David Bowie’s ‘Blackstar’ Unseats Adele, Tops Album Chart A Week After The Icon’s Death
Despite releasing more than two dozen albums in his lifetime, David Bowie has never topped the Billboard 200 until now. The London-born, New York City-based icon died last Sunday (January 10) at age 69, after an 18-month battle with cancer. His final album released in his lifetime, the critically acclaimed Blackstar, arrived two days before that.
As interest in David Bowie’s music has jumped dramatically following the musician’s death, his album and song sales and streams are skyrocketing. Billboard reports that Blackstar debuts at #1 on the strength of 181,000 equivalent album units, with 174,000 of those being pure sales. (Several days ago, the trade publication had predicted Blackstar would sell around 130,000 copies by week’s end.) Thus ends Adele‘s seven-week reign at the top of the chart with 25.
Additionally, Billboard notes that nine other Bowie LPs either re-enter or make their first appearance on the main album chart this week, including 2002 compilation Best Of Bowie at #4 (94,000 units, 51,000 sales) and 1972’s seminal The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars at #22. The former originally peaked at #70 on the Billboard 200 during its initial run, while the latter made it to #75.
Prior to this, the closest Bowie ever came reaching the top of the Billboard 200 was in March 2013, when The Next Day landed at #2. It was Bon Jovi that held him in the runner-up position that week.
On a final note, Blackstar has also topped the charts in at least a dozen European countries (including, of course, the UK) and Australia.
The Top 10 of the Billboard 200:
1. David Bowie, Blackstar *new* *1 week*
2. Adele, 25
3. Justin Bieber, Purpose
4. David Bowie, Best Of Bowie *re-entry*
5. Twenty One Pilots, Blurryface
6. The Weeknd, Beauty Behind The Madness
7. Chris Stapleton, Traveller
8. Bryson Tiller, Trapsoul
9. G-Eazy, When It’s Dark Out
10. Fetty Wap, Fetty Wap
Have you checked out David Bowie’s new LP or any of his past albums this week? Let us know your thoughts below, or by hitting us up on Twitter and Facebook.
