As predicted, Chris Brown achieves his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as “F.A.M.E.” bows atop the tally with 270,000 sold according to Nielsen SoundScan.
“F.A.M.E.” is his fourth top 10 album, following his self-titled debut (No. 2, 2005), “Exclusive” (No. 4, 2007) and “Graffiti” (No. 7, 2009). “F.A.M.E.’s” start also marks the singer’s second-best sales week — only “Exclusive’s” 294,000 bow was bigger.
Jennifer Hudson‘s sophomore effort, “I Remember Me,” comes in at No. 2 with 165,000, while last week’s No. 1, Adele’s “21,” slips to No. 3 with 96,000 (with a tiny 2% decline). For Hudson, “Me” matches the debut and peak position of her 2008 self-titled bow, which entered at No. 2 with a larger first-week: 217,000.
Brown and J.Hud are just two of the seven new entries in the top 10 — the most the region has seen since the Dec. 4, 2010 chart, when eight albums entered the top 10.
The Strokes’ “Angles” arrives at No. 4 (89,000) — marking their third straight No. 4 set after 2003’s “Room on Fire” and 2006’s “First Impressions of Earth” both debuted and peaked there as well. Their “This Is It” debut hit No. 33 in 2002.
Kirk Franklin‘s “Hello Fear” flies in at No. 5 (87,000) — his best week since “The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin” debuted at No. 4 with 91,000.
Sony Music claims the entire top five this week, the first time a distributor locked down Nos. 1-5 since the Jan. 15 chart, when Universal Music reigned.
Just outside the top five, at No. 6, the digital-exclusive charity compilation “Songs For Japan” starts at No. 6 (68,000) and Panic at the Disco’s “Vices & Virtues” bows at No. 7 (56,000). The final top 10 arrival, Bobby V’s “Fly On the Wall,” lands at No. 9 with 38,000.
Related Stories
As for the rest of the non-debuting albums in the top 10: Mumford & Sons’ “Sigh No More” shuffles 5-8 with 39,000 (down 6%) while Lupe Fiasco’s “Lasers” slides 3-10 with 29,000 (down 38%).
Over on the Digital Songs chart, Katy Perry‘s “E.T.” (featuring Kanye West) maintains the No. 1 position, selling 254,000 downloads (down 3%). Coming in at No. 2 is Wiz Khalifa‘s “No Sleep,” barging in with 244,000. The Black Eyed Peas’ “Just Can’t Get Enough” is stationary at No. 3, though it’s up 11% in sales (219,000). Rihanna‘s “S&M” steps up one rung to No. 4 (166,000; down 2%), Cee Lo Green‘s “F**k You (Forget You)” rises four to No. 5 (155,000; up 12%) and Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” slips two to No. 6 (146,000; down 20%).
Jennifer Lopez’s “On the Floor” is up one to No. 7 (143,000; up 4%), Chris Brown‘s “Look at Me Now” drops one to No. 8 (143,000; up 1%) and Ke$ha‘s “Blow” breezes up a slot to No. 9 (126,000; up 3%). Rounding out the top 10 is another debut, this time from Brown, who — with featured guest star Justin Bieber — starts at No. 10 with “Next To You” (113,000).
For those wondering if Rebecca Black‘s “Friday” moment in the sun has passed — it hasn’t. The tune rises 57-38 on Digital Songs with 50,000 sold (up 35%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending March 27) totaled 6.48 million units, up 13% compared to the sum last week (5.71 million) and up 7% compared to the comparable sales week of 2010 (6.03 million). Year to date album sales stand at 71.19 million, down 5% compared to the same total at this point last year (75.11 million).
Digital track sales this past week totaled 24.78 million downloads, down 1% compared to last week (24.92 million) and up 18% stacked next to the comparable week of 2010 (20.94 million). Year to date track sales are at 314.59 million, up 9% compared to the same total at this point last year (289.70 million).
Next week’s Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2010 when: Usher‘s “Raymond v Raymond” debuted at No. 1 with 329,000 while Bieber’s “My World 2.0” fell to No. 2 with 291,000 (actually posting a 3% gain).
