Pentatonix Scores First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart
A cappella group Pentatonix achieves its first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, as its new self-titled album debuts atop the tally. Also starting in the top 10: Demi Lovato, Machine Gun Kelly, The…
A cappella group Pentatonix achieves its first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, as its new self-titled album debuts atop the tally. The set was released on Oct. 16 through RCA Records, and starts with slightly more than 98,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Oct. 22, according to Nielsen Music.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new Nov. 7-dated chart (where Pentatonix is No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s Web sites on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Pentatonix’s latest album is their first full-length non-covers set (minus one reworking of Shai’s “If Ever I Fall In Love,” featuring Jason Derulo). Pentatonix is their fifth consecutive top 10 effort, following That’s Christmas to Me (No. 2 in 2014), PTX: Vol. III (EP) (No. 5, also in 2014), PTX: Vol. II (No. 10, 2013) and PTXMAS (EP) (No. 7 in 2013). The quintet logged one earlier chart entry, their 2012 debut PTX: Volume 1, which bowed and peaked at No. 14.
Pentatonix sold 88,000 in pure album sales — the act’s best opening week — ranking it at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart. (Pentatonix’s single largest sales week came in the frame ending Nov. 30, 2014, when That’s Christmas to Me moved 217,000 copies in its sixth week on sale.)
The new album’s first single, “Can’t Sleep Love,” is the group’s first airplay chart hit aside from their Christmas music. “Can’t Sleep Love” debuted on the Adult Pop Songs airplay chart (dated Oct. 31) at No. 37, and rose 25-21 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Previously, Pentatonix’s only airplay hits came on the Adult Contemporary tally with three holiday tunes from their Christmas album: “Little Drummer Boy” (No. 27 peak), the title track (No. 3) and “Mary, Did You Know?” (No. 20).
Demi Lovato’s new Confident set debuts at No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200 chart with 98,000 units, giving the singer/actress her fifth straight top five-charting album. It follows Demi (No. 3 in 2013), Unbroken (No. 4, 2011), Here We Go Again (No. 1, 2009) and debut, Don’t Forget (No. 2, 2008).
Confident moved 77,000 in pure album sales, placing it at No. 2 on the Top Album Sales chart. Her new album was released through Safehouse Records in partnership with Island Records and Hollywood Records. The latter label has been Lovato’s home since her 2008 debut.
Confident was led by the single “Cool for the Summer,” which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 3 on the Pop Songs airplay chart. It was followed by the album’s title track, which reentered the Hot 100 (dated Oct. 31) at No. 58, and climbed 26-24 on the Pop Songs tally.
The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness is steady at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 62,000 units (down 19 percent).
Rapper Machine Gun Kelly collects his second top 10 effort, as General Admission checks in at No. 4 with 56,000 units (49,000 in pure album sales). He previously visited the region in 2012 with his last studio effort, Lace Up, which debuted and peaked at No. 4 (51,000 sold in its first week).
He also earns his first No. 1s on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Rap Albums charts, as General Admission bows atop both tallies.
Fetty Wap’s self-titled former No. 1 falls one rung to No. 5 on the new Billboard 200, with 48,000 units (down 10 percent).
The Game’s The Documentary 2.5 starts at No. 6 (nearly 48,000 units; with 42,000 in album sales). It follows The Documentary 2, which debuted at No. 2 a week ago (and falls to No. 11 this week).
Last week’s No. 1, Selena Gomez’s Revival, slips to No. 7 with 46,000 units (down 61 percent), Drake & Future’s What a Time to Be Alive moves 5-8 with 43,000 (down 12 percent), and Taylor Swift’s 1989 falls 6-9 with 37,000 (down 1 percent).
Closing out the top 10 is rock act Coheed and Cambria with its new album The Color Before the Sun debuting at No. 10 (32,000 units). It’s the sixth top 10 effort for the band, and marks their sixth straight studio set to reach the top 10, following: The Afterman: Descension (No. 9 in 2013), The Afterman: Ascension (No. 5, 2012), Year of the Black Rainbow (No. 5, 2010), No World for Tomorrow (No. 6, 2007) and Good Apollo I’m Burning Star IV (No. 7, 2005).