Disturbed Triumphs In The Fiery World Of “Now” Compilations And Dorky Weezer Fans

noah | June 11, 2008 1:00 am
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Disturbed’s Indestructible took this week’s top spot on the album charts, selling 253,000 copes in its first week and coming out atop a heap of debuts that included the latest Now cash-in comp, Weezer’s latest attempt to get money from the nerds who read Digg, and Jewel’s play for the country crowd. I just hope that there’s at least one person out there who bought Indestructible based on its cover alone, because really, that is something to behold.

Biggest Debuts: Now 28, which this time actually features songs that are still selling briskly on the Hot Digital Tracks chart (“Bleeding Love,” “Lollipop,” that dreary Natasha Bedingfield track) came in second on the big board, selling 185,000 copies. At No. 4 was the red self-titled album by Weezer, which sold 126,000 copies; No. 5 was Journey’s Arnel Pineda’d out Revelation, which was taken home by 105,000 Wal-Mart shoppers; No. 6 was Ashanti’s The Declaration, which sold 86,000 units; and No. 8 was Jewel’s country album Perfectly Clear, which moved 48,000 copies.

Also, debuting at No. 20 was something called Now Classic Rock, which features these hits that will never be erased from the modern consciousness:

1. Queen – We Will Rock You 2. Heart – Barracuda 3. George Thorogood & The Destroyers – Bad to the Bone 4. Rush – Spirit of the Radio 5. The Who – My Generation 6. Jimi Hendrix Experience – Fire 7. Boston – More Than a Feeling 8. Kansas – Carry on My Wayward Son 9. Styx – Renegade 10. Foreigner – Cold as Ice 11. Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water 12. Grand Funk Railroad – We’re an American Band 13. Mountain – Mississippi Queen 14. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising 15. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama 16. Steve Miller Band – The Joker 17. David Bowie – Rebel Rebel 18. Cheap Trick – Surrender 19. Peter Frampton – Show Me the Way (live) 20. Kiss – Rock and Roll All Nite (live)

I’m not sure if its high chart placement is a sign of a weak market or a sign that these songs are just going to be the Rock Standards until long after I’m six feet underground.

Notable Jumps: Thanks to its sales-goosing reissue, Chris Brown’s Exclusive leapt from No. 56 to No. 10 on a 261% sales gain–that’s 36,000 albums sold.

Dropping Off: Last week’s No. 1, Usher’s Here I Stand, took a 67% hit–but only dropped from the top spot to No. 3.

Nickelback Award For Inexplicable Durability: The Sex And The City soundtrack took a not-bad 9% hit in its second week on shelves, despite a tracklisting that includes Fergie and freaking Morningwood. Well, if it means that some Black Eyed Peas fan will be turned on to Al Green, I guess it’s worth it. Even if he had to duet with Joss Stone to get a spot on the playlist.

The top 20 sellers, with sales totals in parentheses: 1. Disturbed, Indestructible (253,000) 2. Now 28 (185,000) 3. Usher, Here I Stand (145,000) 4. Weezer (126,000) 5. Journey, Revelation (105,000) 6. Ashanti, The Declaration (86,000) 7. Sex And The City soundtrack (60,000) 8. Jewel, Perfectly Clear (48,000) 9. 3 Doors Down (45,000) 10. Chris Brown, Exclusive (36,000) 11. Leona Lewis, Spirit (33,000) 12. Duffy, Rockferry (31,000) 13. Mariah Carey, E=MC2 (30,000) 14. Madonna, Hard Candy (27,000) 15. Taylor Swift (27,000) 16. Frank Sinatra, Nothing But The Best (27,000) 17. Death Cab For Cutie, Narrow Stairs (25,000) 18. Toby Keith, 35 Biggest Hits (24,000) 19. Bun B, II Trill (24,000) 20. Now Classic Rock (23,000)

The top 10 digital albums, with sales totals in parentheses: 1. Weezer (41,000) 2. Disturbed, Indestructible (41,000) 3. Sex And The City soundtrack (19,000) 4. Usher, Here I Stand (9,900) 5. Death Cab For Cutie, Narrow Stairs (6,400) 6. Jewel, Perfectly Clear (6,300) 7. Radiohead, Best Of Radiohead (5,900) 8. Jason Mraz, We Sing We Dance We Steal Things (5,800) 9. Ashanti, The Declaration (5,800) 10. 3 Doors Down (5,600)

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