Katy Perry Does it Again

30 Oct, 2013

Katy Perry’s new “PRISM” album debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this week, selling 286,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The most recent tracking week ended Sunday, Oct. 27.

It’s the largest sales week this year for an album by a woman and the second-largest for a pop effort. Among women, she surpasses Miley Cyrus’ “Bangerz” for the year’s biggest sales week. (“Bangerz” bowed at No. 1 with 270,000 three weeks ago.) Among pop sets, only Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” had a larger frame this year, when it debuted with 339,000.

“PRISM” also tallies the debut largest week for a female pop artist’s album since Madonna’s “MDNA” bowed at No. 1 with 359,000 on the April 14, 2012, chart.

“PRISM” is Perry’s second No. 1 album, following her last release, 2010’s “Teenage Dream.” “PRISM” also captures Perry’s biggest sales week yet, stepping ahead of her previous high-water mark, when “Teenage” launched with 192,000.

While Perry’s “PRISM” brightens the top of the chart, the rest of the albums on the tally sell far fewer copies. In fact, “PRISM” outsells the Nos. 2-9 albums combined. In turn, overall album sales fell to a historic low this past week: 4.49 million albums were sold, falling below the SoundScan-era (1991-present) low that was set in the week ending Sept. 15 (4.54 million).

Meanwhile, last week’s No. 1 album, Pearl Jam’s “Lightning Bolt,” falls to No. 2 with 46,000 in its second week. It’s down by 72%.

Billboard

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