One of the tightest album sales races in recent memory fell in favor of The Black Keys’ “Turn Blue.”
With 164,000 debut week sales, that album topped the second posthumous Michael Jackson album to give The Black Keys its first number one on the Billboard 200. “Xscape,” the Jackson album, moved 157,000 copies in its inaugural frame.
While up from initial forecasts, both totals were down from those of the artists’ preceding releases.
NOW 50, last week’s number one, claimed third with sales of 82,000. The “Frozen” soundtrack notched fourth with 73,000 in sales, while the Rascal Flatts’ new “Rewind” landed in fifth with a modest 61,000.
Dolly Parton’s “Blue Smoke” followed with 37,000 sales, while Tori Amos’ “Unrepentant Geraldines” earned seventh place on the strength of 20,000.
Sarah McLachlan’s “Shine On” (18,000, #8), Hunter Hayes’ “Storyline” (16,000, #9) and Michael W. Smith’s “Sovereign” (16,000, #10) complete the top ten.
