On the most recent Billboard 200 chart (dated Sept. 5), Luke Bryan’s Kill the Lights held on to the No. 1 slot for a second week, as the album shifted another 99,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Aug. 20 (according to Nielsen Music).
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the week’s most popular albums based on their overall consumption. That overall unit figure combines pure album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).
Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the action on the Sept. 5 chart:
— Dr. Dre, The Chronic – No. 38 — Publicity generated by the release of the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton spurs lots of chart action for the rap group and its various members. A total of 10 N.W.A-related albums (those by the group or its members) dot the tally. One of those is Dr. Dre’s debut solo album The Chronic, which vaults 75-38 (11,000 units; up 47 percent). It’s the set’s first visit to the top 40 in almost 22 years: it was last in the region on the Oct. 30, 1993-dated chart. The Chronic peaked at No. 3 for six nonconsecutive weeks that year, and spun off three top 40 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” (peaking at No. 2), “Dre Day” (No. 8) and “Let Me Ride” (No. 34).
— Soundtrack, True Detective: Music From the HBO Series – No. 106 — HBO’s hit show earns its first soundtrack, as this new set — which blends music heard in both seasons of the drama series — debuts with nearly 6,000 units. It also starts at No. 3 on the Soundtracks chart.
— New Politics, Vikings – No. 129 — Rock band New Politics charts a new course — with a new label — as the group arrives at No. 129 on the Billboard 200 (5,000 units) and No. 1 on Heatseekers Albums with Vikings. Released through DCD2/Warner Bros. Records, it’s the act’s first album after two efforts for RCA Records. The new release starts with 5,000 pure albums sold in the week ending Aug. 20, according to Nielsen Music, and also launches at No. 16 on Top Rock Albums.
Vikings’ first single, “Everywhere I Go (Kings and Queens)” peaked at No. 19 on Alternative in Dec. 2014. It was followed by “West End Kids,” which climbed to No. 25.
— Madonna, The Immaculate Collection – No. 187 — The diva’s first greatest hits album returns to the list (4,000 units; up 11 percent) for the first time since February of 2014. The set peaked at No. 2 for two weeks in early 1991 (behind Vanilla Ice’s To the Extreme). The Immaculate Collection is one of Madonna’s six No. 2-peaking albums, making her one of the handful of acts with as many runner-up sets. Alongside her are the Beatles, Tim McGraw (with seven!), the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra and Rod Stewart. All of those artists, however, have also earned multiple No. 1 albums in addition to their many No. 2-peaking efforts.
— Emily West, All For You — No. 188 — Former America’s Got Talent contestant Emily West bows at No. 188 with her debut full-length album All For You (3,000). West competed on the ninth season of the competition TV series in 2014, and finished in second place.
The new album — a pop effort released on SYCO/Portrait/Sony Masterworks — features covers of The Moody Blues’ “Nights In White Satin” and Sia’s “Chandelier” as well as West-penned songs. All For You also starts at No. 2 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.
Before West graced the America’s Got Talent stage, she previously visited Billboard’s charts between 2008 and 2012. While with Capitol Nashville, she scored two Hot Country Songs hits with “Rocks In Your Shoes” (No. 39 in 2008) and “Blue Sky” (featuring Keith Urban, No. 38 in 2010). In 2012, her self-releasedI Hate You I Love You EP reached No. 7 on Folk Albums.
