Chris Brown tops U.S. album chart for first time
March 31st, 2011
R&B singer Chris Brown, dogged in recent years by a domestic violence conviction, scored his first No. 1 album on the U.S. pop chart Wednesday with one of the best sales weeks of his career.
Brown sold 270,000 copies of "F.A.M.E." during the week ended March 27, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
His previous album, "Graffiti," released in the wake of a physical confrontation with then-girlfriend Rihanna, debuted at a disappointing No. 7 in December 2009 with 102,000 units. Only his 2007 album "Exclusive," sold more copies -- 294,000 units.
Brown's promotional efforts for "F.A.M.E." received an accidental boost earlier this month after Brown trashed his dressing room at "Good Morning America" after he was angered by an on-air question about the Rihanna incident.
Coming in at a distant No. 2 was Jennifer Hudson's second album, "I Remember Me," with 165,000 units. Her self-titled 2008 debut also came in at No. 2, but with 217,000 units.
After three nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1, English pop singer Adele's "21" slipped to No. 3 with 96,000 copies. Its five-week total stands at 847,000 copies.
The Strokes' "Angles" arrived at No. 4 (89,000) -- marking the New York rock band's third straight No. 4 start after 2003's "Room on Fire" (126,000) and 2006's "First Impressions of Earth" (88,000). Their "This Is It" debut opened at No. 74 with 17,000 copies in October 2001 and peaked at No. 33 the following year.
Gospel singer Kirk Franklin's "Hello Fear" flew in at No. 5 (87,000) -- his best week since "The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin" debuted at No. 4 with 91,000 in 2002.
The digital-exclusive charity compilation "Songs For Japan" started at No. 6 (68,000), and Panic at the Disco's "Vices & Virtues" bowed at No. 7 (56,000). The final top 10 arrival, Bobby V's "Fly On the Wall," landed at No. 9 with 38,000.
Among holdovers, Mumford & Sons' "Sigh No More" fell three to No. 8 with 39,000, while Lupe Fiasco's former chart-topper "Lasers" slid seven to No. 10 in its third week (29,000).
Overall album sales totaled 6.48 million units, up 13 percent compared to the previous week and up 7 percent compared to the comparable sales week of 2010. Year to date album sales stand at 71.19 million, down 5 percent compared to the same total at this point last year.
