Skillet and August Burns Red Heading for Top 10 Debuts on Billboard 200 Chart
Rock acts Skillet and August Burns Red will vie for their second and first top 10 releases, respectively.
New albums from rock bands Skillet and August Burns Red are heading for the top 10 on next week’s Billboard 200 chart. Industry sources suggest the former’s “Rise” may sell around 50,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, June 30, while August Burns Red’s “Rescue & Restore” may move 25,000.
It will mark the second top 10 for Skillet, which debuted and peaked at No. 2 with its last studio effort, 2009’s “Awake.” That set launched with 68,000 sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The band has a couple singles percolating on the charts this week, including “American Noise,” which jumped 41-34 on the Christian Songs chart. Meanwhile another track, “Sick Of It,” climbs 15-12 on the Active Rock airplay tally.
August Burns Red is in the hunt for its first top 10 album with “Rescue & Restore.” Their last album came close — debuting and peaking at No. 11 off a 29,000 start.
As previously reported, rapper Wale seems to be a lock for his first No. 1 with his new album “The Gifted.” It might sell around 140,000.
Another possible top 10 contender is R&B singer India.Arie, who may sell around 20,000 copies of her new “SongVersation.” Her last release, 2009’s “Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics,” bowed at No. 3 with 75,000. She’s topped the tally once previously, with 2006’s “Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship.”
On SoundScan’s Building chart (below), Wale is at No. 1, followed by J. Cole’s “Born Sinner,” which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart this past week. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking — reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan’s tracking week as reported by six major merchants. Kanye West’s “Yeezus” is No. 3, while Skillet, India.Arie and August Burns Red are Nos. 4-6, respectively.
As for the rest of the top 10: Florida Georgia Line’s “Here’s to the Good Times” is No. 7, Mac Miller’s “Watching Movies With the Sound Off” is No. 8, Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” is No. 9 and Kelly Rowland’s “Talk a Good Game” is No. 10.
| Nielsen SoundScan Building Chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | LW BB 200 |
Artist | Title |
| 1 | NEW | Wale | “The Gifted” |
| 2 | 2 | J. Cole | “Born Sinner” |
| 3 | 1 | Kanye West | “Yeezus” |
| 4 | NEW | Skillet | “Rise” |
| 5 | NEW | India.Arie | “SongVersation” |
| 6 | NEW | August Burns Red | “Rescue & Restore” |
| 7 | 8 | Florida Georgia Line | “Here’s to the Good Times” |
| 8 | 3 | Mac Miller | “Watching Movies With the Sound Off” |
| 9 | 6 | Daft Punk | “Random Access Memories” |
| 10 | 4 | Kelly Rowland | “Talk a Good Game” |
| The Building Chart reflects the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan’s tracking week (which ends Sunday) as reported by six major merchants: iTunes, Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Starbucks, Target and Anderson Merchandisers. Billboard estimates that they make up about 85% of all U.S. album sales. | |||
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