Update: While the final Billboard total was not as strong as that reported by Hits Daily Double, it was easily enough to give Breaking Benjamin its best sales week ever — and its first #1.
“Dark Before Dawn” lands atop the Top Album Sales chart thanks to the 135,000 pure copies during the June 22-28 tracking week. That total narrowly bests the 134,000 moved by 2009 predecessor “Dear Agony.”
With Track Equivalent Albums (10 single sales = 1 album sale) and Streaming Equivalent Albums (1500 single streams = 1 album sale) included, the album’s first week consumption total clocks in at 141,000 units. That earns it the #1 spot on the revamped Billboard 200.
The BB200’s Top 10 follows:
1) Breaking Benjamin – Dark Before Dawn – 141K total units (135K from sales)
2) Tori Kelly – Unbreakable Smile – 75K total units (65K from sales)
3) Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material – 60K total units (55K from sales)
4) Taylor Swift – 1989 – 54K total units
5) James Taylor – Before This World – 50K total units
6) Leon Bridges – 42K total units
7) Ed Sheeran – x – 35K total units
8) Sam Hunt – Montevallo – 30K total units
9) Maroon 5 – V – 27K total units
10) Teen Beach 2 – 24K total units
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For the first time in its career, Breaking Benjamin won a weekly album sales race.
According to Hits Daily Double, the band’s “Dark Before Dawn” moved approximately 141,134 copies during the June 22-28 tracking week. While Billboard’s more authoritative data will differ slightly, it will not change the ultimate conclusion: “Dark Before Dawn” will debut atop the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.
“Dark Before Dawn” is Breaking Benjamin’s first studio album since 2009’s “Dear Agony.” That album moved 134,000 pure copies in its first week.
With Track Equivalent Albums (10 single sales = 1 album sale) and Streaming Equivalent Albums (1500 single streams = 1 album sale) included, the album’s first week consumption total registers at ~145,365. That count will earn “Dark Before Dawn” the #1 spot on the revamped Billboard 200.
In terms of pure album sales, the week’s other top performers include Tori Kelly’s “Unbreakable Smile” (~65,002 sales), Kacey Musgraves’ “Pageant Material” (~53,549), James Taylor’s “Before This World” (~50,594) and Leon Bridges’ “Coming Home” (~36,348).
In terms of total consumption, the week’s other top performers include “Unbreakable Smile” (~66,937 units), “Pageant Material” (~57,575), “Before This World” (~51,719) and Taylor Swift’s “1989” (~44,854)**.
**Note: Last week, a significant disparity existed between Hits Daily Double’s “1989” unit total and Billboard/Nielsen’s final data. It remains to be seen if that was a one-time issue or an ongoing difference in how the two outlets are tabulating the album’s performance.
