Drake Tops Charts Again

Drake is once again on top of the Billboard charts.

More Life is the first album to spend its first three chart weeks at No. 1 since Drake’s own Views, back on June 4, 2016. (Views spent its first nine weeks at No. 1, following its debut atop the tally dated May 21. Views then later returned three more weeks in the penthouse from July 30-Aug. 13, and then one further frame at No. 1 on Oct. 8.)

‘The Life of Pablo’ Goes Platinum

Kanye West

Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo has gone platinum:

An album typically goes platinum after selling 1 million copies. But last year the RIAA announced guidelines that would let streaming number contribute to an album’s certified status. They decided that 150 streams of a song would equal one song download, and 10 song downloads would equal one album download. That means an artist’s songs would have to be streamed 1,500 times for it to be counted as an album sale.

So if 1,500 streams equals one album sale, and you multiply that by the 1 million album sales needed to go platinum, you get a minimum requirement of 1.5 billion steams needing to get an album certified platinum.

Drake Tops the Charts Again

Drake once again has the top album in the country.

More Life continues to be a streaming powerhouse in its second week, as traditional album sales equaled 43,000 while it collected another 169,000 SEA units (the second largest streaming week ever for an album, behind only More Life’s debut). The rest of the title’s units came from TEA (13,000).

Drake Tops Billboard Charts

Drake has the number one album in the country this week:

The Beauty and the Beast soundtrack is pushed down one spot to No. 4, despite a 74 percent gain in units. The set earned 99,000 units in the week (up from its debut of 57,000 units), as the album profits from publicity generated by its parent film’s blockbuster opening in theaters on March 17.

Ed Sheeran Tops the Charts Again

Ed Sheeran is once again at the top of the charts this week:

A step below Sheeran on the new Billboard 200 is Metallica’s Hardwired… To Self-Destruct, which holds at No. 2 with 102,000 units (up 25 percent) and 100,000 in traditional album sales (up 26 percent). The set continues to profit largely from a concert ticket/album bundle sale redemption promotion with the act’s stadium tour that went on sale on Feb. 17.

Ed Sheeran Tops the Charts

Ed Sheeran has the number one album in the country this week:

Ed Sheeran’s ÷ (Divide) blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, earning a whopping 451,000 equivalent album units in the week ending March 9, according to Nielsen Music. That’s the largest week for an album in 2017, and the biggest since J. Cole’s 4 Your Eyez Only launched at No. 1 with 492,000 on the Dec. 31, 2016-dated list.

Future First Artist in History to Have Back-to-Back Number One Albums

Future is the first artist in history to have two different number one albums two weeks in a row:

Future is the first act in the nearly 61-year history of the chart to achieve back-to-back No. 1 debuts in successive weeks. The rapper is also the first artist to succeed himself at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 at all (counting not only debuts) since 1968. He’s additionally the first soloist ever to claim the honor.

Big Sean Tops the Billboard Charts

Big Sean has the number one album this week. Lady Gaga climbed all the way back to number two after her Super Bowl performance:

Big Sean nabs his second No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as I Decided. debuts atop the list, earning 151,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Feb. 9, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 65,000 were in traditional album sales. I Decided. was released on Feb. 3 through G.O.O.D./Def Jam Recordings.

Migos Tops the Charts This Week

Migos has the number one album this week:

Culture’s debut was driven by streams of its songs, as streaming equivalent album units accounted for 59 percent of the set’s first-week total (77,000 of 131,000). The album sold 44,000 in traditional album sales and earned 10,000 in track equivalent album units.

John Mayer Debuts at Number Two on Charts

The Weeknd stay at the top of the charts, John Mayer debuts at number two, and AFI are at number five:

John Mayer notches his eighth top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as his new EP, The Search for Everything: Wave One, debuts at No. 2. The set, which was released on Jan. 20 through Columbia Records, earned 49,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Jan. 26 (according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 38,000 were in traditional album sales (all downloads, as the EP was sold exclusively through digital retailers).

The xx Debut at Number Two on Charts

The xx

The xx have debuted at number two on this week’s Billboard charts while The Weeknd stays at number one (completely due to streaming):

The xx scores its highest charting album ever on the Billboard 200 chart, as the alternative band’s third studio album, I See You, debuts at No. 2. The set earned 46,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Jan. 19, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 36,000 were in traditional album sales.

I’ve been hearing this album everywhere over the past week.

‘La La Land’ Soundtrack Lands at Number Two on Charts

The La La Land soundtrack has hit number two on this week’s Billboard charts. The Weeknd remains at number one.

Meanwhile, following La La Land’s big night at the Golden Globe Awards, the film’s soundtrack flies from No. 15 to No. 2. Starboy earned 63,000 equivalent album units (down 10 percent) in the week ending Jan. 12, according to Nielsen Music, while La La Land jumps to the runner-up slot with 42,000 units (up 83 percent).

The Weeknd Again Tops the Charts

The Weeknd has returned to the top of the Billboard charts:

The Moana film soundtrack rises from No. 6 to No. 2 with 64,000 units (up 21 percent) and 44,000 in traditional album sales (up 37 percent — it is the best selling album of the week). It’s the only title in the top 10 to post a gain in either total units or sales, so, for the most part, albums with a small decline in units will rise up the list. That is typical for the first tracking week after the holiday shopping season and Christmas — when the chart adjusts to normal non-holiday business.