Well, a drop from #1 to #7 actually looks decent for Zayn, compared to his drop to #9 in the UK and Gwen Stefani's 1-17 drop on this chart last week. Kanye West replaces Zayn at #1, don't even ask me how it all works (it's all explained in the second post!) but clearly it's mostly from streaming. It's his 7th straight #1 album but surely his lowest-selling debut week by a wide margin. Yeezus sold 327K in its first week in 2013. Chris Stapleton returns to #2 off the back of his ACM award wins. Interestingly, Weezer's white album is their third self-titled album to peak at #4, but they've gone as high as #2 with Make Believe in 2005. Also of note is the handful of re-entries from Merle Haggard, who passed away on Wednesday so those are based on mainly two days of sales.

 

01 NE 01 Kanye West, The Life Of Pablo (94,000 (28,000 | 66,000 SEA))

02 08 30 Chris Stapleton, Traveller (73,000 (59,000 | 14,000 SEA/TEA))

03 NE 01 Lukas Graham, Lukas Graham (59,000 (34,000 | 25,000 SEA/TEA))

04 NE 01 Weezer, Weezer (White Album) (49,000 (45,000 | 4,000 SEA/TEA))

05 NE 01 TWENTY88, TWENTY88 (49,000 (40,000 | 9,000 SEA/TEA))

06 03 11 Rihanna, ANTI (48,000)

07 01 02 Zayn, Mind Of Mine (44,000)

08 04 21 Justin Bieber, Purpose (41,000)

09 05 20 Adele, 25 (36,000)

10 06 47 twenty one pilots, Blurryface (30,000)

11 11 10 Kevin Gates, Islah

12 13 28 Bryson Tiller, T R A P S O U L

13 14 18 G-Eazy, When It's Dark Out

14 10 32 The Weeknd, Beauty Behind The Madness

15 18 08 Joey + Rory, Hymns

16 31 28 Thomas Rhett, Tangled Up

17 37 29 Drake & Future, What A Time To Be Alive

18 20 28 Original Broadway Cast Recording, Hamilton: An American Musical

19 26 12 Panic! At The Disco, Death Of A Bachelor

20 29 76 Sam Hunt, Montevallo

21 21 28 Fetty Wap, Fetty Wap

22 25 76 Taylor Swift, 1989

23 02 02 K. Michelle, More Issues Than Vogue

24 NE 01 Explosions In The Sky, The Wilderness

25 27 33 Disturbed, Immortalized

26 17 03 Gwen Stefani, This Is What The Truth Feels Like

27 22 09 Future, EVOL

28 23 53 Flo Rida, My House (EP)

29 74 24 Carrie Underwood, Storyteller

30 NE 01 The Used, Live & Acoustic At The Palace

31 NE 01 Cheap Trick, Bang Zoom Crazy...Hello

32 32 38 Future, DS2

33 60 18 Tim McGraw, Damn Country Music

34 16 10 Sia, This Is Acting

35 35 70 J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive

36 34 05 Kendrick Lamar, untitled unmastered.

37 40 11 Mike Posner, The Truth (EP)

38 59 35 Luke Bryan, Kill The Lights

39 NE 01 BABYMETAL, Metal Resistance

40 NE 01 Black Stone Cherry, Kentucky

41 33 26 Selena Gomez, Revival

42 28 10 Charlie Puth, Nine Track Mind

43 30 09 Various Artists, NOW 57

44 76 21 Chris Young, I'm Comin' Over

45 07 02 Young Thug, Slime Season 3

46 47 61 Drake, If You're Reading This It's Too Late

47 38 32 Halsey, Badlands

48 36 86 twenty one pilots, Vessel

49 46 18 Jeremih, Late Nights: The Album

50 NE 01 Andrew Bird, Are You Serious

51 41 34 Melanie Martinez, Cry Baby

52 39 18 Troye Sivan, Blue Neighbourhood

53 49 65 Meghan Trainor, Title

54 NE 01 Berner, Hempire

55 53 268 Adele, 21

56 15 02 Anthony Hamilton, What I'm Feelin'

57 79 38 Kelsea Ballerini, The First Time

58 NE 01 Pet Shop Boys, Super

59 42 55 James Bay, Chaos And The Calm

60 56 21 Alessia Cara, Know-It-All

61 96 23 Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood

62 24 03 Jordan Smith, Something Beautiful

63 43 48 Lauren Daigle, How Can It Be

64 58 16 Chris Brown, Royalty

65 54 17 DNCE, Swaay (EP)

66 44 05 2 Chainz, ColleGrove

67 55 94 Ed Sheeran, x

68 48 07 Yo Gotti, The Art Of Hustle

69 51 52 Shawn Mendes, Handwritten

70 50 21 One Direction, Made In The A.M.

71 61 24 Blake Shelton, Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits

72 RE 347 Guns N' Roses, Greatest Hits

73 81 22 Old Dominion, Meat And Candy

74 72 162 Drake, Take Care

75 NE 01 Merle Haggard, 20 Greatest Hits

76 70 95 Sam Smith, In The Lonely Hour

77 71 91 G-Eazy, These Things Happen

78 69 25 Brett Eldredge, Illinois

79 12 02 Joe Bonamassa, Blues Of Desperation

80 101 403 Journey, Journey's Greatest Hits

81 63 18 Coldplay, A Head Full Of Dreams

82 64 56 Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp A Butterfly

83 NE 01 The Last Shadow Puppets, Everything You've Come To Expect

84 NE 01 The Summer Set, Stories For Monday

85 65 23 The Chainsmokers, Bouquet (EP)

86 77 130 Drake, Nothing Was The Same

87 83 78 Florida Georgia Line, Anything Goes

88 NE 01 Merle Haggard, 40 Greatest Hits, V. 1

89 RE 08 Soundtrack, Star Wars: The Force Awakens

90 103 373 Metallica, Metallica

91 90 50 Elle King, Love Stuff

92 102 117 Beyoncé, Beyoncé

93 78 180 Kendrick Lamar, good kid, m.A.A.d city

94 86 262 Eminem, The Eminem Show

95 130 70 Carrie Underwood, Greatest Hits: Decade #1

96 94 44 Major Lazer, Peace Is The Mission

97 88 22 Ellie Goulding, Delirium

98 91 79 Hozier, Hozier

99 84 05 Ruth B, The Intro (EP)

100 104 32 Queen, Greatest Hits I II & III: The Platinum Collection

101 93 69 Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint

102 75 20 Ty Dolla $ign, Free TC

103 97 411 Bob Marley And The Wailers, Legend: The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers

104 66 87 Sia, 1000 Forms Of Fear

105 92 06 Various Artists, OWSLA World Wide Broadcast

106 95 69 Zac Brown Band, Greatest Hits So Far...

107 73 64 Fall Out Boy, American Beauty / American Psycho

108 116 11 Maren Morris, Maren Morris (EP)

109 RE 16 Cam, Untamed

110 118 25 Demi Lovato, Confident

111 107 137 2Pac, Greatest Hits

112 62 06 The 1975, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It

113 89 14 Rachel Platten, Wildfire

114 106 219 The Beatles, 1

115 105 59 Big Sean, Dark Sky Paradise

116 100 36 David Bowie, Best Of Bowie

117 151 32 Kelly Clarkson, Piece By Piece

118 163 29 for KING & COUNTRY, RUN WILD. LIVE FREE. LOVE STRONG.

119 87 107 Beyoncé, I Am...Sasha Fierce

120 09 02 Asking Alexandria, The Black

121 121 33 Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

122 108 66 Rae Sremmurd, SremmLife

123 112 84 Maroon 5, V

124 19 02 Amon Amarth, Jomsviking

125 124 41 X Ambassadors, VHS

126 RE 71 Little Big Town, Pain Killer

127 137 61 Billy Joel, The Essential Billy Joel

128 128 171 Florida Georgia Line, Here's To The Good Times

129 167 263 Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chronicle The 20 Greatest Hits

130 RE 63 Kelly Clarkson, Greatest Hits: Chapter One

131 109 22 Daya, Daya (EP)

132 114 50 Zac Brown Band, Jekyll + Hyde

133 52 03 Soundtrack, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice

134 164 188 Eagles, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975

135 136 139 Luke Bryan, Crash My Party

136 127 188 Imagine Dragons, Night Visions

137 RE 10 Halestorm, Into The Wild Life

138 123 06 Bonnie Raitt, Dig In Deep

139 NE 01 Merle Haggard, The Essential Merle Haggard: The Epic Years

140 129 31 Travi$ Scott, Rodeo

141 126 261 Michael Jackson, Thriller

142 132 219 Lana Del Rey, Born To Die

143 134 259 AC/DC, Back In Black

144 147 224 Johnny Cash, The Legend Of Johnny Cash

145 115 284 Eminem, Curtain Call: The Hits

146 142 110 The Weeknd, Trilogy

147 139 21 Logic, The Incredible True Story

148 NE 01 Charles Bradley, Changes

149 117 33 Tori Kelly, Unbreakable Smile

150 57 02 Metal Church, XI

151 135 43 Lee Brice, I Don't Dance

152 RE 04 newsboys, Love Riot

153 119 04 Randy Houser, Fired Up

154 67 12 Kidz Bop Kids, Kidz Bop 31

155 173 77 Kanye West, Graduation

156 143 316 Nirvana, Nevermind

157 162 162 Eagles, The Very Best Of The Eagles

158 144 97 Brantley Gilbert, Just As I Am

159 152 45 A$AP Rocky, AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP

160 45 03 Soundtrack, The Passion: New Orleans, Music From The Television Event

161 140 31 Five Finger Death Punch, Got Your Six

162 125 06 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, This Unruly Mess I've Made

163 158 212 Adele, 19

164 154 123 Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP 2

165 131 05 Granger Smith, Remington

166 85 03 Jaheim, Struggle Love

167 165 95 Cole Swindell, Cole Swindell

168 159 29 Nickelback, The Best Of Nickelback: Volume 1

169 161 54 The Notorious B.I.G., Greatest Hits

170 186 78 Red Hot Chili Peppers, Greatest Hits

171 RE 71 Jason Aldean, Old Boots, New Dirt

172 185 145 Dr. Dre, Dr. Dre -- 2001

173 183 108 Elton John, Greatest Hits 1970-2002

174 170 66 Panic! At The Disco, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!

175 176 59 J. Cole, Born Sinner

176 RE 39 Kanye West, Late Registration

177 RE 43 Mumford & Sons, Wilder Mind

178 RE 111 The Lumineers, The Lumineers

179 182 227 Eminem, Recovery

180 175 155 Michael Jackson, Bad

181 RE 04 Andra Day, Cheers To The Fall

182 141 30 Lil Dicky, Professional Rapper

183 171 202 Fleetwood Mac, Rumours

184 198 270 Bruno Mars, Doo-Wops & Hooligans

185 122 04 Bethel Music, Have It All: Live At Bethel Church

186 178 77 Ariana Grande, My Everything

187 168 113 Usher, Confessions

188 120 185 Ed Sheeran, +

189 160 165 Guns N' Roses, Appetite For Destruction

190 RE 58 Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

191 177 09 Wiz Khalifa, Khalifa

192 NE 01 Joey + Rory, The Album Collection

193 188 67 J. Cole, Cole World: The Sideline Story

194 150 149 Fall Out Boy, Save Rock And Roll

195 RE 20 Whitney Houston, I Will Always Love You: The Best Of Whitney Houston

196 190 67 A$AP Rocky, Long.Live.A$AP

197 RE 95 Kid Cudi, Man On The Moon: The End Of Day

198 195 96 Five Finger Death Punch, The Wrong Side Of Heaven...Volume 1

199 179 26 tobyMac, This Is Not A Test

200 RE 04 DMX, The Best Of DMX

Kanye West's 'The Life of Pablo' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart

By Keith Caulfield | April 10, 2016 3:01 PM EDT

 

Kanye West scores his seventh No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as his latest release, The Life of Pablo, arrives atop the list. The set earning 94,000 equivalent album units in the week ending April 7, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 28,000 were in pure album sales -- the rest were in streaming equivalent albums.

 

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new April 23-dated chart (where The Life of Pablo is No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s websites on Tuesday, April 12.

 

The Life of Pablo is the first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 where the majority (70 percent, in fact) of its units were generated by streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Its 66,000 SEA units equates to just over 99 million U.S. streams for the album’s tracks in the week ending April 7. (Each SEA unit is equal to 1,500 streams from an album.)

 

None of Pablo’s tracks were available for individual purchase, so the album debuts on the strength of only streams and traditional album sales.

 

The previous high-water mark for streaming percentage at No. 1 was notched just three weeks ago, on the April 2-dated chart, when Rihanna’s Anti returned to No. 1, with 31.3 percent of its total units (54,000) derived from streams. That week, Anti sold 17,000 in traditional album sales, while the rest of its unit total was comprised of streaming and track equivalent album units.

 

In terms of streaming units at No. 1, Pablo has the second-largest streaming sum, just barely behind the chart-topping bow of Justin Bieber’s Purpose late last year. The latter started with 67,000 SEA units -- equal to slightly more than 100 million streams of the album’s tracks. (Purpose’s overall first week unit total was 649,000, powered mostly by its strong 522,000 album sales start.)

 

The Life of Pablo was initially released on Feb. 13 via Tidal’s streaming service, and briefly as a commercial download via West’s official website. The set’s sales and its streams through Tidal were not reported to Nielsen Music, whose data powers the Billboard 200 chart, and it was thus unable to chart.

 

On April 1, the album became widely available to other streaming services, and went on sale via West and Tidal’s sites. The streams and sales of the wide release were reported to Nielsen Music, enabling its arrival on the charts.

 

The 28,000 sales reported for the album were from the two web sites, and album/ticket offers with West’s Yeezy Season 3 fashion show at Madison Square Garden in New York on Feb. 11, and its simultaneous live stream movie theater event.

 

Tickets to the New York event came with a download of Pablo, and the sales of the set were counted when and if consumers opted to redeem and download the release. For the live stream movie theater event, customers had the option to add the Pablo album to their purchase. The sales of those albums counted when they were fulfilled to the customer.

 

Both the Madison Square Garden event and the live stream theater experience are similar to previous chart-eligible offers from artists like Justin Bieber, One Direction, Ellie Goulding, Andrea Bocelli and Elton John.

 

The Life of Pablo is West’s seventh consecutive No. 1 album, and all have debuted at No. 1. Pablo follows his previous leaders Yeezus (released in 2013), Watch the Throne (the collaborative set with Jay Z, 2011), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), 808s & Heartbreak (2008), Graduation (2007) and Late Registration (2005). (West only missed the top slot once, with his debut effort, The College Dropout. It bowed and peaked at No. 2 in 2004.)

 

Chris Stapleton Surges to No. 2 on Billboard 200, Lukas Graham, Weezer and Twenty88 Debut in Top 10

By Keith Caulfield | April 10, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

 

As Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo arrives at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Chris Stapleton’s Traveller surges to No. 2, while three more sets bow in the top 10.

 

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new April 23-dated chart (where The Life of Pablo is No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s websites on Tuesday, April 12.

 

As previously reported, The Life of Pablo starts at No. 1 with 94,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending April 7, according to Nielsen Music. Streaming equivalent albums comprised the majority of its overall unit start (66,000 of its 94,000 units).

 

Stapleton’s Traveller jumps from No. 8 to No. 2 with 73,000 units and a 138 percent gain, following his multiple wins and performance on the Academy of Country Music Awards on April 3 (broadcast by CBS TV). That same day, he was additionally profiled on the network’s Sunday Morning program. In terms of traditional album sales, Traveller sold 59,000 copies, up 149 percent.

 

Traveller first hit No. 1 in the wake of another awards show, the Country Music Association Awards (CMAs, Nov. 4), where he duetted with Justin Timberlake and won three trophies. Traveller re-entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 1 following the CMAs, and spent two weeks in the penthouse.

 

Danish band Lukas Graham arrives at No. 3 with its self-titled U.S. debut, earning 59,000 units (with 34,000 in pure album sales). The set is powered by the group’s smash single “7 Years,” which was No. 2 (its peak) on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated April 16.

 

Lukas Graham nabs the largest first-week for a group’s debut full-length album in over a year, since Fifth Harmony’s Reflection debuted at No. 5 (Feb. 21, 2015-dated chart) with 80,000 units.

 

Weezer’s latest self-titled album, also known as White Album, launched at No. 4 on the new Billboard 200 with just over 49,000 units (45,000 in pure album sales). It’s the eighth top 10 effort for the band, and their fourth self-titled album.

 

Hip-hop duo Twenty88 -- comprising Big Sean and Jhene Aiko -- start at No. 5 with their self-titled album, earning 49,000 units (40,000 in album sales).

 

As for the rest of the new top 10 on the Billboard 200, Rihanna’s Anti slips 3-6 (48,000 units; down 4 percent), Zayn’s Mind of Mine falls 1-7 (44,000; down 72 percent), Justin Bieber’s Purpose dips 4-8 (41,000; down 13 percent), Adele’s 25 descends 5-9 (36,000; down 23 percent) and Twenty One Pilots’ Blurryface moves 6-10 (30,000; down 28 percent).