Evanescence, Killers lead U.S. pop charts
In another major week for new releases, rock bands Evanescence and the Killers, and country star
George Strait grabbed the top three slots on the U.S. pop album charts, Billboard reported Wednesday.
Evanescence’s “The Open Door” (Wind-Up) sold 447,000 copies during the week ended October 8, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Its first album, “Fallen,” spent 104 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 3 and selling more than 6.6 million copies in the United States.
“The Open Door” also marks the 700th No. 1 album on The Billboard 200 since the magazine began publishing the weekly chart 50 years ago.
The Killers’ sophomore release “Sam’s Town” (Island) sold 315,000 copies. It was the group’s best sales week and its best charting position, as its 2004 debut “Hot Fuss” peaked at No. 7. “Sam’s Town” debuted at No. 1 Sunday in Britain.
Strait scored his 30th chart entry with “It Just Comes Natural,” which opened at No. 3 with 232,000. The MCA Nashville set was also No. 1 on Top Country Albums chart, his 20th on that tally. Strait’s 2005 effort, “Somewhere Down in Texas,” bowed at No. 1 on both charts with 245,000 copies.
After earning his highest charting album ever last week,
Tony Bennett slipped one place to No. 4 with “Duets: An American Classic,” which sold 128,000 copies.
Justin Timberlake’s former chart-topper “FutureSex/LoveSounds” was No. 5 for a second week with 116,000 copies. Last week’s champ, Ludacris’ “Release Therapy” fell to No. 6 with 113,000.
Beck arrived at No. 7 with “The Information,” which sold 99,000 copies. The Interscope effort is the follow-up to last year’s “Guero,” which debuted at a career-best No. 2 with 162,000 copies, the best opening salvo of his career. As for his other albums, 2002’s “Sea Change” debuted at No. 8 with 90,000, 1999’s “Midnite Vultures” at No. 34 with 83,000, 1998’s “Mutations” at No. 13 with 75,000, 1996’s “Odelay” at No. 16 with 57,000, and 1994’s “Mellow Gold” at No. 15 with 59,000.
Monica’s fourth album, “The Makings of Me” (J), entered at No. 8 with 93,000. Its predecessor, “After the Storm,” reached No. 1 in 2003 with 186,000.
Janet Jackson’s “20 Y.O.” tumbled seven places to No. 9 with 77,000 copies in its second week. Oklahoma hard rock band Hinder’s “Extreme Behavior” held at No. 10 with 76,000.
Other big chart debuts this week included Australian rock band Jet’s sophomore album “Shine On” (No. 16, 51,000), Chris Young’s self-titled debut (No. 22, 36,000), the late Ray Charles and Count Basie’s “Ray Sings Basie Swings (No. 23, 36,000), and gospel mainstay Fred Hammond’s “Free To Worship” (No. 29, 31,000).
Indie rock act the Decemberists’ Capitol debut, “The Crane Wife,” lands at No. 35 with 26,000, by far the band’s best showings in both categories. Its 2005 Kill Rock Stars swansong, “Picaresque,” topped out at No. 128 on The Billboard 200.
Overall CD sales were up 5.6% from last week’s count and down 4.5% compared to the same week a year ago at 9.90 million units. Sales for 2006 are down 5% compared to 2005 at 403.6 million units.
Reuters/Billboard
