‘Empire’ Soundtrack Beats Madonna’s ‘Rebel Heart’ To #1 On The Album Chart

Robbie Daw | March 18, 2015 9:12 am

The past week wound up being somewhat of a chart battle between the soundtrack to Fox’s hit musical series Empire and Madonna’s 13th studio album Rebel Heart. The former won out, and takes the #1 spot this week on the Billboard 200 after moving 130,000 album units. Madonna racked up 121,000.

While Rebel Heart is Madonna’s first studio LP to miss out on the top position since 1998’s Ray Of Light, which also charted at #2, she’s now 13 for 13 as far as Top 10 albums go. Also, she now has 12 consecutive Top 5 studio albums, with only her self-titled debut missing out on that particular roundup (it peaked at #8).

Other Madonna LPs that have peaked at #2 include studio albums Erotica and Ray Of Light, soundtracks I’m Breathless: Music From And Inspired By The Film Dick Tracy and Evita and her seminal 1990 hits set The Immaculate Collection.

In other news, last week’s top album, Kelly Clarkson’s Piece By Piece, takes a giant tumble from #1 to #12.

The Top 10 of the Billboard 200:

1. Soundtrack, Empire *new* *1 week*
2. Madonna, Rebel Heart *new*
3. Luke Bryan, Spring Break…Checkin’ Out *new*
4. Soundtrack, Fifty Shades Of Grey
5. Taylor Swift, 1989
6. Sam Smith, In The Lonely Hour
7. Drake, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
8. Ed Sheeran, x
9. Maroon 5, V
10. Big Sean, Dark Sky Paradise

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