After last week, where the top debut on the Billboard 200 albums chart was at No. 8, this week the chart gets blasted with a bevy of new arrivals. A full dozen debuts bow in the top 20 — the most the chart has ever seen.
Leading the pack of new entries are the “Now 30” compilation (Universal/EMI/Sony Music/Zomba/UMe) with 146,000 at No. 1 followed by the “Hannah Montana: The Movie” soundtrack (Walt Disney) at No. 2 with 139,000. Keri Hilson’s debut album “In a Perfect World” (Mosley/Zone 4/Interscope/IGA) enters at No. 4 with 94,000.
Also starting in the top 20: Papa Roach’s “Metamorphosis” (DGC/Interscope/IGA) at No. 8 with 44,000, Jim Jones’ “Pray IV Reign” (E1/Columbia/Sony Music) at No. 9 with 43,000, Martina McBride’s “Shine” (RCA Nashville/SMN) at No. 10 with 41,000, Mastodon’s “Crack the Skye” (Relapse/Sire/Reprise/Warner Bros.) at No. 11 with 41,000, Blue October’s “Approaching Normal” (Brando/Universal Motown/UMRG) at No. 13 with 37,000, Slim Thug’s “Boss of All Bosses” (Boss Hogg Outlawz/E1) at No. 15 with 32,000, John Rich’s “Son of a Preacher Man” (Warner Bros. [Nashville]/WRN) at No. 16 with 31,000, Eric Church’s “Carolina” (Capitol Nashville) at No. 17 with 31,000 and Yanni’s “Voices” (Yanni Wake/Disney Pearl Series/Walt Disney) at No. 20 with 26,000.
Last week’s No. 1, Kelly Clarkson’s “All I Ever Wanted” (S/19/RCA/Sony Music), falls to No. 5 with 52,000 (down 43%). U2’s “No Line On the Horizon” (Island/Interscope/IGA) slips from No. 2 to No. 6 with 51,000 (down 33%). The “Twilight” soundtrack (Summit/Chop Shop/Atlantic/AG) holds at No. 3 with 102,000 (up 37%). Lady GaGa’s “The Fame” (Streamline/KonLive/Cherrytree/Interscope/IGA) finds itself at No. 7 with 45,000 (down 10%), down from No. 5 last week.
Next week, the Billboard 200 should greet new albums in form of Flo Rida’s “R.O.O.T.S.” (Poe Boy/Atlantic), Keith Urban’s “Defying Gravity” (Capitol Nashville), Diana Krall’s “Quiet Nights” (Verve), Prince’s Target-exclusive “LotusFlow3r,” Rodney Atkins’ “It’s America” (Curb), UGK’s “UGK 4 Life” (UGK/Jive/JLG) and Bow Wow’s “New Jack City, Pt. II” (Columbia/Sony Music).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending March 29) totaled 6.77 million units, up 10% compared to the sum last week (6.13 million) and down 12% compared to the same sales week of 2008 (7.71 million). Year to date album sales stand at 90.4 million, down 13.5% compared to the same total at this point last year (104.5 million).
