Billboard 200 - 9/10/16 - Frank Ocean

[Gary]

Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' Bows at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With Third-Largest Debut of 2016
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By Keith Caulfield | August 28, 2016 3:00 PM EDT


Frank Ocean earns his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with the arrival of Blonde. The set, which was released on Aug. 20, bows atop the list with 276,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Aug. 25, according to Nielsen Music.

Blonde logs the third-largest debut of 2016, behind only the arrivals of Drake’s Views and Beyonce’s Lemonade.

Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' Poised for Big Billboard 200 Debut, But 'Endless' Will Be Absent -- Here's Why

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new Sept. 10-dated chart (where Blonde bows at No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s websites on Tuesday, Aug. 30.

Of Blonde’s start of 276,000 units, 232,000 were in traditional album sales, while the rest were SEA (44,000 units).

Only two albums started bigger than Blonde in 2016: Drake’s Views (1.04 million units earned in its debut frame) and Beyonce’s Lemonade (653,000). Blonde also logs the third-biggest sales start -- behind, again, just Views (852,000 copies sold in its first week) and Lemonade (485,000).

Blonde was available exclusively to stream via the Apple Music service and for sale through the iTunes Store (but only as a full album -- none of its tracks were sold a la carte). The songs on the Blonde album generated 65.4 million streams during the week. It was the second-most streamed album on the chart, behind only Drake’s Views, with 67.5 million streams.

From Beyonce to Frank Ocean, Breaking Down the Mechanics, and Politics, Behind Streaming Exclusives

Blonde arrived two days after Ocean released the long-form video Endless (which many have referred to as a visual album). It is available exclusive to stream via Apple Music.

Both releases are Ocean’s first full-length offerings since his debut album, Channel Orange, which came out in 2012. The set debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, and sold 131,000 copies in its first week. It was released on July 10, 2012, initially exclusively through iTunes, and a week before its advertised street date of July 17.

The bulk of Channel Orange’s first-week sales were digital, though there were some on physical CD, as brick-and-mortar retailers began selling the title mid-week following iTunes’ exclusive launch.

Blonde is the third independently distributed No. 1 album in 2016. It follows Blink-182’s California and The Lumineers’ Cleopatra.

California was released on Blink-182’s own Viking Wizard Eyes LLC, licensed to BMG and distributed by Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA). Cleopatra was released on Dualtone Records, which is also distributed by ADA.


Blonde is different from both albums in that it was released by Ocean himself directly to Apple and iTunes -- bypassing a traditional distribution company. The last set to reach No. 1 in the same manner was Garth Brooks’ 2013 box set, Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences. The hefty box (six CDs and two DVDs) was issued through Brooks’ Pearl Records and sold exclusively through Walmart stores. It debuted at No. 2 with 164,000 sold, and rose to No. 1 the following week -- for one frame -- selling 146,000.

Before Brooks, Pearl Jam’s Backspacer also hit No. 1 (in 2009) without a traditional distributor. The set, which bowed with 189,000 sold, was released on the band’s Monkeywrench label, and initially sold exclusively through Target, iTunes, Pearl Jam’s website and independent retailers. Slightly less than two years earlier, Eagles flew in at No. 1 with its self-released Long Road Out of Eden, exclusively sold through Walmart. It debuted with 711,000 copies sold on the Nov. 17, 2007-dated chart.

Back on the new Billboard 200 chart, Drake’s Views holds at No. 2 with 77,000 units (up 9 percent) and the Suicide Squad soundtrack falls from No. 1 to No. 3 with 76,000 units (down 18 percent).

Tory Lanez arrives at No. 4 with his debut studio album, I Told You, earning 52,000 units (32,000 in pure album sales). The album follows a pair of top 10-charting singles for Lanez on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where he has reached No. 10 with “Say It” and No. 9 (so far) with the still-building “Luv.” Both cuts are available on the new album, which also starts at No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Lindsey Stirling claims her second top 10 album, as her new Brave Enough launches at No. 5 with 49,000 units (45,000 in traditional album sales). It follows the violinist’s 2014 effort, Shatter Me, which debuted and peaked at No. 2 with 56,000 copies sold in its first week. The new effort also leads the Classical Albums, Classical Crossover Albums and Top Dance/Electronic Albums charts -- her third No. 1 on all three lists. The classical-meets-EDM artist previously led all three charts with Shatter Me and her self-titled debut.

Twenty One Pilots’ Blurryface dips 5-6 on the Billboard 200 (33,000 units; down 19 percent), Adele’s 25 rises one rung to No. 7 (28,000 units; down 1 percent), Rihanna’s Anti climbs 9-8 (just over 27,000 units; down 2 percent) and DJ Khaled’s Major Key slips 6-9 (27,000 units; down 19 percent). The original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton closes out the top 10, as it ascends 11-10 with 23,000 units (down 3 percent).

[Gary]

1. Blonde - Frank Ocean 232K/276K
2. Views - Drake 77K
3. Suicide Squad 76K
4. I Told You Torey Lanez 32k/52k
5. Brave Enough - Lindsey Stirling 45k/49k
6. Blurryface - Twenty One Pilots 33K
7. 25 - Adele 28K
8. Anti - Rihanna 27K
9. Major Key - DJ Khaled 27K
10. Hamilton 23K

[HolidayGuy]

Dolly Parton lands her second solo top 10-selling album, and third overall. She released her first album in 1967, and didn't land on the main album sales chart until her fourth album (she did instantly charted on the country albums chart, though). Looks like Pure and Simple will be her seventh No. 1 country album- had she waited a week, Florida Georgia Line's album would have blocked P&S.

[areyoureadytojump]

roughstock.com/news/2016/08/40777-top-10-country-album-sales-chart-august-29-2016

Top 10 Country Album Sales Chart: August 29, 2016
Posted By Matt Bjorke on Monday August 29, 2016 at 04:40PM

Country Icon Dolly Parton Tops this chart for the first time in 25 years, see where Drake White, Mike Smith and Casey Donahew landed with their new releases.

CNTRY Artist Album Week Total Scans

1 Dolly Parton Pure & Simple 20,200 20,200
2 Chris Stapleton Traveller 12,200 1,536,000
3 Casey Donahew All Night Party 11,500 11,500
4 Drake White Spark 10,600 10,600
5 Justin Moore Kinda Don't Care 10,400 47,700
6 Blake Shelton If I'm Honest 10,000 427,100
7 Hillary Scott & Family Love Remains 6,700 54,100
8 Keith Urban Ripcord 6,100 244,400
9 Eric Church Mr. Misunderstood 5,000 427,500
10 Cole Swindell You Should Be Here 4,700 177,100
11 Dierks Bentley Black 4,200 177,600
12 Kelsea Ballerini The First Time 4,000 177,700
13 Luke Bryan Kill The Lights 4,000 1,034,900
14 Carrie Underwood Storyteller 3,900 641,900
15 Joey+Rory Hymns 3,800 445,900

-- Sam Hunt Montevallo 3,800 1,025,000
-- Steven Tyler We're All Somebody... 3,800 36,300
-- Maren Morris Hero 3,400 92,300
-- Old Dominion Meat and Candy 2,700 142,800
-- Jake Owen American Love 2,600 42,500
-- Zac Brown Band Jekyll+Hyde 2,600 672,400
-- Jon Pardi California Sunrise 2,400 57,600
-- Dan+Shay Obsessed 2,200 58,200
-- Chris Young I'm Comin' Over 1,900 227,100
-- Dylan Scott Dylan Scott 1,700 10,800
-- The Cadillac Three Bury Me In My Boots 1,700 15,500
-- Cody Jinks I'm Not The Devil 1,600 12,900
-- Cody Johnson Gotta Be Me 1,400 26,800
-- Keifer Sutherland Down In A Hole 1,300 1,500
-- Sturgill Simpson Sailor's Guide To Earth 1,300 121,300
-- Margo Price Midwest Farmer's Daughter 1,100 28,400
-- Chris Lane Girl Problems 1,000 8,800
-- Granger Smith Remington 800 64,700
-- Brett Young Brett Young EP 800 12,700
-- LOCASH The Fighters 700 14,900
-- David Nail Fighter 700 18,300

Dylan Schneider Wannabe - EP 600 600
Mike Smith Always You And Me 500 500
Lori McKenna The Bird & The Rifle 400 4,500

[areyoureadytojump]

www.hiphopdx.com/news/id.40209/title.frank-ocean-earns-first-1-album-with-blonde

Frank Ocean Earns First #1 Album With "Blonde"
August 29, 2016 | 11:21 AM
by Victoria Hernandez

Frank Ocean made the anticipation pay off as his sophomore LP, Blonde, hits the top of Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart its first week. Tory Lanez makes a splash with his debut album, I Told You, landing in the Top 10. PARTYNEXTDOOR and Rae Sremmurd see significant drops in their second week of sales with P3 landing at #25 with 13,799 units (a 72 percent drop) and SremmLife 2 appearing at the #28 position with 13,150 total sales (a 54 percent falloff).

Frank Ocean Lands First #1 Album With “Blonde”

Frank Ocean’s fans gobbled up 275,616 album equivalent units of Blonde to give Ocean the top spot on Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart after the singer didn’t release a full-length project in four years. Blonde, which was reportedly an independent release, was streamed more than 65 million times as an Apple Music exclusive. These numbers gives it the third-highest selling debut of the year, only behind Beyonce’s LEMONADE and Drake’s VIEWS. It is also the third independent LP to land at the #1 position, following Blink-182 and The Lumineers. In 2012, Channel Orange opened at #2 with 131,000 album sales its first week.

Tory Lanez Told You His Debut Album Would Be Successful

Tory Lanez’s I Told You debuts at #4 in its first week. The 28-track project sold 52,485 units and was streamed nearly 25 million times. After the success of his hit song “Say It,” the Toronto artist continues his commercial success with “Luv” climbing the Hot 100 chart.

Top 10 Billboard Top 200 Rap & R&B Albums For The Week Ending 08/25/2016

Note: The first number below is this week’s “total album equivalent units” count, an intersection of album sales, single sales, and streams implemented by Billboard’s new rating system. A pure album sales figure is available in bold in parenthesis and information about each album’s streaming count is available in brackets.

#1 Frank Ocean – Blonde – 275,616 (232,040) [65,364,954]

#2 Drake – VIEWS – 77,167 (22,022) [67,529,370]

#3 Various Artists – Suicide Squad: The Album – 76,227 (36,897) [31,076,567]

#4 Tory Lanez – I Told You – 52,485 (31,519) [24,868,327]

#8 Rihanna – ANTI – 27,299 (4,880) [25,865,795]

#9 DJ Khaled – Major Key – 27,064 (6,965) [22,800,509]

#13 Beyonce – LEMONADE – 18,535 (12,545) [1,580,511]

#19 Bryson Tiller – Trapsoul – 15,713 (3,522) [16,328,080]

#23 Kevin Gates – ISLAH – 14,985 (4,226) [12,832,164]

#24 Kanye West – The Life of deleted – 14,134 (0) [20,239,528]

[areyoureadytojump]

www.yahoo.com/music/chart-watch-frank-oceans-transatlantic-1-album-025035600.html

Chart Watch: Frank Ocean's Transatlantic #1 Album
Paul Grein
Writer
August 29, 2016

Frank Ocean’s Blonde enters the Billboard 200 at #1 this week, displacing the Suicide Squad soundtrack. The album sold 232K copies in traditional album sales, which is the third-biggest one-week sales total so far this year. It’s topped only by Drake’s Views (852K) and Beyoncé’s Lemonade (485K). But both of those artists had long strings of #1 albums behind them. Ocean’s sales tally is the greatest for an artist who hadn’t had a previous #1 album since the Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness started with traditional sales of 326K nearly a year ago.

(Is it significant that the three biggest one-week sales tallies so far in 2016 are all by black artists? Yep. Black music is huge. Is it meaningful that all three of these albums have one-word titles? That’s mostly a coincidence. But we’ve been seeing more one-word song titles in recent years. It stands to reason that we’ll start seeing more one-word album titles. People’s attention spans are shrinking by the minute!)

Blonde is Ocean’s second studio album. His debut, Channel ORANGE, debuted and peaked at #2 in July 2012.

Ocean is the second artist with that surname to notch two top 10 albums. Billy Ocean (no relation) reached the top 10 with Suddenly (#9 in 1984) and Love Zone (#6 in 1986).

This marks the second time that an album with the word “Blonde” in its title has reached #1. Rod Stewart’s Blondes Have More Fun was #1 for three weeks in February 1979. (Bob Dylan’s classic Blonde on Blonde peaked at #9 in October 1966.)

Blonde also debuts at #1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart.

Five songs from Blonde enter this week’s Hot 100, including the week’s top three new entries: “Nikes” at #79, “Ivy” at #80, and “Pink + White” at #84. Ocean’s two other new entries, a bit further down, are “Solo” at #96 and “Nights” at #98.

Ocean released Blonde directly to Apple and iTunes, bypassing a traditional distribution company. Blonde is the first album to reach #1 without a traditional distribution set-up since Garth Brooks’s Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences nearly three years ago. Brooks released that hefty boxed set (six CDs and two DVDs) through his Pearl Records. It was sold exclusively through Walmart stores.

Ocean’s 2012 debut album, Channel ORANGE, vaults from #142 to #27 in its 46th chart week. The album received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. “Thinkin Bout You” was a Grammy finalist for Record of the Year. Will Ocean repeat those achievements when this year’s Grammy noms are announced in December? Stay tuned.

[areyoureadytojump]

www.billboard.com/biz/articles/7495493/billboard-200-chart-moves-eagles-hits-back-to-top-40-stranger-things-volume-two

Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Eagles' 'Hits' Back to Top 40, 'Stranger Things, Volume Two' Bows
By Keith Caulfield | September 02, 2016 2:27 AM EDT

On the latest Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Sept. 10), Frank Ocean’s Blonde bowed at No. 1, earning 276,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Aug. 25, according to Nielsen Music. It gave Ocean his first No. 1, after he previously peaked at No. 2 with his Channel Orange debut in 2012.

Elsewhere in the new top 10, Tory Lanez’s I Told You started at No. 4 and Lindsey Stirling’s Brave Enough launched at No. 5.

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:

— PARTYNEXTDOOR, PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 (P3) - No. 25 — The album is the 12th set to debut in the top three in 2016 and then fall straight out of the top 20, as the set tumbles from No. 3 to No. 25 with 14,000 units (down 72 percent). The largest positional fall from the top three (so far) this year belongs to NEEDTOBREATHE’s HARD LOVE, which collapsed 50 slots from No. 2 to No. 52 on the Aug. 13-dated list.

— Frank Ocean, Channel Orange - No. 27 — Frank Ocean’s debut album Channel Orange vaults from No. 142 to No. 27 in the wake of the release of his latest effort, Blonde, which starts at No. 1. Channel Orange earned 13,000 units for the week (up 177 percent) and was up in album sales (5,000; up 378 percent), TEA (1,000; up 164 percent) and SEA (8,000; up 123 percent). The album hasn’t ranked this high on the Billboard 200 in nearly four years, since the Sept. 29, 2012-dated list, when it placed at No. 25.

— Eagles, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 - No. 35 — The album, released in 1976, jumps back into the top 40, thanks to a 99-cent sale price in the Google Play store. The greatest hits package rises 82-35 with 12,000 units (up 71 percent) and 10,000 copies sold (up 95 percent). Digital downloads made up nearly all of that sales sum for the week (just over 9,000) and the set concurrently climbs 20-6 on the Digital Albums chart.

The rise on the Billboard 200 for Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 gives the set its 61st total week in the top 40. The album spent five weeks at No. 1 in 1976, and has sold 29 million copies in the U.S. according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

— Watsky, x Infinity - No. 58 — Hip-hop poet Watsky scores his third entry on the Billboard 200 chart with the arrival of x Infinity at No. 58 (10,000 units; 8,000 from pure album sales). The set also debuts at No. 4 on Rap Albums – his third consecutive album to debut (and peak) at No. 4. It follows All You Can Do (2014) and Cardboard Castles (2013).

— Jake Miller, Overnight (EP) - No. 125 — Jake Miller claims his fifth charting album on the Billboard 200 – and third straight EP arrival – with the No. 125 bow of Overnight (EP). The effort earned nearly 6,000 units (mostly from pure album sales – almost 5,000). The new set’s title track hit No. 22 on the Billboard + Twitter Top Tracks chart (dated Aug. 27) – the fourth charting tune for Miller on that list. In 2014 he notched a trio of entries, going as high as No. 6 with “First Flight Home.”

— Soundtrack, Stranger Things, Volume Two - No. 177 — The second volume of music from the hit Netflix series enters at No. 177 with 4,000 units (and at No. 2 on the Soundtracks chart with almost 4,000 sold). A week earlier, the first installment of Stranger Things music started at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 with 14,000 units. On Aug. 31, Netflix announced that Stranger Things 2 will premiere in 2017.

AMP: