CHART STORY:
JUSTICE PREVAILS
Justin Bieber’s Justice (RBMG/Def Jam) returns to #1 on the HITS Top 50 in its third week. Powered by the instant-hit single “Peaches” f/Daniel Caesar & GIVĒON, Bieber’s sixth studio album earns 76k for its second non-consecutive week atop the chart.
Island’s Demi Lovato lands the top debut with her seventh studio album, Dancing With the Devil… The Art of Starting Over, which opens at #2 with 71k.
Following last week’s chart-topping bow, Rod Wave’s SoulFly (Alamo/Geffen/Interscope) remains in the Top 3. Rising Columbia rapper Lil Tjay bows at #5 with his sophomore album, Destined 2 Win.
With Justice’s return to the top spot, Sir Lucian Grainge’s UMG notches its 18th consecutive week with the #1 album. Friday’s arrival of Taylor Swift’s Fearless (Taylor’s Version) will extend the streak to 19 next Friday.
Streeting this week along with Swift’s remake of her 2008 classic are projects from Question Everything/RCA’s BROCKHAMPTON, Capitol Nashville’s Luke Bryan and Quality Control/Motown’s Lakeyah.
Taylor may be a lock, but here in the HITS virtual office, general uncertainty remains about the spelling, pronunciation and meaning of “non-fungible token.”
