On the latest Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Sept. 2), Kesha scores her second No. 1 with the arrival of Rainbow. The set earned 117,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Aug. 17, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 90,000 were in traditional album sales.
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 latest Billboard 200 chart:
— Khalid, American Teen - No. 4 — Breakout R&B singer Khalid reaches the top five for the first time on the Billboard 200 as debut album American Teen vaults 10-4 in its 24th week on the list (32,000 units, up 17 percent). The set surpasses its initial peak of No. 9.
The gain is owed to sale pricing in the iTunes Store, where the album was discounted to $5.99 during the tracking frame, as well as continued robust performance on streaming services. The album tallied a 107 percent gain in traditional album sales, rising to 6,000 sold — its best sales week since its debut frame of 12,000 in March. The set also rises 78-23 on Top Album Sales. American Teen has sold 80,000 copies so far.
As for its steady streaming action, the set has triggered 826 million on-demand audio streams for its songs, including 312 million for hit single “Location.”
— Soundtrack, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 - No. 21 — The movie’s digital home video release on Aug. 8, along with the soundtrack’s wide vinyl debut on Aug. 11, helps the album rise 62-21 with greatest gainer honors (18,000 units; up 98 percent). The set’s vinyl edition sold 6,000 copies and tops the Vinyl Albumschart. The first Guardians album was a robust performer on vinyl, selling 134,000 copies out of its overall total of 1.9 million.
— Original Broadway Cast Recording, Hamilton: An American Musical – No. 22 — The original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton: An American Musicalcontinues its remarkable run on the Billboard 200. The album, now in its 99th consecutive week on the tally, rises 26-22 with 18,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Aug. 17, according to Nielsen Music. The set is up 5 percent in units and 11 percent in traditional album sales, having sold 7,000 copies in the latest frame.
Notably, that 11 percent sales bump is the largest percentage gain for the album since December 2016, when the album rose 34 percent in the lead-up to Christmas during the week ending Dec. 22.
The album’s latest gains are owed to publicity for the musical’s opening in Los Angeles, at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, on Aug. 16. The show’s national tour moved into the venue and began preview performances on Aug. 11 (the first day of the latest tracking week). Of Hamilton’s 7,000 copies sold, 19 percent of that sum came from the L.A. area. In fact, sales in the region jumped by 127 percent. (More copies of Hamilton were sold in Los Angeles during the week than in both New York and Chicago combined, and both cities host their own Hamiltonresidencies.)
— Dodie, You (EP) – No. 55 — British YouTuber and singer-songwriter Dodie debuts at No. 55 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on Americana/Folk Albums with her second EP, You (10,000 units; 8,000 in album sales). The entertainer has 1.2 million subscribers to her YouTube channel and has amassed over 145 million views.
— Bebe Rexha, All Your Fault, Pt. 2 - No. 69 — The singer’s new EP bows with 9,000 units (3,000 in album sales). The set includes a collaboration with Florida Georgia Line (“Meant to Be”), which starts at No. 25 on the Digital Song Saleschart.
— Drake, Nothing Was the Same & Lady Gaga, The Fame - Nos. 117 & 169 —Both albums celebrate their 200th weeks on the chart, as Nothing Was the Sameclimbs 119-117 and The Fame steps 171-169. Nothing Was the Same was Drake’s third full-length album, and debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated Oct. 12, 2013. Since its arrival on the tally, it has been on the list almost every week. It has only been absent from the list in four separate weeks since its debut. It’s Drake’s second-longest charting album – only Take Care has been on the list longer (233 weeks, so far). As for Lady Gaga’s The Fame, the diva’s debut effort entered the chart dated Nov. 15, 2008 at No. 17, on its way to a No. 2 peak on the Jan. 16, 2010-dated list. It’s Gaga’s longest-charting album.
— Emily Saliers, Murmuration Nation - No. 158 — Saliers (one-half of Indigo Girls) starts at No. 158 with her debut solo set (5,000 units; nearly all from traditional album sales). The effort also bows at No. 6 on Americana/Folk Albumsand at No. 29 on Top Rock Albums.
