Lorde
Lorde‘s sophomore album Melodrama debuts atop this week’s Billboard 200 chart with 109,000 equivalent album units, 82,000 of which were traditional album sales. Her first album, Pure Heroine, debuted at #3 in 2014. Lorde also becomes the third woman in three weeks to hit #1 on the chart, after Katy Perry and Halsey, respectively. According to Billboard, this last occurred in 2012 with Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys and Rihanna. The last time this happened with three female acts and three new #1s was back in 2009 with Whitney Houston, Colbie Caillat and Reba.
In total, six new releases debuted in the top ten this week. Rapper 2 Chainz arrives at #2, appropriately, with his latest album Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, which earned 106,000 units. Kendrick Lamar is at #3 with DAMN. Jason Isbell hits his highest chart position ever, with The Nashville Sound debuting at #4. Veteran rockers Nickelback debut at #5 with Feel the Machine.
At #6 in More Life from Drake, followed by Ed Sheeran at #7. Young Thug debuts at #8 with Beautiful Thugger Girls, followed by folk rockers Fleet Foxes at #9 with Crack-Up. The top ten is rounded out by Bruno Mars‘ 24K Magic.
