” retreats 5-10 (123,000; down 23%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending June 5) totaled 5.5 million units, down 17% compared with the sum last week (6.7 million) and up 7% compared with the comparable sales week of 2010 (5.2 million). Year-to-date album sales stand at 131.4 million, up 1% compared with the same total at this point last year (130.6 million). We’ve now racked up two weeks in a row where year-to-date album volume is greater than the same time in the prior year.
Digital track sales this past week totaled 24.5 million downloads, down 1% compared with last week (24.7 million) and up 8% stacked next to the comparable week of 2010 (22.6 million). Year-to-date track sales are at 560.6 million, up 10% compared with the same total at this point last year (510.6 million).
Next week’s Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2010 when: the “Glee” “Journey to Regionals” EP bowed at No. 1 with 154,000 while the “Twilight: Eclipse” soundtrack entered at No. 2 with 146,000. At No. 3, Christina Aguilera’s “Bionic” completed the all-debut top three with 111,000.