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Katy Perry’s “Witness” Wins US Sales Race, Claims #1 On Billboard 200 (Updated)

Katy Perry scores her third #1 album as “Witness” dominates the sales and consumption races.

Update: It’s official: Katy Perry’s “Witness” is #1 on this week’s Billboard Top Album Sales and Billboard 200 charts.

It tops the former thanks to what Billboard reports as 162K pure first-week US sales. The inclusion of TEA (track sales/10) and SEA (track streams/1500) yields an opening week consumption total of 180K units, which is enough for a convincing #1 on the Billboard 200.

In addition to the obvious enthusiasm expected for a new Katy Perry album, “Witness” benefited from a promotion in which albums were bundled with tickets for Perry’s upcoming tour.

Credited with 69K units, Kendrick Lamar’s “DAMN.” takes #2 on this week’s Billboard 200. SZA’s new “Ctrl” debuts at #3 with 60K units (25K from sales), while Lady Antebellum’s new “Heart Break” starts at #4 with 53K units (47K from sales).

Drake’s “More Life,” which generated another 41K in weekly consumption units, grabs #5 on this week’s Billboard 200.
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Katy Perry’s “Witness” predictably won this week’s US album sales and consumption races.

According to BuzzAngle Music and Hits Daily Double, “Witness” sold approximately 169,522 pure US copies during the June 9-15 tracking period. By far the week’s best, the figure will earn “Witness” the #1 spot on this week’s Billboard Top Album Sales chart.

With TEA (track sales/10) and SEA (track streams/1500) included, “Witness” generated 187,338 total US consumption units. The consumption sum will position “Witness” atop the Billboard 200.

Due Sunday, Billboard’s more authoritative data will differ slightly from that reported by BuzzAngle/Hits. The discrepancies will not, however, be nearly enough to jeopardize its #1 position on the two charts.

“Witness” will be Perry’s third #1 album in the US. Her 2013 release “PRISM” and 2010 album “Teenage Dream” also debuted at #1.

This week’s top pure sales performers (via BuzzAngle):
1) Katy Perry – Witness (~169,522 pure US sales)
2) Lady Antebellum – Heart Break (~53,027)
3) Rise Against – Wolves (~24,695)
4) The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (~24,685)
5) SZA – Ctrl (~23,787)

This week’s top consumption performers (via BuzzAngle):
1) Katy Perry – Witness (~187,338 total US units)
2) Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. (~71,125)
3) Lady Antebellum – Heart Break (~60,133)
4) SZA – Ctrl (~55,209)
5) Ed Sheeran – Divide (~45,087)

Brian Cantor

Brian Cantor is the editor-in-chief for Headline Planet. He has been a leading reporter in the music, movie, television and sporting spaces since 2002. Brian's reporting has been cited by major websites like BuzzFeed, Billboard, the New Yorker and The Fader -- and shared by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj. Contact Brian at brian.cantor[at]headlineplanet.com.

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Brian Cantor