Robbie Williams debuts on top of the European Top 100 Albums chart with his new studio set “Rudebox” (Chrysalis). It’s new at No. 1 in the United Kingdom on sales of 147,000, a dramatic drop on the initial 373,000 units sold of its predecessor “Intensive Care” in the same week last year.
Nevertheless, “Rudebox” racks up six other European No. 1 debuts, only one less than the total achieved by “Intensive Care.” It leads the way in Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and Finland, also
entering at No. 2 in Holland and Ireland and No. 3 in France.
“Rudebox” is up 14-3 and 20-4 in the Belgian regions of Flanders and Wallony respectively.
Meat Loaf strides back on to Top 100 Albums at No. 2 with “Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose” (Mercury). The set’s best debut is at No. 2, behind Williams, in Germany, and it’s in at No. 3 in the United Kingdom on sales of 79,000, No. 4 in Switzerland and No. 5 in Denmark and Austria.
“It’s All Coming Back To Me Now,” his duet from the album with Marion Raven, falls 14-18 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.
After three weeks atop the pan-European album chart, Evanescence slides to No. 3 with “The Open Door” (Wind-Up). My Chemical Romance makes good on the promise of the hit single “Welcome To The Black Parade” (Reprise) with a No. 4 composite debut for the parent album “The Black Parade.”
In The United Kingdom, where the single falls to No. 4 after two weeks at the top, the album takes a bow at No. 2 on sales of 85,000. It’s also new at No. 4 in Austria and No. 5 in Ireland.
John Legend’s “Once Again” (Columbia) gives the American R&B singer a confident No. 8 start in Europe. The album arrives at No.4 in Holland, No. 5 in Italy (where the single “Save Room” is new at No. 6) and No. 10 in the United Kingdom.
Such a busy week of new entries means that, although Rod Stewart enters at No. 9 overall with his U.S. chart-topper “Still The Same…Great Rock Classics Of Our Time” (J), he’s only the fifth highest newcomer of the week. The album opens at No. 4 in the United Kingdom, selling 51,000 copies.
Outside the composite top ten, the hottest mover is “A Collection of Roxette Hits” (Capitol), which moves 46-13 for the Swedish duo. The compilation is new at No. 2 in their home country, where the single “One
Wish” is new at No. 4.
On the Eurochart, Scissor Sisters’ “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin'” (Polydor) starts a fifth week at No. 1. It now climbs 2-1 in Switzerland, 6-2 in Sweden, 7-4 in Italy and 6-4 in Denmark, holding at No. 1 in Flanders, No. 2
in Norway and No.3 in Holland.
British boy band McFly has the top Eurochart debut with “Star Girl” (Universal Island), in at No. 7 after becoming the trio’s sixth U.K. No. 1 on sales of 54,000.
Dutch DJ Fedde Le Grande is in at No.10 on the Eurochart with “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” (Data), after it sold 46,000 units for a No. 2 U.K. debut.
