Nielsen Music has just released its 5th annual study that offers a goldmine of actionable data from a sample group of more than 1,500 nationwide. In this second of a three-part series, FYI delves into the facts and figures behind consumer listening habits.
By External Source
Nielsen Music has just released its 5th annual study that offers a goldmine of actionable data from a sample group of more than 1,500 nationwide. In this second of a three-part series, FYI delves into the facts and figures behind consumer listening habits.
To access the full report with expanded insights, contact paul.shaver@nielsen.com; meantime, a 15-page summary highlighting some key data can be downloaded as a pdf file here.
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ENHYPEN
Plus: Eminem, Clairo, Johnny Blue Skies, Billy Strings, Cigarettes After Sex, Megan Moroney, Phish and Hardy debut in the top 10.
For the first time in over three years, the top nine positions on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart are all debuts, led by ENHYPEN’s Romance: Untold atop the list. On the chart dated July 27, Nos. 1-9 are new entries, the first time the top nine are debuts since the May 29, 2021-dated ranking.
Joining ENHYPEN with debuts in the top 10 are Eminem, Clairo, Johnny Blue Skies (aka Sturgill Simpson), Billy Strings, Cigarettes After Sex, Megan Moroney, Phish and HARDY. The lone non-debut in the top 10 is Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, which falls from No. 5 to No. 10.
Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. The new July 27, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on July 23. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X and Instagram.
Since Top Album Sales bowed with the May 25, 1991-dated list, there have been 10 weeks where there were at least nine debuts in the top 10. The entire top nine have been debuts six times — on the latest chart, once in 2021, twice in 2017 and twice in 2016. (The entire top 10 were debuts three times — twice in 2017 and once in 2016.)
ENHYPEN’s Romance: Untold arrives with the act’s best sales week ever, as the set launches at No. 1 with 117,000 copies sold – the fifth-largest debut sales week of 2024. It’s the second No. 1 for the Korean pop ensemble, and seventh top 10-charting effort overall for the group. The album’s sales were bolstered by its availability across 17 different CD variants, all containing collectible paper ephemera like photocards, stickers and a poster, as well as two vinyl editions.
Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) enters at No. 2 with 114,000 – the largest sales week of 2024 for a rap album. The set marks the hip-hop giant’s 13th top 10-charting effort. Death was available to purchase only as a digital download and was issued widely in both clean and explicit editions, in addition to three further variants sold exclusively in Eminem’s official webstore. Of the latter three, two were sold as a pre-order for a limited time before the set’s release, and each came with their own exclusive bonus track – one with “Kyrie & Luka” featuring 2 Chainz, and one with “Like My Shit” featuring FIFTEENAFTER. A third webstore variant dropped on July 17, carrying both bonus tracks and an exclusive “Steve Berman” skit. The CD and vinyl editions of The Death of Slim Shady are due for release on Sept. 13 and Oct. 25, respectively.
Clairo captures her biggest sales week yet, as Charm debuts at No. 3 on Top Album Sales with 32,000 sold. The set’s first-week sales were amplified by the album’s availability across eight vinyl variants and four deluxe boxed sets (containing branded merchandise and a CD). Vinyl sales comprise 15,000 of the album’s first week – Clairo’s best week ever on vinyl. Charm also bows atop the Vinyl Albums ranking – the singer-songwriter’s first leader there.
Johnny Blue Skies’ (aka Sturgill Simpson) Passage du Desir debuts at No. 4 on Top Album Sales with 15,000 sold. The set was released in two vinyl variants (which sold a combined 9,500), a CD and a digital download. Combining Simpson’s albums credited to his name and his Johnny Blue Skies pseudonym, he’s collected six top 10-charting efforts.
Billy Strings’ Live, Vol. 1 bows at No. 5 on Top Album Sales with nearly 15,000 sold – from three vinyl variants (which combined to sell 12,000 copies – his best vinyl week ever; debuting at No. 2 on Vinyl Albums), a CD and a digital download. It’s the third top 10 on Top Album Sales for Strings.
Cigarettes After Sex lands its best sales week ever, and first top 10 on Top Album Sales, as its third full-length studio album, X’s, bows at No. 6 with 13,000 sold. The set was issued across nine vinyl variants (totaling 8,000 – the band’s best week ever on vinyl), a CD, cassette tape and digital download.
Megan Moroney achieves her first top 10 on Top Album Sales, with her largest sales week yet, as her second full-length studio album Am I Okay? bows at No. 7 with 13,000 sold. The set was available in three vinyl variants (including an autographed edition, sold exclusive in her webstore), three deluxe CD boxsets (containing collectible merch and a CD), a signed CD (exclusive to her store), a standard CD and a digital download album.
Phish’s new studio album Evolve enters at No. 8 on Top Album Sales with 13,000 sold – the band’s best sales week since Big Boat debuted with 17,000 copies on the Oct. 29, 2016-dated chart. Evolve was available across six vinyl variants (selling 10,000 copies), a CD and digital download. Evolve marks the 10th top 10-charting set for Phish on Top Album Sales.
Hardy rounds out the debut parade on Top Album Sales as his new studio set Quit!! debuts with 13,000 at No. 9 – marking his third top album. The set was issued across three vinyl variants, a signed CD (exclusive to his webstore), a standard CD, a standard digital album, and a deluxe digital album with eight bonus live tracks (exclusive to his webstore).
Closing out the top 10 on the new Top Album Sales chart is Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, falling 5-10 with 10,000 (down 2%).
