Billboard 200 Grooves: La La Land Ascends to No. 2

On a quiet Billboard 200, The Weeknd (Starboy) retains the no. 1 spot, while the soundtrack for La La Land ascends to no. 2. 

The January blues are the best way to characterize albums sales (and impact) and the Billboard 200 chart.  After topping the Billboard 200 last week, The Weeknd spends his third nonconsecutive week at no. 1 with Starboy. The soundtrack to La La Land ascends to no. 2, while the sole debut in the top 10 comes courtesy of Dropkick Murphys (11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory) at no. 8.  Beyond The Weeknd, La La Land, and Dropkick Murphys, there are more chart stories from the Billboard 200 dated January 28, 2017.

1. The Weeknd (Starboy) spends a third nonconsecutive week at no. 1. The numbers aren’t impressive, but no. 1 is no. 1, right?

2. La La Land has been all the talk. Much like the buzz the “modern day musical” film itself is receiving, the soundtrack is also on the rise. La La Land rose from no. 15 to no. 2.

3. Dropkick Murphys take 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory to no. 8 on the Billboard 200. Sadly, this is the highest debut on the big chart.

4. Post Malone sees Stoney improve five spots (no. 14 to no. 9). Stoney started respectably at no. 6.

5. Chris Stapleton is on the rise once more. Traveller improves from no. 22 to no. 10.

6. The soundtrack for Sing exits the top 10 (no. 8 to no. 20).

7. Halestorm debuts quietly on the Billboard 200 with Reanimate 3.0: The Covers EP (no. 23).

8. Ed Sheeran experiences a huge bum for his sophomore album, x (no. 71 to no. 26). His debut album, +, reenters the chart at no. 67.

9. Kanye West reenters the Billboard 200 with The Life of Pablo (no. 39).

10. George Michael experiences a boost in sales posthumously as Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael rises from no. 195 to no. 41.

11. The Rolling Stones take a mighty tumble. Blue & Lonesome dips from no. 18 to no. 48!

12. James Arthur (Back from the Edge) ascends from no. 69 to no. 52.

13. Yo Gotti free falls. White Friday (CM9) slips from no. 39 to no. 64. Ouch!

14. Miranda Lambert has had a so-so chart run with The Weight of These Wings, which drops from no. 55 to no. 69 in its eighth charting week.

15. Green Day reenters the Billboard 200 at no. 75 with Revolution Radio. As of yet, the former no. 1 album hasn’t sold particularly well.

16. A Tribe Called Quest free falls. We Got it From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service slides from no. 37 to no. 84.

17. NOW That’s What I Call a Workout 2017 debuts modestly at no. 101.

18. Run the Jewels 3 slides from no. 61 to no. 106 in its third charting week.

19. Kaleo (A/B) ascends from no. 150 to no. 121.

20. David Bowie debuts posthumously on the Billboard 200 with No Plan (EP) (no. 138).

Photo Credit: Interscope