Coldplay hang on to US glory

Coldplay hang on to US glory

09:31 | Friday July 4, 2008

By Alan Jones

In the first static top three of the year, Coldplay’s Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends chalks up a second week at number one, with sales of 249,000 taking its 14-day sales tally to more than 970,000 copies – enough for it to rank fifth in the year-to-date listings.

The album is the first by a rock group to spend two consecutive weeks at number one since The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium a little over two years ago, and the first by a British group to enjoy a 14-day residency since their own X&Y was top for three weeks in 2005.

Rapper Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III continues at number two on sales of 209,000, while the Camp Rock soundtrack is unmoved at number three on sales of 169,000.

Of 22 debuts, three land in the Top 10. Veteran rockers Motley Crue lead the new intake, debuting at number four with Saints Of Los Angeles on sales of 99,000. It’s their highest charting album in 11 years.

Three 6 Mafia’s third top five album, Last 2 Walk, sold 77,000 copies to debut at number five for the rap duo, while rockers Shinedown hit the Top 10 for the first time with their second album, The Sound Of Madness, in at number eight on sales of 50,000.

Leona Lewis’ Spirit bucks the trend to claim increased sales in a market that is down 7.6%. It rises 17-16 with a 4% increase in sales to 29,000. Duffy’s Rockview suffers a 1% dip in sales to 27,000 but remains at number 18.

British acts claim the biggest decline and the biggest increase in sales on the entire chart. Judas Priest suffer the biggest fall, with their concept album Nostrodamus diving 11-40 with sales of 13,000 – a 69% fall week-on-week. Meanwhile, first Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts’ One Chance enjoys an 806% surge to sell 4,900 copies and re-enters the chart at number 143, following his appearance on NBC’s morning TV show Today.

Billy Idol registers his 10th US chart album in a chart career that stretches back 27 years. Idol first charted in 1981 with Don’t Stop, which peaked at number 71.

1983’s Rebel Yell was both his highest charting and biggest-selling album in the States, reaching number six and selling more than 2m copies. His latest chart entry comes from Idolize Yourself – The Very Best Of, which debuts at number 73 on sales of 9,000. That means it has already surpassed – though only just - 2001’s Greatest Hits, which spent six months in the chart and peaked at number 74.

Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black rebounds 88-68 on its 68th week in the chart, with sales up 17% to 9,000. It brings the album’s overall sales Stateside to more than 2m.

On the Hot 100 singles chart, Kate Perry’s controversial I Kissed A Girl remains in pole position. It’s a truly international effort with writers from the USA (Perry and Dr. Luke), Sweden (Max Martin) and the UK (Cathy Dennis, for whom it’s the first US number one).

Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love continues at number three on the Hot 100, while Coldplay’s Viva La Vida holds at number six but Natasha Bedingfield’s Pocketful Of Sunshine dips 5-10. Taking its place at number five is Burnin’ Up by The Jonas Brothers, which is the highest new entry on the chart in 2008.