BB Grooves: Nick J Can’t Stop Aubrey G (Drake)

As the old saying goes, “same thing, different day.” In this case, Drake continues to ride the wave, or rather his Views.  Who had to suffer from missing the top of the charts this week thanks to Drake’s juggernaut status? Nick Jonas. Poor kid had to settle for being the bridesmaid.  No championship for you NJ.  But there’s more to this week’s Billboard Chart – dated July 2, 2016 – than Drake and Nick Jonas. There’s a little bit of everything on this colorful list of chart stories – literally everything!

1. Drake’s Views = no. 1. Really not much else that can be said. #Unstoppable.

2. Regardless whether or not Last Year Was Complicated for Nick Jonas, he was able to secure the runner-up spot on the Billboard 200. Hey, it has to count for something that he’s playing “second fiddle” to Drake, right?

3. Lin-Manuel Miranda has got to be laughing all the way to the bank. Hamilton is like the biggest thing ever. This week, it entered the top 10, flying up from no. 13 to no. 3.  Broadway soundtracks don’t typically do as well as Hamilton has…

4. “Hold Up!” Beyoncé’s still top-five with Lemonade. No sour lemons here as Lemonade drops two spots from no. 2 to no. 4.

5. Who doesn’t love a newbie? Jon Bellion is an awesome newbie at that, blessing the world with the state of The Human Condition. While the human condition itself is questionable at this time, the album itself isn’t, and Bellion locks up the no. 5 spot. Get it J.B.!

6. If I’m Honest, Blake Shelton spends his fourth week in the top 10, staying put at no. 9.

7. The Dangerous Woman (Ariana Grande) has lost some of her dangerousness as the album slips out of the top 10 from no. 7 to no. 11.

8. Meghan Trainor gets a lift as Thank You improves three spots from no. 15 to no. 12 in week five. An album flop – um like, totally “NO!”

9. A lot of folks seem to be like “Really Really” into Kevin Gates’ Islah. It improves six spots from no. 19 to no. 13 in its 20^th week. Can you say “staying power?”

10. Garbage leads three consecutive debuts within the top 20. Strange Little Birds starts at no. 14. Kaleo’s A/B follows at no. 15, while Fitz and the Tantrums’ self-titled effort settles in at no. 16.

11. Band of Horses owns the final top-20 debut of the week. Why Are You OK lands at no. 18.

12. Two former top-five albums cling onto their spots in the top 20. That would be Dierks Bentley’s Black which slips seven spots (no. 12 to no. 19) and Fifth Harmony’s 7/27 which slips three spots (no. 17 to no. 20).

13. Paul Simon’s comeback album Stranger to Stranger sadly becomes a “stranger” to the top 10 this week. It slips 19 spots from no. 3 to no. 22. Ouch!

14. Now That’s What I Call Country, Volume 9 makes a ‘stunning’ debut…said no one ever. The compilation starts at no. 28 with little fanfare. To quote Big Sean (and a lot of other folks), “you win some, you lose some.”

15. So, you’re supposed to praise God in good times and bad times. With Maren Morris asking for “hallelujahs” in “My Church,” she needs to channel that spirituality and positivity this week as Hero slips 24 spots from no. 5 to no. 29.

16. For whatever reason, Journey’s Greatest Hits soar up the charts from no. 96 to no. 32. To quote the band, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

17. The same should be said of Bob Marley. He and the Wailers have a big week as Legend: The Best Of… improves from no. 86 to no. 33.

18. It may be a bit “darker out” this week for G-Eazy’s When It’s Dark Out as it slips 14 spots (no. 20 to no. 34), but don’t shed many tears. Eazy’s album has been on the charts for a respectable 28 weeks.

19. Forget about Paul Simon or Maren Morris shedding tears for their current positions on the chart after a respectable first week. Volbeat had a crappier week as Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie slipped 34 spots from no. 4 to no. 38!

20. After falling 28 spots last week, Flume stops the bleeding this week. Technically Skin still bleeds because it falls four more spots (no. 36 to no. 40) but that’s not as bad as the ass-kicking the charts gave the album the week before.

21. It’s a good week to be a Beatle…rather a Beatles fan or a former member of The Beatles. 1, the ever-popular greatest his collection flies up the charts from no. 117 to no. 41. Paul McCartney joins the chart jubilation as his reissued self-titled album debuts at no. 43 in its deluxe edition.

22. X Ambassadors sees VHS improve 13 spots from no. 60 to no. 47 in its 51^st week on the charts. VHS was recently rereleased.

23. Okay, okay, so we gave Volbeat some crap about falling 34 spots with Seal The Deal & Let’s Boogie. Country duo Dan + Shay actually “take the cake.”  Fans weren’t Obsessed with the duo in week two as it plummeted 51 spots from no. 8 to no. 59.

24. Zayn’s Mind of Mine has been a moderate success on the charts. This week, the set’s 12^th, it slips from no. 55 to no. 63. Underperforming? Yeah, a smidge.  These ain’t One Direction numbers!

25. Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book continues its slippage down the chart. Coloring Book falls eight spots from no. 56 to no. 64 in week five. Don’t criticize Chance too much – this album is a streaming exclusive, so it’s ‘uncharted’ territory for the Billboard 200.

26. Frankie Ballard probably needs a hug. El Rio debuts modestly at no. 68. But guess what – he didn’t have the worst debut week of the new albums! #SilverLining

27. Nahko And Medicine For The People take HOKA to no. 71 on the BB200. Who are Nahko And Medicine For The People? Good question!

28. Ahead of their forthcoming album’s chart debut next week, Red Hot Chili Peppers sees their Greatest Hits rise 90 spots from no. 162 to no. 72. Holla!

29. Yeah, what is about to be said is probably mean, but anything for a good pun, right? It was no Milestone for Grammy-winning R&B diva Chrisette Michele this week (not too bad, right). Michele’s indie R&B album debuted tepidly at no. 73, her debut. Many people have probably forgotten that Michele at one point had a no. 1 album – Epiphany.

30. Eric Clapton is “still” on the charts, but I Still Do suffers a setback to the tune of 17 spots (no. 59 to no. 76).

31. KONGOS can’t have too much ego this week! EGOMANIAC starts at no. 79. Hmm, the band probably wishes they had another hit like “Come With Me Now” on their hands!

32. Brandy Clark can’t be thrilled. The country singer’s Big Day in A Small Town debuts in ‘small’ fashion at no. 84.

33. Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams sees the light of the Top-100 once more. The set improves from no. 104 to no. 97.

34. Troye Sivan’s Blue Neighbourhood gets ‘bluer’ this week as the set slides from no. 92 to no. 104. Youth isn’t on the album’s side – it’s charted for 28 weeks now.

35. No wonder Little Big Town wasn’t sure about their experimental EP produced by Pharrell Williams. Wanderlust is a major flop, debuting at a horrid no. 105.  Is this the same quartet that just made it big with “Girl Crush?” No, it can’t be!

36. No, Kygo isn’t on Cloud Nine currently as his debut continues its slide down the charts. No. 107 is not a good look for the Norwegian DJ.  Hey, at least he’s still got his looks…and piano skills…

37. So, who is Drew Baldridge? He’s a country singer, but only a small crowd indulged into his album Dirt On Us. It starts at no. 113.

38. Rival Sons’ Hollow Bones starts quietly (understatement) at no. 117.

39. gnash’s us drops seven spots from no. 114 to no. 121. Us peaked at no. 102.

40. Okay, Dan + Shay – you’re off the hook. HellYeah’s Unden!able undeniably had an abysmal week. The album dropped 110 spots from no. 18 to no. 128.  Phew!!!

41. Leslie Odom, Jr.’s self-titled album starts at no. 151. No, that’s not great, but considering it’s a jazz album that just happened to debut on the BB200, kudos are in order for LO, Jr.

42. Nick Jonas’ self-titled album re-enters the Billboard 200 coincidentally the same week that Last Year Was Complicated arrives.

43. Kendrick Lamar’s untitled unmastered free falls 69 spots from no. 100 to no. 169.

44. Now HellYeah is off the hook. Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa’s TGOD Mafia: Rude Awakening got a truly “rude awakening” this week as the album slipped 144 spots from no. 26 to no. 170.

https://youtu.be/bRGOAeC_Vhg

45. Late The Voice finalist Christina Grimmie impacts the lower half of the Billboard 200. EP Side A debuts at no. 173 while The Voice: The Complete Season 6 Collection debuts at no. 194.

BB Grooves is a column examining the biggest stories on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart weekly.

Photo Credit: Island