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Both the Billboard 200 and the Digital Songs charts greet fresh No. 1s this week, as Arcade Fire's new album "The Suburbs" bows atop the former list with 156,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, while Taylor Swift's "Mine" plants the flag on the Songs tally with 297,000 downloads.
"Mine," which was rush-released to digital retailers late last Wednesday (Aug. 4), starts with 297,000 after only four full days of sales (SoundScan's tracking week ends on Sunday). Last week's No. 1, Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie," slips to No. 2 (281,000; down 6%).
"Mine's" bow is the eighth-biggest debut sales week ever for a digital song, and the fourth-best of the year. 2010's largest entry so far is Eminem's "Not Afraid" (379,000), followed by "Love the Way You Lie" (338,000) and Swift's own "Today Was a Fairytale" (325,000). "Mine" is the lead single from Swift's third studio album, "Speak Now," due out on Oct. 25.
Back on the albums chart, "The Suburbs" gives Arcade Fire its first No. 1, surpassing the Montreal band's previous high of No. 2 when 2007's "Neon Bible" arrived with 92,000.
"Suburbs" reaped the benefits of a week-long sale in Amazon's MP3 store, where it was priced at $3.99. Apple's iTunes Store offered the set for a standard $9.99. While SoundScan's data does not reveal how many were sold only through Amazon's MP3 store, downloads from all retailers made up 62% of the album's first week (97,000 downloads out of 156,000 total sales). Comparably, "Neon Bible" saw 30% of its first week come from digital sales (27,000 of its 92,000 opening frame).
"Suburbs" is the third independently-distributed No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this year, following chart-topping bows from Vampire Weekend's "Contra" and the various artists compilation "Hope For Haiti Now."
Last week's Billboard 200 No. 1, Avenged Sevenfold's "Nightmare," falls to No. 3 with 45,000 (down 72%). Eminem's "Recovery" holds at No. 2 with 152,000 (down 4%).
Three more new entries grace the albums chart's top 10 this week. The first comes courtesy of Bun B with "Trill O.G." starting at No. 4 with 41,000. It's the rapper's first release distributed through Universal's indie arm Fontana, after his last two came via Asylum/Warner Bros. His previous album, 2008's "Il Trill," debuted and peaked at No. 2 with 98,000.
Lady Gaga's "The Remix" is the next-biggest bow, landing at No. 6 with 39,000. It's the first remix set to reach the top 10 since the "Hannah Montana 2: Non-Stop Dance Party" album debuted and peaked at No. 7 on the chart dated Feb. 16, 2008. Gaga's album boasts 10 remixes (five of which were previously commercially released) by the likes of Stuart Price and FrankMusik.
Buckcherry's "All Night Long" is the final top 10 bow, as it grabs a No. 10 entry with 28,000. It's the rock band's first studio set since 2008's "Black Butterfly," which flew in at No. 8 with 47,000.
As for the rest of the top 10 this week, Rick Ross' "Teflon Don" slips two rungs to No. 5 (39,000; down 37%), Justin Bieber's "My World 2.0" tumbles three to No. 7 (37,000; down 2%), Drake's "Thank Me Later" drops three slots as well to No. 8 (31,000; down 9%). The final holdover in the top 10 this week is Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now," descending two positions to No. 9 (29,000; though it's up 4%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Aug. 8) totaled 5.26 million units, up 1% compared to the sum last week (5.21 million) and down 13% compared to the comparable sales week of 2009 (6.04 million). Year to date album sales stand at 180.2 million, down 12% compared to the same total at this point last year (205.3 million).
Digital track sales this past week totaled 20.71 million downloads, up less than 1% compared to last week (20.69 million) and down 1% stacked next to the comparable week of 2009 (20.85 million). Year to date track sales are at 701.98 million, down 1% compared to the same total at this point last year (705.96 million).