On the Charts: Gwen Stefani Lands First Number One Solo LP
Gwen Stefani captured her first Number One album as a solo artist as her new LP This Is What the Truth Feels Like, the No Doubt singer’s third solo disc and first in a decade, topped the Billboard 200. This Is What the Truth Feels Like sold 84,000 copies in its debut week.
As Billboard reports, Stefani is one of only five female artists to top the Billboard 200 as a solo artist after scoring a Number One album as part of a group, joining Beyoncé (Destiny’s Child), Janis Joplin (Big Brother & The Holding Company), Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) and Lauryn Hill (Fugees).
However, the 10-year gap between Stefani solo albums spotlights how much the music industry has changed since her The Sweet Escape arrived in 2006: That album had opening week sales of 243,000 but only peaked at Number Three, while her first solo album, Love Angel Music Baby, debuted with 309,000 copies yet only managed to reach Number Five.
Stefani edged out a fellow Voice star on her way to Number One as Jordan Smith, the Season 9 winner of the NBC singing competition where Stefani served as coach, debuted at Number Two with his new album Something Beautiful. Rihanna’s Anti, last week’s Number One, dipped to Number Three, where it was followed by Adele’s 25 and Justin Bieber’s Purpose.
Besides Stefani and Smith, two more new releases crashed the Top 10: The soundtrack for Tyler Perry’s live Fox musical The Passion: New Orleans bowed at Number Eight and Country singer Kane Brown’s Chapter I EP dropped in at Number Nine. Chris Stapleton’s Traveller (Number Six), Twenty One Pilots’ Blurryface (Number Seven) and Joey + Rory’s Hymns (Number 10) filled out the Top 10.
Next week, Zayn Malik will look to transfer his Hot 100 success to the Billboard 200 with his new album Mind of Mine.