On the Charts: Kendrick Lamar Fends Off Gorillaz to Stay Number One
Kendrick Lamar fended off new releases by Gorillaz and Mary J. Blige as Damn. captured Number One on the Billboard 200 for the third straight week.
Damn. added 173,000 total albums to its haul, which crossed the million-selling platinum barrier earlier in the week, Billboard reported. Damn. also became the rapper’s longest-lasting Number One LP, breaking the two-week tie it held with 2015’s To Pimp a Butterfly.
Gorillaz finished one spot behind Lamar as Humanz debuted at Number Two, matching Damon Albarn and company’s previous peak registered in 2010 by Plastic Beach. However, Humanz‘ 140,000 opening week sales exceeded Plastic Beach’s 112,000 haul seven years ago.
Mary J. Blige’s Strength of a Woman entered the Billboard 200 at Number Three, giving the singer 14 career Top 10 albums. Strength of a Woman sold 78,000 copies in its debut week.
Two more new releases cracked the Top 10: Sony’s latest Epic AF compilation – featuring recently released tracks by Future, Big Boi and DJ Khaled – opened at Number Six thanks entirely to Khaled’s “I’m the One” with Bieber, Migos’ Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne. Since the compilation is the only place to hear that hit, Epic AF cashed in on streaming equivalent albums (SEAs) and track equivalent albums (TEAs).
Willie Nelson’s God’s Problem Child was the Top 10’s final new release, bowing at Number 10.
Drake’s More Life dropped to Number Four, one spot ahead of Ed Sheeran’s Divide. Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic (Number Seven), the Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol.2: Awesome Mix soundtrack (Eight) and Chainsmokers’ Memories… Do Not Open (Nine).
Lamar’s impressive run atop the Billboard 200 will likely end next week thanks to Chris Stapleton’s From a Room: Volume 1.