Last week the Billboard charts was awash with new releases, which means that only the steadiest of previously-released albums managed to stay in the Top 10.
WHAT'S NEW
No surprise to anyone who realizes the connection between album sales and having your name in the media, Miley Cyrus topped the Billboard 200 with the debut of her new album Bangerz. At 270,000, it's far from the best debut of the year, but it marks the fifth time that Cyrus has been at the top of the charts for an album (counting her Hannah Montana releases). That's quite an accomplishment for a 20 y.o.
Panic! At The Disco didn't get as much media coverage as Pusha T, but the former still managed to sell 84,000 copies of Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die and debuted at no. 2. Pusha came in at no. 4, moving 75,000 copies of My Name Is My Name. We'll give the prize for better album title to Pusha any day, however.
Glee used to pop up constantly on the Top 10, but it's been nearly two years since an episode playlist made the cut. The soundtrack for "The Quarterback," an episode paying tribute to Cory Monteith, came in at no. 7 with 47,000 downloads. Proceeds from the album will go to charity Project Limelight.
Korn also has a track record of debuting in the Top 10, and new album The Paradigm Shift was no exception, debuting at no. 8 with 46,000 copies moved. Cassadee Pope, the winner of Season 3 of The Voice, sold 43,000 copies of her first album Frame By Frame. Mayday Parade made it a good week for pop-punk/alternative/what-have-you, with Monsters In The Closet (30,000 sold) joining Panic! on the Top 10.
WHAT'S LEFT
Although Drake got bumped aside by Justin Timberlake last week, Nothing Was The Same stayed steady to be the highest-selling non-debut this week. The album sold another 83,000 copies, beating out Pusha T to remain the top-selling hip-hop album of the week. Timberlake dropped off nearly 80 percent, selling 70,000 copies of The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2 and settling at no. 5. Lorde also stuck around, dropping three place to no. 6 during Pure Heroine's second week, selling 63,000 copies.
WHAT'S GONE...FOR NOW
Yes, it's true. After an eight-week run on the Top 10, Luke Bryan's Crash My Party finally left the list. Keep an eye out however: If there are fewer hot releases next week, a steady-seller like Party could easily reemerge.
