Jay Z Stays on Top

24 Jul, 2013

As expected, Jay Z’s “Magna Carta . . . Holy Grail” holds at No. 1 for a second week on the Billboard 200, selling 129,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan (down 76%). The set debuted atop the list last week with 528,000.

As the set retains the No. 1 crown, it’s the first rap album in nearly two years to spend two weeks at No. 1. The last rap album to rack up two weeks in the penthouse was Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter IV,” which led the Billboard 200 on the charts dated Sept. 17 and Sept. 24, 2011.

“Magna Carta . . . Holy Grail” easily blocks the arriving Sara Bareilles, who bows at No. 2 with “The Blessed Unrest,” selling 68,000 copies. The singer/songwriter’s last full-length studio album, 2010’s “Kaleidoscope Heart,” debuted at No. 1 with a start of 90,000.

Following Bareilles is the latest Kidz Bop album, “Kidz Bop 24,” entering at No. 3 with 62,000. The popular series—which mostly consists of child-friendly covers of hit songs—has now logged 17 top 10 albums. A No. 1 title still eludes the franchise, which launched in 2001 with the first “Kidz Bop” album. All of the numbered “Kidz Bop” titles—except for volumes 1-6 and 17—have debuted in the top 10.

Next up, rapper Ace Hood secures his best sales week and highest-charting album, as “Trials & Tribulations” bows at No. 4 with 34,000. His previous best week was logged with his last entry, 2011’s “Blood Sweat + Tears,” which debuted and peaked at No. 8 with 26,000.

Florida Georgia Line’s “Here’s to the Good Times” slips 4-5 with 31,000 (down 5%), Imagine Dragons’ “Night Visions” falls a rung to No. 6 with 28,000 (down 15%), and J. Cole’s “Born Sinner” dips 3-7 with 27,000 (down 32%).

The “Teen Beach Movie” soundtrack surfs in with a debut at No. 8 with 25,000, following the much-watched premiere of its companion Disney Channel film. According to Disney Channel, the movie’s bow on July 19 earned 8.4 million total viewers, making it the most-watched TV movie this year.

“Teen Beach Movie” is the first non-sequel TV movie soundtrack to debut in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 since the chart dated July 5, 2008. That week, Disney Channel’s first “Camp Rock” soundtrack bowed at No. 3.

Rounding out the top 10 are Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience,” which climbs 13-9 with 24,000 (up 33%) and the arriving Cody Simpson, at No. 10. The latter scores his best sales week yet, as “Surfers Paradise” splashes in with slightly more than 24,000. The set—his second full-length album—is also his highest-charting release.

Billboard

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