Strait to the top with R.E.M.
A much-hyped return to a more straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll sound gives veteran rockers R.E.M. its best debut week in more than a decade, and country superstar George Strait nails his fourth chart-topper with “Troubadour.”
Strait’s “Troubadour” sold 166,000 copies in its first week to top the U.S. pop chart, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Strait’s 2006 effort “It Just Comes Natural” led the tally with 232,000 copies when it debuted.
While not immune to the industry’s overall decline in CD sales, Strait has been as consistent as they come. He has now topped Billboard’s country chart 22 times.
R.E.M., meanwhile, sold 115,000 copies of its “Accelerate,” giving the band a No. 2 debut. With that number, that band accomplished a rare feat in today’s music climate – actually besting the first-week sales of its prior effort.
In 2004, R.E.M.’s “Around the Sun” sold a tepid 61,000 copies when it arrived. The act last debuted at No. 2 way back in 1996 with “New Adventures in Hi-Fi,” which sold 227,000 copies when it landed on the chart.
Further down, bluesy rock duo the Black Keys experiences its best sales week of its career. The act’s “Attack & Release,” produced by Gnarls Barkley’s Danger Mouse, entered at No. 14 after selling 29,000 copies. Previously, the act had never sold more than 11,000 copies in one week, which was the first-week total for 2006’s “Magic Potion.”
Other notable newcomers this week include rapper Trina, whose “Still Da Baddest” enters at No. 6 with 47,000 copies, and Van Morrison’s “Keep It Simple,” which bows at No.10 with 37,000 copies.
Photo courtesy AP
