Billboard: Drake Spends a 13th Week at No. 1

Despite heavy-hitting new releases (on paper), Drake returns to no. 1 with Views after nearly a two-month absence. Call Drake what he is –  a stud. Views doesn’t tout the cushy numbers it once did, moving a modest 53,000 units.  Don’t laugh at Drake’s numbers – feel worse about the numbers for Mac Miller (The Divine Feminine) and Usher (Hard II Love).  Neither performed well.

Mac Miller did manage to debut at no. 2.  Even so, The Divine Feminine moved just 48,000 units, with only about 67% of that total being pure sales.  Ouch! Aaron Lewis, the frontman of Staind, sends country album Sinner to no. 4, with 42,000 units.  Lewis outsells Miller, as ~93% of that total were pure sales (39,000 copies).

Usher clearly underperformed, considering Hard II Love lands at no. 5 with just 38,000 units.  Only about 74% of that total represents pure sales. Phew! Casting Crowns certainly weren’t expected to light up the chart, though a top 10 is the expectation.  The Very Next Thing debuts at no. 9 with 28,000 units.  93% of that total are sales, common for a Christian act.

Familiarity characterizes the rest of the top 10.  Here are three highlights:

• Suicide Squad sits a no. 3. Think about – a soundtrack beat new albums from Mac Miller and Usher…

• Jason Aldean (They Don’t Know) debuted robustly last week at no. 1, but slips to no. 6. That’s notable considering the thinking was that he might contend for another week at no. 1.

• Twenty One Pilots (Blurryface) return to the top 10, following a week off (no. 8). The next album that these guys drop could be huge.

Who’s got next on the Billboard 200? Shawn Mendes.  Clearly, the teen heartthrob was the biggest attraction of the September 23 album releases.  He will Illuminate the Billboard 200. Shawn, have mercy on the rest of the Billboard 200, won’t you!

Photo Credit: Cash Money