Update 2: According to Billboard, the top ten of its weekly Billboard 200 album sales chart is as follows:
1 – Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” – 792,000
2 – Celine Dion’s “Loved Me Back to Life” – 77,000
3 – The Robertsons’ “Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas” – 73,000
4 – Katy Perry’s “Prism” – 61,000
5 – Avril Lavigne’s “Avril Lavigne” – 44,000
6 – Kelly Clarkson’s “Wrapped in Red” – 43,000
7 – Drake’s “Nothing Was the Same” – 37,000
8 – Lorde’s “Pure Heroine” – 35,000
9 – Arcade Fire’s “Reflektor” – 31,000
10 – Pentatonix’ “PTX, Volume 2” – 30,000
Update: Billboard confirmed late Tuesday that Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” moved an impressive 792K copies in its first week. Ahead of initial forecasts, which were in the 700-750K range, the tally even tops the 780K estimate reported by Hits Daily Double Tuesday afternoon.
Up from the 741,000 for Em’s predecessor “Recovery,” the total ranks as the second best of the year. Only Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience,” which opened to the tune of 968,000, had a stronger week in 2013.
Nothing else was even in the same stratosphere this week. As in, within 700,000 copies of the Eminem release.
According to Hits Daily Double’s estimates, Celine Dion’s new “Loved Me Back to Life” and The Robertsons’ holdover “Duck Dynasty” album “Duck the Halls,” the chart’s next best performers, each moved 75-80K copies.
With about 61K in additional sales, Katy Pery’s “Prism” spent its third week of release in fourth place. Avril Lavigne’s new self-titled release and Kelly Clarkson’s “Wrapped in Red” will compete for fifth position on the strength of about 43K in sales.
Drake’s “Nothing was the Same” and Lorde’s “Pure Heroine” follow with about 37K and 34K, respectively, while several other albums flirt with a top ten position.
In the mix for the final two spots in that illustrious group are Arcade Fire’s “Reflektor,” Pentatonix’s “PTX, Volume 2,” Luke Bryan’s “Crash My Party” and Miley Cyrus’ “Bangerz.” All sold in the neighborhood of 30-32K.
Outside of “MMLP2,” “Loved Me Back to Life,” “Avril Lavigne” and “PTX, Volume 2,” other notable debuts included The Wanted’s “Word of Mouth” (~17K), Il Divo’s “Musical Affair” (~16K) and James Blunt’s “Moon Landing” (~15K).
