Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” returns to the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200, shifting 120,000 copies in its third week (down 43%), according to Nielsen SoundScan. It’s the second week at the top for the set, which stepped aside last week to let Lady Gaga’s “ARTPOP” open atop the list.
This week, “ARTPOP” moves to No. 8 with 46,000 (down 82%). It’s the third No. 1 debut this year to decline by 80% in its second frame, following Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” (2 of 2) (down 80.1%) and Kanye West’s “Yeezus” (down 80.3%). It’s become more common to see No. 1 debuts dip by more than 75% in their second week, as increased focus is placed on first-week sales and pre-orders. That emphasis can drive debut sales to great heights, but also create situations where an album cannot sustain those front-loaded sales into its second week.
Aside from Gaga, Timberlake and West, seven other No. 1 debuts have slipped by 75%-79% this year.
Five Finger Death Punch scores the chart’s highest debut this week, as its new “The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2” debuts at No. 2 with 77,000. It’s the second straight No. 2 set for the act, which also debuted and peaked at No. 2 earlier this year with “The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell: Volume 1” (a career-high sales week of 112,000 in its debut).
The “Now 48” album holds at No. 3 with 63,000 (down 45%), as does the Robertsons’ “Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas” at No. 4 with 60,000 (down 9%).
The new “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” soundtrack enters at No. 5 with 55,000. That’s less than the 175,000 that greeted the first week of the first “Hunger Games” album in early 2012. It debuted at No. 1. The first “Hunger Games” soundtrack sported two contributions from Taylor Swift, which may have accounted for some of it its robust debut week. (Swift is not on the “Catching Fire” album.)
Daughtry’s new “Baptized” album arrives at No. 6 with a little more than 55,000, securing the band its fourth consecutive top 10 studio effort (its entire output). Its last album, 2011’s “Break the Spell,” debuted and peaked at No. 8 with a start of 129,000.
Rapper Yo Gotti notches his best week yet, as “I Am” debuts at No. 7 with 48,000. It’s the highest chart position and sales week for the artist, who previously topped out at No. 12 with “Live From the Kitchen,” which was released in December 2011.
Kelly Clarkson’s “Wrapped in Red” album descends 6-9 with 44,000 (though it’s up by 6%).
Closing out the top 10 is Minneapolis radio station KTCZ with its new “Cities 97 Sampler, Live From Studio C: Vol. 25.” The live compilation blasts in at No. 10 — a record high for the long-running series.
It sold 40,000 copies in its debut frame — the entire production run of the annual album. The set features live performances recorded at the station during the past year, and 100% of the proceeds benefit local charities. (Due to publishing and label gratis licensing restrictions for charity albums, the production run of the album was limited to 40,000.)
The album features Passenger, fun. and Phillip Phillips, and was available exclusively at local Target stores in Minneapolis for $32.97. According to KTCZ, the compilation has raised $11.5 million for local charities since its launch in 1989.
Over on the Digital Songs chart, Eminem’s “The Monster,” featuring Rihanna, is stationary at No. 1, selling another 241,000 downloads (down 1%).
Lorde’s “Royals” is up one rung to No. 2 with 177,000 (up 12%), and OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars” dips 2-3 with 167,000 (though it’s up by 2%).
Pitbull’s “Timber,”featuring Ke$ha, is steady at No. 4 with nearly 166,000 (up 15%), and Imagine Dragons’ “Demons” is also a non-mover at No. 5, with 124,000 (down 3%).
A Great Big World’s “Say Something,” featuring Christina Aguilera, rebounds 12-6 with 121,000 (up 59%) while Passenger’s “Let Her Go” climbs 8-7 with 117,000 (up 3%).
Avicii’s “Wake Me Up!” slips 6-8 with 101,000 (down 15%), Katy Perry’s “Roar” falls 7-9 with 99,000 (down 16%), and Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” holds at No. 10 with 89,000 (down 16%).
Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Nov. 24) totaled 5.3 million units, down 2% compared with the sum last week (5.4 million) and down 46% compared with the comparable sales week of 2012 (9.7 million). Year-to-date album sales stand at 245 million, down 9% compared with the same total at this point last year (267.8 million).
Digital track sales this past week totaled 19.5 million downloads, down 2% compared with last week (19.9 million) and down 19% stacked next to the comparable week of 2012 (24.1 million). Year-to-date track sales are at 1.1 billion, down 4% compared with the same total at this point last year (1.2 billion).