Billboard 200: 8/18/12: Rick Ross No. 1- 218,000

[HolidayGuy]

Starting with info from Hip Hop DX, which posts Current Albums rankings:

1. Rick Ross, God Forgives, I Don't: 218,000 (219,000)

5. Nas, Life Is Good: 32,000 (226,000)

13. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange: 20,000 (238,000)

27. Maybach Music Group Presents..., Self Made, Volume 2: 11,000 (201,000)

42. Flo Rida, Wild Ones: 7,500 (68,000)

44. Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded: 7,300 (606,000)

77. Aer, The Bright Side: 5,200

146. 8Ball, Life's Quest: 2,700 (6,600)

176. La Coka Nostra, Masters Of The Dark Arts:2,400 (2,500)

196. Big K.R.I.T., Live From The Underground: 2,000 (81,000)

[Deleted]

Big difference between #1 and #5

[HolidayGuy]

Heck, even #1 and #2. :)

[Wave.]

Huhh!(Rick Ross voice).

[Deleted]

Aug 8, 2012 9:53:31 GMT -5 HolidayGuy said:

Heck, even #1 and #2. :)

True but I can't see #2 in this thread yet

[HolidayGuy]

www.billboard.com/column/chartbeat#/news/rick-ross-scores-fourth-no-1-album-with-1007775952.story

Rick Ross Scores Fourth No. 1 Album with 'God Forgives, I Don't'
by Keith Caulfield, L.A. | August 08, 2012

As projected last week, rapper Rick Ross claims his fourth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 as "God Forgives, I Don't" bows atop the list with 218,000 sold according to Nielsen SoundScan.

That gives the Maybach mogul his best sales week yet, topping the 198,000 that "Trilla" opened with at No. 1 in 2008. Ross has previously led the chart with with 2006's "Port of Miami," "Trilla" and 2009's "Deeper Than Rap."

Ross has now collected more No. 1 albums than some rappers with longer histories on the Billboard 200: like Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg, who both have three No. 1s. (Though, Ross is still far behind the man with the most No. 1s among all rap acts: Jay-Z, who has 12 toppers.)

The first-week sales of "God Forgives, I Don't" were also buoyed by Amazon MP3, which has priced the title for $5 for the entire month of August. The set sold 90,000 downloads last week and easily arrives at No. 1 on the Digital Albums chart.

At No. 2 this week in the Billboard 200, Zac Brown Band's "Uncaged" slips a slot with 39,000 (down 18%). With a fourth week in the top two, it's only the second album this year to spend a month or longer in the region. The other is Adele's "21," which has claimed 22 frames in the top two this year.

Justin Bieber's "Believe" rises 6-3 (35,000; up less than 1%) while pop group One Direction sees its "Up All Night" climb 7-4 (34,000; up 1%).

Another pop act, but of a slightly different vintage, makes a stunning reentry at No. 5, as Bee Gees' "Number Ones" returns with 32,000 (up 3,049%). Credit the wild gain in sales to Amazon MP3, which priced the 20-song set for 99 cents from Aug. 3-5, thus sparking its increase. (97% of the set's sales last week were downloads, and likely nearly all from Amazon.)

The reentry gives the iconic pop trio its highest charting album since January of 1980, when "Greatest" hit No. 1. It's also the group's first top 10 since the "Staying Alive" soundtrack reached No. 6 in 1983, and its ninth top 10 overall.

Nas' "Life Is Good" falls 2-6 (just under 32,000; down 29%), the "Kidz Bop 22" album slides 5-7 (31,000; down 11%), Adele's "21" rises 9-8 (29,000; down 5%) and Maroon 5's "Overexposed" is up one to No. 9 with 25,000 (up 7%).

Closing out the top 10 is Joss Stone's "The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2," debuting at No. 10 with 24,000. It's the singer's fourth top 10 album and follows 2011's "LP1," which launched at No. 9 with 30,000. Stone's first "Soul Sessions" album -- the EP that was her breakthrough chart debut -- reached No. 39 on the Billboard 200.

Right outside the top 10 is country trio Gloriana, which debuts its second album, "A Thousand Miles Left Behind" at No. 11 with 23,000. Had Amazon MP3 not opted to sale price the Bee Gees' "Number Ones" last week, Gloriana could have nabbed its second top 10 set. The group's first top 10 came with its self-titled debut album, which bowed and peaked at No. 3 in 2009 off a 44,000 start.

Over on the Digital Songs chart, "American Idol" winner Phillip Phillips zooms from No. 47 to No. 1 with "Home," selling 228,000 (up 472%) -- all thanks to the Olympics. The song was repeatedly used during NBC's broadcast of the women's gymnastics competitions throughout the week. This is "Home's" second-best sales week -- only its debut frame of 278,000 was larger.

Further, it's the first time "Home" has been the top selling song of the week, as it debuted at No. 2 the week after he won "Idol" in May. He was blocked that week from the top -- on the chart dated June 9 -- by Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe." It was in its second week at No. 1, with 301,000.

Flo Rida's "Whistle" is thus pushed out of the No. 1 slot by Phillips, down to No. 2, with 222,000 (down 6%). Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" slips 2-3 with 166,000 (down 8%) and fun.'s "Some Nights" holds at No. 4 with 139,000 (up 7%).

Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" falls 3-5 (130,000; down 13%), Cher Lloyd's "Want U Back" moves 5-6 (122,000; down 5%) and Justin Bieber's "As Long As You Love Me" (featuring Big Sean) jumps 14-7 (just over 122,000; up 56%).

Ellie Goulding's "Lights" descends 7-8 (120,000; down 2%), Owl City & Jepsen's "Good Time" drops 8-9 (118,000; down 3%) and Pink's "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" retreats 6-10 (just under 118,000; down 4%).

Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Aug. 5) totaled 5.24 million units, up 7% compared with the sum last week (4.89 million) and down 8% compared with the comparable sales week of 2011 (5.67 million). Year-to-date album sales stand at 177.30 million, down 3% compared with the same total at this point last year (183.47 million).

Digital track sales this past week totaled 24.09 million downloads, up 1% compared with last week (23.82 million) and up 4% stacked next to the comparable week of 2011 (23.18 million). Year-to-date track sales are at 821.40 million, up 6% compared with the same total at this point last year (777.53 million).

Next week's Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2011 when: Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Watch the Throne" bowed at No. 1 with 436,000 and Luke Bryan's "Tailgates & Tanlines" started at No. 2 with 145,000.

[areyoureadytojump]

Most weeks in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200:

109 The Sound of Music Sdtk.
84 Bruce Springsteen, Born In The USA
78 Michael Jackson, Thriller
78 Def Leppard, Hysteria
76 Adele, 21 - #8 this week
72 Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill
71 Dr. Zhivago Sdtk.
64 Paula Abdul, Forever Your Girl
61 Herb Alpert, Whipped Cream & Other Delights
61 Celine Dion, Falling Into You

[HolidayGuy]

Bee Gees' compilaton reaches a new peak of No. 5 (previous peak was 23). These 99-cent compilation sales are making some chart noise, albeit fleeting.

[HolidayGuy]

music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-aug-5-2012-albums-sale-boosts-152754307.html

Week Ending Aug. 5, 2012. Albums: Sale Boosts Bee Gees
By Paul Grein | Chart Watch Wed. Aug. 8, 2012

Bee Gees' 2004 compilation Number Ones re-enters The Billboard 200 at #5, just two weeks after Phil Collins' …Hits re-entered the chart at #6. The boost, in both cases, was due to Amazon MP3's aggressive 99-cent pricing for the digital version of the album. This is the brother trio's first appearance in the top 10 since September 1983, when it scored with the soundtrack to John Travolta's Staying Alive (an ill-advised sequel to Saturday Night Fever).

There's a poignant aspect to this week's surge: Robin Gibb died on May 20. He would have no doubt loved seeing Bees Gees back in the top 10 alongside such contemporary acts as Rick Ross (who debuts at #1).

This gives the trio a nearly 45-year span of top 10 albums. The brothers first cracked the top 10 the week of Nov. 18, 1967 with Bee Gees 1st. (It was in the top 10 alongside such 1960s touchstones as the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the Doctor Zhivago soundtrack.)

As with Collins' …Hits, this is a tremendous bargain on a per-hit basis. Number Ones contains 13 of the brothers' 15 top 10 hits. This comes out to less than eight cents per top 10 hit. You can't beat it!

However, this will almost certainly be a short-lived surge. Collins' album went from sales of 40K the week it was on sale to fewer than 2K the following week and about 1K this week.

Number Ones has far surpassed its original peak at #23 the week it debuted in November 2004. The album has sold 1,236,000 copies (combining sales from versions issued by two different record companies). It's the trio's ninth top 10 album. The tally includes three greatest hits albums, three studio albums, two soundtracks and a live album.

Number Ones also re-enters Top Catalog Albums at #1. It's the trio's third #1 album on the catalog chart. One Night Only topped the chart for two weeks in 2003. Greatest spent two weeks on top in 2007.

Incidentally, Number Ones is the sixth album with a title that explicitly referenced an artist's chart-topping success to top the catalog chart. It follows The Beatles' 1, Elvis Presley's Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits, George Strait's 50 Number Ones, Michael Jackson's Number Ones and Elton John's Rocket Man: Number Ones. Fittingly, these are six of the biggest acts in chart history.

What's good news for one trio is bad news for another. Bee Gees' entry into the top 10 keeps the country trio Gloriana from landing its second straight top 10 album. Instead, A Thousand Miles Left Behind debuts at #11. (Coincidentally, Gloriana includes a pair of brothers, Mike and Tom Gossin.)

Rick Ross' God Forgives, I Don't enters the Billboard 200 at #1. It's Ross' fourth #1 album out of five releases. His first three albums, Port Of Miami, Trilla and Deeper Than Rap, all debuted at #1. His last album, Teflon Don, debuted and peaked at #2 in July 2010. It was stopped by Eminem's smash album Recovery, which was then in its fifth week at #1.

If Teflon Don had sold just 11K more copies in the week ending July 25, 2010, it would have unseated Recovery from the #1 spot. If that had happened, Ross would this week be landing his fifth #1 album in a row, which would have enabled him to tie DMX's record as the only artist in chart history to reach #1 with its first five albums. (DMX achieved those #1 albums from May 1998 to September 2003.)

God Forgives, I Don't sold 218K copies this week, which is more than the next six albums on this week's chart combined. Only one rap or hip-hop album so far this year has sold more copies in one week. Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded sold 253K copies in its first week in April. This marks the biggest one-week sales tally of Ross' career. It breaks the mark he set in 2008 when Trilla sold 198K in its first week.

This is the second time that God's name has been invoked in the title of a #1 album. God Bless America, a collection of patriotic and inspirational songs, reached #1 five weeks after 9/11. (In addition, Jesus has been name-checked in titles of two #1 albums: 1971's Jesus Christ Superstar and Kid Rock's 2007 album Rock N Roll Jesus. And The Lord had a turn in 1960 with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's The Lord's Prayer.)

(By way of comparison, The Devil has been cited in the titles of two #1 albums: D12's 2001 album Devil's Night and Bruce Springsteen's 2005 album Devils & Dust.)

Ross has now amassed as many #1 albums as another, more famous artist with that surname, Diana Ross. The star, who received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in February, topped the chart with three Supremes albums (The Supremes A' Go-Go in 1966, Diana Ross And the Supremes' Greatest Hits in 1967 and TCB, a TV soundtrack with the Temptations, in 1969) and one on her own (the Lady Sings The Blues soundtrack in 1973).

God Forgives, I Don't may be the most bitter album title I've ever come across. But it's not an original title. This was previously the title of a 1967 "spaghetti Western," which was directed and co-written by Giuseppe Colizzi. (The movie title in Italian was Dio Perdona…io no!)

One Direction's Up All Night, which rebounds from #7 to #4, logs its 20th week in the top 10. It's the first album by a boy band to spend 20 weeks in the top 10 since *NSYNC's No Strings Attached logged 31 weeks in the top 10 in 2000. The all-time record for most weeks in the top 10 for an album by a boy band is shared by New Kids On The Block's 1988 release Hangin' Tough and Backstreet Boys' 1997 release Backstreet Boys. Both albums logged 45 weeks in the top 10. In second place: Backstreet Boys' 1999 blockbuster Millennium, with 37 weeks. How close will 1D come to these marks? Stay tuned.

One Direction's DVD Up All Night: The Live Tour is #1 for the 10th week on Top Music Videos. It sold 11K copies this week, bringing its 10-week total to 246K.

Adele's 21 rebounds from #9 to #7 in its 76th week. Forty different albums have hit #1 since 21 entered the chart at #1 in February 2011. 21 has outlasted all but five of them (the albums at #1, #2, #3, #4 and #6 this week.) (By "outlasted," I mean it's still in the top 10 and they're not.)

Joss Stone's The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 debuts at #10. It's the long-awaited sequel to Stone's 2003 EP The Soul Sessions, which peaked at #39. This is Stone's fourth top 10 album.

phillipphillips-homePhillip Phillips' "Home" vaults from #47 to #1 on Hot Digital Songs, dethroning Flo Rida's "Whistle." The song, boosted by its prominent use in Olympics coverage, sold 228K copies. This is the song's first appearance in the top 10 since the week ending May 27, when it debuted at #2 (behind Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe") with sales of 278K. Because "Home" isn't yet getting much radio play, it's not a serious contender for #1 on the Hot 100. Will "Whistle" finally make it to #1 on the Hot 100, or will Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" sneak in there first? (Or can "Call Me Maybe" hold on for a ninth straight week?) You'll find out later today when we post Chart Watch: Songs.

Here's the low-down on this week's top 10 albums.

The Top Five: Rick Ross' God Forgives, I Don't debuts at #1 (218K). It's Ross' fourth #1 album; his fifth to make the top five…Zac Brown Band's Uncaged dips from #1 to #2 in its fourth week (39K). It has been #1 or #2 the entire time. The album is #1 on Top Country Albums for the fourth week… Justin Bieber's Believe rebounds from #6 to #3 in its seventh week (35K). It has been in the top 10 the entire time… One Direction's Up All Night jumps from #7 to #4 in its 21st week (34K). This is its 20th week in the top 10…Bee Gees' Number Ones re-enters the chart at #5 (32K). This is the trio's ninth top 10 album.

The Second Five: Nas' Life Is Good drops from #2 to #6 in its third week (32K). It has been in the top 10 the entire time…Kidz Bop Kidz' Kidz Bop 22 drops from #5 to #7 in its third week (31K). It has been in the top 10 the entire time…Adele's 21 inches up from #9 to #8 in its 76th week (29K). It has been in the top 10 the entire time… Maroon 5's Overexposed inches up from #10 to #9 in its sixth week (25K). It has been in the top 10 the entire time… Joss Stone's The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2 debuts at #10 (24K). This is Stone's fourth top 10 album.

Three albums drop out of the top 10 this week. The Gaslight Anthem's Handwritten plummets from #3 to #38. Passion Pit's Gossamer drops from #4 to #25. Frank Ocean's Channel Orange drops from #8 to #14.

Gloriana's A Thousand Miles Left Behind debuts at #11. This is the country trio's second top 15 album. Gloriana hit #3 in 2009. The new album enters Top Country Albums at #2, equaling Gloriana's peak. "(Kissed You) Good Night" is the trio's first top 10 hit on Hot Country Songs. It's in contention to reach #1 this week.

Testament's 10th studio album Dark Roots Of Earth debuts at #12. It's the band's first top 20 (or even top 50) album in a career which dates to 1987… Amazon MP3's 99-cent sale also boosted the sales of James Taylor's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1, which re-enters the chart at #15. The album was first released in 1976.

The soundtrack to the remake of Sparkle debuts at #26. Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston star in the movie, which is a remake of a 1976 movie which starred Irene Cara. Sparkle is the fourth hit soundtrack from a movie starring or co-starring Houston. It follows The Bodyguard (#1 for 20 weeks in 1992-1993), Waiting To Exhale (#1 for five weeks in 1996) and The Preacher's Wife (#3 for two weeks in 1996-1997).

Houston performs two songs on the soundtrack, including the gospel standard "His Eye Is On The Sparrow." Singer/actress Ethel Waters recorded the most famous version of the song. This marks the second time the song has been featured on a movie soundtrack. Tanya Blount & Lauryn Hill sang it on the 1993 soundtrack to Sister Act II: Back In The Habit.

Sparkle enters the Top Soundtracks chart at #1, displacing The Dark Knight Rises. The soundtrack to the original 1976 movie was the top-ranking soundtrack for 20 weeks from June through October 1976. It peaked at #18 on The Billboard 200. Aretha Franklin performed the songs on the soundtrack, which included the #1 R&B hit "Something He Can Feel." Curtis Mayfield composed the score.

The Dark Knight Rises soundtrack drops from #17 to #39 in its third week. The movie was #1 at the box-office for the third straight weekend.

Nirvana's Nevermind tops the 9 million mark in sales this week. It's second only to Pearl Jam's Ten (9,963,000) as the best-selling album by an act associated with the grunge movement of the early 1990s. Nevermind stunned the music industry (and specifically Michael Jackson!) when it bumped Jackson's Dangerous out of the #1 spot in January 1992. It returned to #1 for a second week in February. By contrast, Ten never quite reached #1. It logged four weeks at #2 behind, of all things, Billy Ray Cyrus' Some Gave All. (As it turns out, Eddie Vedder was the one with an "Achy Breaky Heart.")

Coming Attractions: Now 43 is expected to vie for #1 next week. Also due: We Walk The Line: A Celebration Of The Music Of Johnny Cash, 10 Years' Minus The Machine and Elle Varner's Perfectly Imperfect.

[Deleted]

I don't know why this is just now occurring to me, but Rick should have pushed MMG Presents...a little while longer before releasing his own album. (By push I mean actually sending more than one song for adds and not just making a bunch of videos.) It's obvious they just threw the compilation album out there for a quick buck but they could have promoted that to gold status. Rick's own album will likely sell 500k regardless.

[Wave.]

^Agreed. There are a couple good tracks that can be sent for adds.
MMG is at 201k and Ross just outsold it already.

[areyoureadytojump]

*AHEM*

[Wave.]

Cough drop?

[areyoureadytojump]

Just a hint to let you know what's out there...

[Enigma.]

What caused Rush's climb? Amazon?

[areyoureadytojump]

New RIAA certifications:

Justin Bieber 1xp
One Direction 1xp

Four 2012 releases have been certified 1xp. The other two are Lionel Richie and Nicki Minaj.

[pnobelysk]

content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/index

Carrie Underwood, Blown Away (16,000, +23%, 673,000) (#20 Billboard 200)
Phillip Phillips, Home (7,000, +12%, 55,000) (#51 BB200)
Kelly Clarkson, Stronger (7,000, 0 change, 884,000) (#55 BB200)
Joshua Ledet, American Idol (3,000, -8%, 25,000) (#151 BB200)
Skylar Laine, American Idol (3,000, -12%, 23,000) (#199 BB200)
Carrie Underwood, Some Hearts (2,000, +38%, 7.224 million)
Scotty McCreery, Clear as Day (2,000, -7%, 1.097 million)
Adam Lambert, Trespassing (2,000, -13%, 148,000)
Mandisa, What If We Were Real (2,000, +30%, 198,000)
Carrie Underwood, Play On (1,000, -2%, 2.128 million)
Hollie Cavanagh, American Idol (1,000, -13%, 9,000)
Lauren Alaina, Wildflower (less than 1,000, +3%, 290,000)
Casey Abrams, Casey Abrams (less than 1,000, -19%, 11,000)
Casey James, Casey James (less than 1,000, -5%, 46,000)

Idol-related albums

One Direction, Up All Night (34,000, +1%, 1.074 million) (#4 Billboard 200)
Soundtrack, Sparkle (12,000, debut, 12,000) (#26 BB200)
Jennifer Lopez, Dance Again ... The Hits (9,000, -40%, 23,000) (#43 BB200)
Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party (8,000, -7%, 2.708 million) (#45 BB200)
David Guetta, Nothing but the Beat (3,000, -18%, 361,000) (#139 BB200)
Tyga, Careless World (3,000, +1%, 275,000) (#162 BB200)

[areyoureadytojump]

keelyskorner.com/category/soundscan/

SOUNDSCAN (WEEK ENDING 8/5/12)

Current Albums:

1) Rick Ross – God Forgives I Don’t – 218, 492
2) Zac Brown Band – Uncaged – 39,469 (After 4 weeks – 400,497)
3) Justin Beiber – Believe – 35,158 (After 7 weeks – 719,080)

Other Debuts

9) Joss Stone – Soul Sessions Volume 2 – 23,967
10) Gloriana – Thousand Miles Left Behind – 22,869
11) Testament – Dark Roots Of Earth – 20,428
24) Sparkle Movie Soundtrack – 12,024
30) Grateful Dead – Dave’s Picks Vol. 1 No. 3 – 10,377
32) J. Moss – V4…The Other Side Of Victory – 10,156
33) Joshua Radin – Underwater – 9,963

[areyoureadytojump]

5,216,000 albums were sold last week.

2,121,000 were digital albums.

3,095,000 were physical album.