It’s a slow week on the Billboard 200, as Sade’s “Soldier of Love” album retains the No. 1 position for a second frame, selling 190,000 copies (down 62%), according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Last week, the top 40 of the Billboard 200 was populated with eight new arrivals, seemingly released to capitalize on the Valentine’s Day holiday. This week, with V-Day in the rearview mirror, the chart’s highest debut comes from Story of the Year’s “The Constant,” way down at No. 42 with 14,000.
It’s not the first time this year that the chart has been light on big-bowing debuts. On the Billboard 200 chart dated Jan. 16 (reflecting the sales week that ended on Jan. 3), the highest debut was at No. 73 (a discount compilation titled “The 99 Most Essential Chopin Masterpieces”).
As for the non-Sade titles in the top 10 this week, Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” holds at No. 2 with 144,000 (down 31%). In turn, it becomes 2010’s first million selling album as it reaches 1,041,000 in only its fourth week of release. It’s the first title to sell a million so early in the year since the Game’s “Documentary” hit a million in the fifth week of 2005.
The Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.” sells 65,000 and climbs five spots to No. 3 — despite a 2% drop in sales. With overall album sales down 17%, many titles that see a small decline actually move up the chart. Lady Gaga’s “The Fame,” for instance, rises three slots to No. 4 with 63,000 (down 17%), while Lil Wayne’s “Rebirth” falls one rung to No. 5 with 58,000 (down 35%).
Susan Boyle’s “I Dreamed a Dream” drifts up from No. 9 to No. 6 with 51,000 (up 1%), Alicia Keys’ “The Element of Freedom” flies from No. 12 to No. 7 with 39,000 (down 2%) and Jaheim’s “Another Round” slips five positions to No. 8 in its second week with 36,000 (down 68%). Closing out the top 10 this week are Josh Turner’s “Haywire” at No. 9 — down four positions — with 33,000 (down 62%) and Taylor Swift’s “Fearless,” holding at No. 10 with 32,000 (down 35%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Feb. 21) totaled 6.53 million units, down 17% compared to the sum last week (7.83 million) and down 12% compared to the comparable sales week of 2009 (7.41 million).
