CHART STORY: A MATHERS-F***ER
OF A DEBUT
Shady/Aftermath/Interscope’s Eminem has done it again. The Marshall Mathers LP 2, the hip-hop luminary’s latest blend of fearless, motormouthed rhyming, hard beats and inventive samples, bows at #1 on the HITS Album Sales Chart with a whopping 780k, becoming the second-highest debuting release of 2013 (behind only Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience, part one).
This resounding bow surpasses that of Em’s 2010 set, Recovery, which moved 741k in its first week (it’s sold 4.5m to date). The news undoubtedly has Messrs Iovine, Janick and Berman—and the rest of their team—banging their heads to the Beats.
The Top 10’s other debuts include #2 Columbia’s Celine Dion, whose Loved Me Back to Life bowed with 77k, Epic’s Avril Lavigne, who moved 42k of her new set (good for a #5 bow) and viral a cappella marvels Pentatonix, who sold a hearty 31k out of the Madison Gate to land at #10.
#3 is occupied by Duck Dynasty family The Robertsons, whose holiday set jumped 16% over last week’s debut, selling 75k. Other top-sellers among chart veterans: Capitol’s Katy Perry (#4, 60k, -36%); the holiday set from RCA’s Kelly Clarkson (#6, 42k, -39%); YM/CM/Republic’s Drake (#7, 37k, -3%); and Lava/Republic’s Lorde (#8, 34k, +1%).
The CMAs juiced several releases, notably Warner Nashville’s Blake Shelton, who jumped #35-15 and spiked 141% (greatest gainer, anyone?); Republic Nashville’s Florida Georgia Line (#14, +54%); and Capitol Nashville’s Luke Bryan (#11, +26%). CMA Best New Artist winner Kacey Musgraves meanwhile, had a Top 25 re-entry for her Mercury Nashville set Same Trailer, Different Park.
Streeting this week are Interscope’s Lady Gaga, UMe’s NOW 48 and a Beatles BBC set from Capitol, among others.
Now if you’ll excuse us, Phil’s duck call worked only too well, and a mallard is now humping our leg.
