For the first time in a while, we haven't had a huge album drop. No offense meant to Five Finger Death Punch, but we've just gotten so used to pop stars and rappers dropping blockbuster albums during October and November that this week seemed a little tame. So that left the door open for one of...
LAST WEEK'S BIG NAMES
It's rare enough for one album to stay in the Top 10 for two consecutive weeks, much less top the list for two weeks, much less top the Billboard 200 in nonconsecutive weeks. But that's what Eminem did with The Marshall Mathers LP 2, selling another 120,000 copies and returning to the top spot in its third week on the charts.
Lady Gaga's fans promised us via angry e-mails that ARTPOP would eventually catch up to this year's other top sellers, but it would do so through a slow-and-steady sales approach. Week 2 didn't seem to prove this point, as the album dropped more than 80 percent and seven places, coming at no. 8 with 46,000 units sold.
The Duck Dynasty crew have shown an impressive resilience, once again sticking at the no. 4 spot by selling another 60,000 copies of their Duck The Halls Christmas compilation in its fourth week. Kelly Clarkson has kept her holiday special Wrapped In Red in the Top 10 as well, but it dropped off a bit this week, landing at no. 9 with 44,000 copies sold.
Now 48 had a relatively impressive debut for the series last week, and it stayed put at no. 3, selling another 63,000 copies.
WHAT'S NEW
Five Finger Death Punch can't catch a break. The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2 debuted at no. 2, as did the first volume of its lengthy-titled saga. This version "only" debuted with 77,000 copies sold (down from 112,000 for Volume 1), but it's still the group's second highest selling debut.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack also sold far fewer copies of its second volume than its first, but the first slick's soundtrack also featured two Taylor Swift tracks. Still, Coldplay, Lorde and The National is nothing to scoff at. The compilation moved 55,000 units.
Daughtry had its lowest debut ever, selling 55,000 copies of Baptized and placing no. 6. Yo Gotti had his highest debut ever, selling 48,000 copies of I Am and placing no. 7. We guess it all depends on who you are.
The no. 10 place goes to Minneapolis radio station KTCZ for its annual Cities 97 Sampler, Live From Studio C: Vol. 25. The yearly album consists of tracks played live in-studio (this year's volume included fun. and Passenger). All of the proceeds go to local charities. Unfortunately, due to licensing restrictions, the station can only produce 40,000 copies of the album. However, even at $32.97, all 40,000 copies sold.
SO CLOSE
Last week we mentioned that Drake had tied Luke Bryan's mark for longest time spent in the Top 10 post-debut, at eight weeks. Unfortunately, Nothing Was The Same dropped off the Top 10 this week, meaning it'll just have to share the mark with Crash My Party this year. Look for The Marshall Mathers LP 2 to make a run at the mark by the end of the year however.
