The Chart Scoop | Shawn Mendes Takes ‘Illuminate’ To No. 1

Shawn Mendes earns his second no. 1 album with his sophomore effort, ‘Illuminate.’ Luke Bryan (‘Farm Tour’) launches at no. 4.

To reiterate the expected, Shawn Mendes easily debuts no. 1 on the Billboard 200.  Even with a number of new releases arriving September 23, Mendes’ Illuminate was a lock to take the chart crown.  Given his success, Mendes is the center of the biggest story of the Billboard 200, dated October 15, 2016.  Still, there are plenty of other storylines worth reading and analyzing.  Don’t get it twisted, though…Shawn’s the man!

 

1. Shawn Mendes rules the roost. Illuminate easily debuts at no. 1 on the Billboard 200.

 

2. After reclaiming the throne for a 13th time last week, Drake (Views) finds himself at no. 2.

 

 

3. Luke Bryan scores the chart’s second highest debut with Farm Tour: There’s to the Farmer. The EP lands at no. 4.

 

4. Bruce Springsteen returns to the top five of the Billboard 200 with compilation Chapter And Verse (no. 5).

 

5. Rihanna (Anti) re-enters the top 10 this week (no. 12 to no. 9). Anti has charted for 36 weeks, most of which were spent in the top 10.

 

 

6. Ariana Grande (Dangerous Woman) and Florida Georgia Line (Dig Your Roots) sit at nos. 10 and 11 respectively. The albums switch chart positions this week.

 

7. Crowder (American Prodigal) debuts at no. 12.

 

8. My Chemical Romance sees a gargantuan sales gain with the release of a 10th-anniversary edition of The Black Parade. The Black Parade ascends 129 spots from no. 143 to no. 14. When originally released in 2006, The Black Parade debuted at no. 2.

 

 

9. Maxwell finally got some good news – commercially. blackSUMMERS’night re-enters the Billboard 200 at no. 19. This marks only the set’s ninth charting week.  Despite subpar sales, blackSUMMERS’night was another fantastic project from the R&B artist.

 

10. Usher clings onto a spot in the top 20 as Hard II Love slips 15 spots from no. 5 to no. 20.

 

 

11. Every Time I Die sees new album Low Teens debut at no. 23.

 

12. The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ The Getaway improves 95 spots from no. 119 to no. 24.

 

 

13. Ty Dolla $ign’s newest project, mixtape Campaign, debuts quietly at no. 28.

 

14. Broadway actress/pop vocalist Idina Menzel sees her newest album Idina. debut modestly at no. 29. She may be the “Queen of Swords” but she’s not the queen of the charts…

 

15. Mac Miller plummets in his sophomore week. The Divine Feminine drops from no. 2 to no. 30. Ouch!

 

 

16. The Trolls soundtrack starts at no. 33 on the Billboard 200.

 

17. The Weeknd sees his sophomore album Beauty Behind the Madness improve five spots from no. 40 to no. 35. Beauty Behind the Madness has charted for 57 weeks.

 

18. Kristen Chenoweth debuts The Art of Elegance at no. 36. The numbers are not-so-elegant.

 

19. Legendary band Kansas returns to the Billboard 200 with comeback album The Prelude Implicit. The Prelude Implicit debuts at no. 41.

 

 

20. Aaron Lewis outperformed Usher on last week’s chart with Sinner (no. 4). This week, it’s depreciation is much greater than the R&B artists, slipping from no. 4 to no. 43.

 

21. After weeks of a boosts, Coldplay (A Head Full of Dreams) come back down a might from no. 26 to no. 45.

 

 

22. Likely thanks to a boost from “Black Beatles,” Rae Sremmurd sees Sremmlife 2 make a modest gain (no. 53 to no. 47).

 

23. Live At The Greek Theatre, the latest live project from Joe Bonamassa, debuts at no. 48.

 

24. Panic! At The Disco gets a boost as Death of a Bachelor rises from no. 70 to no. 52. The set has charted for 37 weeks so far.

 

 

25. Despite the rise of “I Hate U I Love U” on the Billboard Hot 100, gnash’s EP us dips eight spots from no. 46 to no. 54.

 

26. Aaron Lewis has a crappy week. Casting Crowns’ was worst. After The Very Next Thing debuted at no. 9 last week, it free falls to no. 56 this week.

 

27. Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World ascends from no. 102 to no. 61 in its 18^th charting week.

 

28. Kentucky country musician Dwight Yoakam returns to the Billboard 200 with Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars…which debuts at no. 62.

 

29. WOW Hits 2017 starts at no. 64.

 

 

30. Passenger starts at no. 70 with Young As The Morning, Old As The Sea.

 

31. Flume takes a dip this week. Skin slides from no. 50 to no. 71.

 

32. blink-182 experiences a boost with California (no. 94 to no. 75).

 

 

33. Danny Brown (Atrocity Exhibition) stars at no. 77.

 

34. Nirvana classic Nevermind ascends from no. 172 to no. 84.

 

 

35. Bastille continues to plummet. Wild World slides from no. 43 to no. 92 in its third charting week. Such an awesome album doesn’t deserve such abysmal numbers.

 

36. Young Thug continues to slip down the charts. JEFFERY drops from no. 75 to no. 93.

 

37. Schoolboy Q (Blank Face LP) slips 29 spots from no. 68 to no. 97.

 

38. The Beatles’ Live At The Hollywood Bowl has had an interesting chart path. It debuted at no. 7, slid to no. 37, and currently sits at no. 99.

 

 

39. Britney Spears’ Glory is a bomb. Glory slides from no. 66 to no. 103 in its fourth charting week.

 

40. Mick Jenkins (The Healing Component) starts at no. 110.

 

41. Warpaint (Heads Up) debuts modestly at no. 129.

 

 

42. Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam hopefully didn’t have too many grandiose dreams about chart success. I Had A Dream That You Were Mine debuts at no. 141.

 

43. Wilco continues to slip down to the charts. Schmilco plummets from no. 81 to no. 149.

 

44. Jon Bellion sees The Human Condition improve 20 spots from no. 185 to no. 165.

 

Photo Credit: Island