Update: Billboard confirms that Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “The Getaway” debuts at #1 on the Top Album Sales chart.
Drake’s “Views,” however, edges the album in total consumption, thus earning an eighth straight week atop the Billboard 200.
Per Billboard data, “The Getaway” sold 108K pure US albums during the June 17-23 tracking week. Though down from the 229K shifted by previous album “I’m With You,” the count more than doubles that achieved by this week’s #2 seller (Radiohead’s “A Moon Shaped Pool,” 46K).
With TEA (track sales/10) and SEA (track streams/1500) added to the pure sales total, “The Getaway” generated 118K in weekly consumption units. That is enough for #2 on the Billboard 200; Drake’s “Views,” which generated 124K, takes #1.
While the majority of the “Views” units (70K) came from streams, it is worth noting that the album did receive a pure sales boost this week. Aided by a $6.99 discount that was introduced late in the week at key retailers, “Views” enjoyed a 25% lift in weekly sales to 33K. This marked the first frame in which it posted a week-to-week gain in pure sales.
Beyonce’s “Lemonade” rises one place to #3 on this week’s Billboard 200 with 49K units. “Hamilton: An American Musical” slips a spot to #4 with just under 49K, while the aforementioned “A Moon Shaped Pool” re-enters the chart at #5 with 48K total weekly units.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “The Getaway” predictably won the weekly US album sales race, but an early report says it will not dethrone Drake’s “Views” on the Billboard 200.
According to sales data posted by Hits Daily Double, which typically differs only slightly from the final Billboard data, “The Getaway” sold ~105,855 pure US copies during the June 17-23 tracking week. While down sharply from the 229,000 sold by previous album “I’m With You,” the figure roughly triples that posted by any other album this week. It will easily be enough for #1 on Top Album Sales.
With Track Equivalent Albums (track sales/10) and Streaming Equivalent Albums (track streams/1500) added to the pure sales total, Hits says “The Getaway” generated ~116,678 in weekly consumption units. That should slot RHCP’s album at #2 on the consumption-oriented Billboard 200.
Thanks to what Hits reports as ~121,540 in weekly consumption, Drake’s “Views” will earn an eighth straight week at #1.
While streaming has been at the center of the album’s dominance — and SEA, again, contributes the most consumption units — it is worth noting that an increase in pure album sales gave “Views” the edge this week.
Aided by a midweek reduction to $6.99 at key retailers, “Views” sold approximately 33,391 pure US album copies this week. That represents a week-to-week gain of 25% (or about 6700 copies) from last week’s final figure; while
Based on Hits’ data, “Views” led “The Getaway” by fewer than 5,000 total consumption units. Had it not received the spike in sales, it thus may have ceded its Billboard 200 throne (there is no way to know for sure, as it is possible those who bought the album at the discounted price would have otherwise bought individual tracks or more actively streamed the album).
It is important, of course, to remember that Billboard’s final data will not precisely match that reported by Hits. There is no reason to assume the discrepancy will result in “The Getaway” — not “Views” — being named #1 on the BIllboard 200, but Drake fans may want to wait until the final report emerges before celebrating an eighth week on top.
Per Hits, this week’s leaders in pure album sales included Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “The Getaway” (~105,855), Radiohead’s “A Moon Shaped Pool” (~35,945 pure US sales), Mumford & Sons’ “Johannesburg” EP (~34,503), Drake’s “Views” (~33,391), Beyonce’s “Lemonade” (~31,692), “Hamilton: An American Musical” cast recording (~31,083), YG’s “Still Brazy” (~28,208), Jon Pardi’s “California Sunrise” (~22,468), Chris Stapleton’s “Traveller” (~19,910) and Meghan Trainor’s “Thank You” (~18,878).
This week’s leaders in total consumption included “Views” (~121,540), “The Getaway” (~116,678), “Lemonade” (~47,508), “Hamilton” (~46,850), “Still Brazy” (~38,676), “A Moon Shaped Pool” (~38,124), “Johannesburg” (~36,874), Rihanna’s “ANTI” (~36,437), twenty one pilots’ “Blurryface” (~35,971) and “Thank You” (~35,009).
