Last week, we wondered how long Eminem’s Recovery could hold on to the pole position on the Billboard 200, predicting that it might run the board until Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream drops on August 24. Someone forgot to tell Avenged Sevenfold.
The SoCal hard rockers have managed to end Slim Shady’s five-week run at #1 with the best debut of their career. Their fifth album, Nightmare, debuts at the top on next week’s chart on sales of 163,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. That was just enough to edge out Em, who drops to #2 (159,000 units shifted),as Recovery edged toward the 2 million mark and he celebrated his nine VMA nominations.
There are no other debuts this week, and the rest of the top 10 just features a shuffling of the cards. Last week’s #2, Rick Ross’ Teflon Don, only falls one slot to #3, but with a 64 percent sales drop-off, the Bawse sold considerably less product (63,000) in his second week on the charts. Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 moves up a few to #4 (38,000), Drake’s Thank Me Later drops one (#5, 34,000), Kidz Bop 18 is down one to #6 (29,000), Lady Antebellum’s still-strong Need You Now is up two (#7, 27,000), Sheryl Crow’s 100 Miles From Memphis drops 5 to #8 (24,000), VMA queen Lady Gaga’s The Fame is up to #9 (24,000) and NOW 34 is down two spots to #10 (22,000).
Veteran rapper Tech N9ne’s collabos album The Gates Mixed Plate — featuring Big Scoob, Glasses Malone, Devin the Dude and Brotha Lynch Hung — debuts at #13 (17,000). Fat Joe’s The Darkside Vol. 1 has a soft landing at #27 (12,000). Further down the line, R&B vocal group Dru Hill celebrate Indrupendence Day with a #30 bow on sales of 11,000, and new indie buzz act Best Coast sail into the #36 spot with Crazy for You (10,000).
The iTunes charts tell a similar story, as Eminem holds on to the #1 slot on the singles tally with the smash Rihanna collabo, “Love the Way You Lie,” while A7X takes over the top spot on the album list. Nightmare is followed by Em’s Recovery, Ross’ Teflon Don, Drake’s Thank Me Later, Gaga’s Fame, an iTunes session from former 10,000 Maniacs singer Natalie Merchant at #6, the Black Keys’ Brothers, Mumford & Sons’ Sigh No More, the Hans Zimmer score to “Inception” and B.o.B’s B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray.
While iTunes does not provide detailed sales data, it’s clear Em’s hold on the top of the singles heap is safe, as the rest of the top 10 is essentially the same as it was last week with just one new title, Usher’s “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” at #6. Otherwise, it is: Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite” (#2), Enrique Iglesias’ “I Like It” (#3), Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” (#4), Perry’s “California Gurls” (#5), B.o.B’s “Airplanes” (#7), Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me” (#8), Jason Derulo’s “Ridin’ Solo” (#9) and Eminem’s “Not Afraid.”
It’s not likely that Eminem will retake the top spot next week, as the Arcade Fire’s buzzed-about The Suburbs is due to debut, along with new albums from Bun B, Buckcherry and a Lady Gaga remix album.