The Raconteurs (photo: Olivia Jean)
The Raconteurs‘ first album in over a decade, Help Us Stranger, debuts at #1 on this week’s Billboard 200 chart. According to Nielsen Music‘s data, Help Us Stranger earned 88,000 equivalent album units, 84,000 were in album sales. As most major releases are these days, it was boosted by an album/ticket bundle for the band’s upcoming tour. Help Us Stranger‘s debut was also powered by vinyl sales, unsurprising as the band is co-fronted by Jack White, who released the album via his vinyl-friendly Third Man Records label. Nielsen Music reported that The Raconteurs sold 25,000 vinyl LPs, the largest week for vinyl this year and the sixth largest since 1991 overall.
Lil Nas X, the rapper behind the smash hit “Old Town Road,” arrives at #2 with his debut EP 7. Its numbers were driven by primarily streaming, along with digital downloads, as 7 is not available in any physical format yet.
Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? is at #3, followed by Jonas Brothers at #4 with Happiness Begins and Free Spirit from Khalid at #5. Lizzo‘s Cuz I Love You climbs to #6, in part due to a sale in the iTunes Store. The third top 10 debut this week comes from veteran rapper Gucci Mane and his latest release Delusions of Grandeur.
The top 10 is rounded out by DaBaby (#8), Ariana Grande (#9) and Polo G (#10).
