Alabama Shakes Scores Its First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart
Rock band Alabama Shakes earns its first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart as its new album, "Sound & Color," arrives in the top slot.
Rock band BBMA: Vote for Your Favorite on the Billboard Chart Achievement Award
Last week’s No. 1 album, Shawn Mendes’ Handwritten, falls to No. 17 with 20,000 units (down 83 percent) in its second week.
The Furious 7 soundtrack is a non-mover at No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200 with 63,000 units (down 21 percent).
The second and final debut in the top 10 comes from rapper Yelawolf, who sees his new album Love Story bow at No. 3 with 59,000 units. It’s the best showing yet for the artist, who previously topped out at No. 27 with his last album, 2011’s Radioactive. Love Story also logs his largest sales week ever, as the set opens with 51,000 copies sold (surpassing his previous high, when Radioactive launched with 41,000).
Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late climbs back up the chart, rising 10-4 with 48,000 units (up 36 percent) after the CD version of the album was released on April 21. The set was previously only available as a download. The new CD edition also boasted two new bonus tracks.
Jay Z to Perform Rare Tracks During Tidal Exclusive Concert
In terms of pure album sales, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late rose by 124 percent for the week (zipping from 12,000 sold to 28,000; it also climbs 20-3 on the Top Album Sales chart).
Back on the Billboard 200, the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack rises 6-5 with 39,000 units (though it’s down 11 percent) and Taylor Swift’s 1989 climbs 7-6 with 36,000 (down 5 percent).
Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour steps 8-7 (just over 36,000; down 3 percent), Ed Sheeran’s x ascends 9-8 (32,000; down 11 percent) and Sam Hunt’s Montevallo jumps 13-9 (32,000; up 3 percent). The latter profits from the artist’s exposure on the Academy of Country Music Awards (April 19), where he performed “Take Your Time” and was nominated for new artist of the year.
Meghan Trainor’s Title closes out the top 10, rising two slots to No. 10 with 31,000 units (down 3 percent).
Please note: This story was revised at 7:30 PM PST on April 29 with updated unit figures and percentage gains/declined due to a reprocessing of data from Nielsen Music. The positions of the albums in the top 10 did not change.