This week's Billboard 200 was all about 5 Seconds of Summer who surprised no one with its huge debut for its self-titled debut LP. The group outsold the rest of the Top 10 albums combined, moving 259,000 copies of its new record. That's also the third-highest debut of 2014 thus far, plus the largest debut ever for an Australian group since Soundscan began tracking the numbers during 1991.
In lieu of any other huge albums dropping to contest the Australian boy band's rise to the top, the Frozen soundtrack rises back to no. 2 after dropping to no. 5 last week. That extends the compilations streak of placing within the Top 5 at 31 weeks. The Disney album sold 37,000 copies. Weird Al Yankovic remained high on the list after topping it last week, moving another 33,000 copies of Mandatory Fun. Sam Smith came back into the Top 5 despite a drop in sales, thanks again to the slow release week. His In The Lonely Hour shifted 31,000 units. Kidz Bop 26 saw a less dramatic fall than did Yankovic, but it also had less far to fall. Still, the album placed at no. 5 after selling another 27,000 copies of its 26th edition.
Two acts aside from 5 Seconds of Summer debuted in the Top 10 this week, for what it's worth. Common made his third debut in the Top 10 with Nobody's Smiling, which sold just more than 24,000 copies. Crown The Empire followed closely behind with its first album to reach the Top 10, as the very My Chemical Romance-titled The Resistance: Rise of The Runaways also moved a few more than 24,000 units.
Back to the old standards: Now 50 made it another week featuring at least three compilations in the Top 10, as the most recent collection of pop hits sold 21,000 copies. Jason Mraz had the most dramatic fall in his second week, as YES! fell 75 percent in total sales to 20,000 copies sold. Ed Sheeran could be looking at his last week in the Top 10, barring another slow sales week next week. His x sold 20,000 copies during its fifth week in the Top 10.
