On the Charts: Kenny Chesney Notches First Number One Live Album in Seven Years
Kenny Chesney became the first artist to land a live album atop the Billboard 200 in seven years as the country singer’s all-star live LP Live in No Shoes Nation debuted at Number One.
Live in No Shoes Nation sold 219,000 copies in its first week of availability, with the bulk of that total coming from a deal that coupled tickets to Chesney’s 2018 stadium tour with a free copy of the live album. However, the sales only apply to fans that redeemed a code to acquire the live album, which only a fraction of the million-plus ticket buyers did, Billboard estimates.
By finishing in the top spot, Chesney now has eight Number One albums in his catalog, only one behind Garth Brooks’ record among country artists for most chart-topping albums.
Live in No Shoes Nation is the first live album since the Hope for Haiti Now compilation in 2010 to rule the Billboard 200, and the highest-selling live album since Paul McCartney’s Back in the U.S. Live 2002 debuted with 224,000 copies 15 years ago.
Kelly Clarkson‘s new album Meaning of Life opened at Number Two with 79,000 total copies, giving the former American Idol winner her eighth Top 10 album. Her previous LP, 2015’s Piece by Piece, debuted at Number One.
It was a debut-heavy week on the Billboard 200 as six new releases impacted the Top 10: Chris Brown‘s massive Heartbreak on a Full Moon sold 68,000 total copies to finished Number Three, one spot ahead of 21 Savage, Migos’ Offset and Metro Boomin’s surprise album Without Warning at Number Four.
Yo Gotti‘s I Still Am debuted at Number Six with 33,000 total copies while Big K.R.I.T.’s 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time opened at Number Seven.
Post Malone’s Stoney led the returnees by ending the week at Number Four. Further down, Ed Sheeran’s Divide slotted at Number Eight, Future and Young Thug’s Super Slimey claimed Number Nine and Lil Uzi Vert’s Luv Is Rage 2 closed out the Top 10 at Number 10.
Next week’s Top 10 should see another shakeup as Sam Smith’s The Thrill of It All, Maroon 5’s Red Pill Blues, Blake Shelton’s Texoma Shore and Kelsea Ballerini’s Unapologetically all storm the Billboard 200.