Blake Shelton Set for Best Sales Week Ever on Billboard 200 Chart
Led by Lil Wayne's "I Am Not a Human Being II," the Billboard 200 chart's top 10 should welcome six new entries next week. The rap star's latest release is on course to sell around 200,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on March 31, according to industry forecasters.
"I Am Not a Human Being II" will likely settle for a No. 2 debut, as it will be blocked by Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience." The latter should hold on to the top slot with over 300,000 in its second week.
The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on the morning of April 3.
Meanwhile, Blake Shelton is set for his best sales week ever, as his new album, "Based on a True Story," should sell more than 180,000. His largest frame was logged when 2011's "Red River Blue" bowed at No. 1 with 116,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Based on a True Story" will likely arrive in the No. 3 slot.
The rest of the week's big releases are all heading for a sub-100,000 start.
OneRepublic's third album, "Native," could shift 60,000 -- marking the band's best sales week since 2007. Further, with "Native" on track for a top five bow, it will mark the group's first top 10 ever. OneRepublic's first album, "Dreaming Out Loud," started with its so-far best sales week of 75,000 in 2007. The album later peaked at No. 14. The act’s second set, 2009's "Waking Up," debuted and peaked at No. 21 off of a 39,000 launch.
Meanwhile, Depeche Mode's latest, "Delta Machine," might move 55,000 copies. It's the veteran group's first release on Columbia Records and should earn the act its seventh top 10. All six of the band's studio releases from "Violator" through its last effort, 2009's "Sounds of the Universe," have reached the top 10.
Also on course for a top 10 debut: Alan Jackson's "Precious Memories Vol. II" (50,000) and the Strokes' "Comedown Machine" (40,000).
On SoundScan's Building chart (below), Timberlake is No. 1 and Lil Wayne is No. 2. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking, reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week as reported by six major merchants.
As for the rest of the Building chart's top 10: Shelton, OneRepublic, Depeche Mode and Jackson are in the Nos. 3-6 slots. Bruno Mars' "Unorthodox Jukebox" is in the No. 7 position while the Strokes are at No. 8. Country duo Thompson Square sits at No. 9 with its new album "Just Feels Good" -- though it may not sustain sales through the week to rank in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 next week.
Closing out the top 10 is Luke Bryan's "Spring Break…Here to Party."
Nielsen SoundScan Building Chart
Rank LW
BB 200 Artist Title
1 1 Justin Timberlake "The 20/20 Experience"
2 NEW Lil Wayne "I Am Not a Human Being II"
3 NEW Blake Shelton "Based on a True Story"
4 NEW OneRepublic "Native"
5 NEW Depeche Mode "Delta Machine"
6 NEW Alan Jackson "Precious Memories: Vol. II"
7 3 Bruno Mars "Unorthodox Jukebox"
8 NEW The Strokes "Comedown Machine"
9 NEW Thompson Square "Just Feels Good"
10 4 Luke Bryan "Spring Break . . . Here to Party"
The Building Chart reflects the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week (which ends Sunday) as reported by six major merchants: iTunes, Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Starbucks, Target and Anderson Merchandisers. Billboard estimates that they make up about 85% of all U.S. album sales.
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