“Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum is No. 1 for the second week in a row on the U.S. Pop album chart. Meanwhile the rapper Lil Wayne debuted at No. 2 as he awaits a prison sentence.
According to data from Nielsen SoundScan the country trio’s album sold 209,000 copies for the week ending February 7. The previous week the album sold 481,000 copies. It was the highest selling week for an album in the country music genre since “Fearless” by Taylor Swifted debuted in the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s 200 chart in November 2008, selling 592,000 copies.
At the Grammy Awards, Lady Antebellum did a performance of the title track from their album. The televised event on January 31 had 25.8 million viewers, hitting a Nielsen rating high. It was the most viewers for the Grammy Awards since 2004 and was an increase of 35 percent from the broadcast in 2009.
Lil Wayne, who also performed at the Grammys, debuted at No. 2 on Wednesday with his much delayed set “Rebirth,” with sales of 176,000 copies. It’s the hip hop star’s seventh album that has made it into the top 10. He was scheduled for sentencing on Tuesday to a prison term of a year before dental surgery caused a delay to the sentencing.
“Tha Carter III,” Wayne’s previous album from 2008, debuted at No. 1. In the first week it was released it sold 1 million copies. The initial projections for “Rebirth” had been set at 125,000-150,000, which it did top.
The debuting album with the second highest sales on the chart was “Who I Am” by Nick Jonas & the Administration with sales of 82,000 copies. The solo debut by the Jonas brother did better than had been expected as well. Sales had been predicted by industry prognosticators at 60,000-65,000 copies.
The last and third top 10 debut was “Hellbilly Deluxe 2” from Rob Zombie. With sales of 49,000 copies it claimed No. 8 on the chart. The album is the first effort for the director and rocker for Roadrunner/Loud & Proud after being with Geffen Records for nearly 18 years. “Educated Horses,” the last studio set from Zombie, opened in 2006 in the No. 5 spot with 108,000 copies sold.
The chart holdovers populating this week’s top 10 all have a direct connection, except for one, with the Grammy Awards. Even the one that didn’t really, “I Dreamed a Dream” by Susan Boyle, was joked about by Stephen Colbert, presenter and Grammy winner. Lady Gaga, two time winner and Grammy show opener, saw her album “the Fame” drop one spot in the No. 4 position, with 79,000 copies sold. Her EP “Fame Monster” dropped two spots into the No. 12 spot with 34,000 copies sold. The compilation album “2010 Grammy Nominees” rose three spots into the No. 5 spot with 71,000 copies sold. “The E.N.D.” from Grammy winner and performer the Black Eyed Pea rose five slots into the No. 6 position with sales of 70,000 copies.
Another performer from the Grammy Awards show, Taylor Swift, who won four Grammys as well, saw her album move up the chart. “Fearless,” Grammy winner for album of the year moved up to No. 7 from No. 13 with sales of 53,000 copies. The release from Boyle fell five spots into the No. 9 spot with sales of 46,000 copies. Zac Brown, Grammy winner for best new artist, made their top 10 debut. “The Foundation” rose 12 spots into the No. 10 spot with 40,000 copies sod.
A total of 6.72 million albums were sold, an increase of 3.3 percent of the previous week’s total, but down 8.3 percent compared to 2009’s comparable sales week.
