Update: Billboard has made the news official: U2’s “Songs Of Experience” is #1 on this week’s Top Album Sales and Billboard 200 charts.
It tops the former with what Billboard reports as 180K in pure opening week US sales. The sales figure includes a boost from a tour bundle, in which consumers were able to redeem for an album with their ticket purchases.
With TEA (track sales/10) and SEA (track streams/1500) included, “Songs Of Experience” generated 189K in opening week consumption units. That figure is enough for #1 on the Billboard 200.
Chris Stapleton’s new “From A Room, Volume 2” takes #2 on the Billboard 200 with 125K units, while Taylor Swift’s “reputation” slips to #3 courtesy of its 112K tracking week units.
Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” (68K) and Pentatonix’s “A Very Pentatonix Christmas” (66K) take #4 and #5, respectively.
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Making good on mid-week projections, U2’s “Songs Of Experience” won this week’s US album sales and consumption races.
According to Hits Daily Double and BuzzAngle, “Songs Of Experience” sold approximately 169,991 pure US copies during the December 2-8 tracking week.
The inclusion of TEA (track sales/10) and SEA (track streams/1500) yields a first-week consumption total of ~176,475.
Due Sunday, Billboard’s more authoritative data may differ slightly from that reported by Hits and BuzzAngle. The discrepancies should not, however, affect the overall outcomes.
The pure sales total will earn “Song Of Experience” #1 on Billboard Top Album Sales, while the consumption figure will be enough for #1 on the Billboard 200.
In addition to the enthusiasm expected for a new U2 release, “Songs Of Experience” benefited from a concert ticket/album bundle promotion. Albums redeemed as part of the bundle count toward sales.
This week’s pure sales leaders (via Hits/BuzzAngle):
U2 – Songs Of Experience (169,991 pure US sales)
Chris Stapleton – From A Room, Volume 2 (121,551)
Taylor Swift – reputation (62,950)
Pentatonix – A Pentatonix Christmas (49,207)
Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me (45,947) [this week’s figure includes redemptions on a ticket bundle]
This week’s total consumption leaders (via Hits/BuzzAngle):
U2 – Songs Of Experience (176,475 total US units)
Chris Stapleton – From A Room, Volume 2 (130,950)
Taylor Swift – reputation (99,411)
Ed Sheeran – Divide (65,795)
Pentatonix – A Pentatonix Christmas (65,519)
