CHART STORY: DRAKE & THE CHILI PEPPERS DELIVER RED-HOT FINISH

Welcome to the eighth week of Drake’s chart-topping success. That’s right; Views (YMCMB/Republic) has now officially spent two months atop HITS’ Sales Plus Streaming (SPS) Chart, earning another 122k this week. Damn.

Drizzy actually managed to edge out Warner Bros.’ Red Hot Chili Peppers by a mere 5k units or so, thanks to cleverly executed, two-day $6.99 sale on all DSPs. The Chili Peppers, however, debut at #1 on the Album Sales Chart with 106k for The Getaway.

Following the album’s physical release, Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool (XL) re-enters at #6 with 38k and at #2 in album sales alone with 36k.

As for the remaining notable debuts, YG’s Still Brazy (Def Jam) bows at #5 with 39k, while Mumford & Sons’ Johannesburg EP (Glassnote) and Jon Pardi’s California Sunrise (Capitol Nashville) appear at #7 and #12, respectively.

A few country sets see some decent chart bumps, powered by a $6.99 sale at iTunes; those are Capitol Nashville’s Keith Urban (#22-15), Valory/BMLG’s Thomas Rhett (#28-16) and MCA Nashville’s Sam Hunt (#36-28).

Expect to see more increases as July 4th approaches. Speaking of country music and our country’s independence day, the Spotlight on Nashville special edition of HITS’ print publication is due out on—you guessed it—July 4th. It won’t cause chart bumps… hives, however, are another story.

Streeting this week are albums from Republic’s Avett Brothers, Capitol’s Broods and more. Word has it that a surprise release in the works too, so hold onto that hat, buddy.