Boy bands back.
Don’t tell *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys or 98 Degrees, but U.K. pop sensation One Direction arrives at No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Top 200 albums chart with its debut album “Up All Night,” which sold 176,000 copies its first week in stores, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That makes the “X Factor” graduates the first U.K. act to ever start out at No. 1 with its debut album in the history of the Billboard charts. (Take that, Beatles!)
One Direction’s Billboard triumph comes on the same day the group announced its first U.S. tour — funny how these things work out, huh? — and the group will play Detroit’s Fox Theatre on June 1. What a lovely way to kick off June!
Adele, who just can’t seem to catch a break these days, remains at No. 2 with her underperforming “21.” I can’t be the only one starting to feel sorry this lady. Can’t somebody buy her album and make it No. 1? Sheesh.
Because of a boffo deal on GooglePlay and AmazonMP3 where it was sold for a quarter (a quarter!), Guns N Roses’ “Greatest Hits” set lands at No. 3. A similar promotion last week saw major surges for albums from Lady Antebellum, Coldplay and Lil Wayne.
Passion’s “White Flag,” which was recorded live at the Passion 2012 conference, debuts at No. 5. Confession: I’m not quite sure what this album is.
Also making moves is Gotye. The “Somebody That I Used To Know” hitmaker climbs to No. 9, making his first appearance in the Top 10.
Last week’s No. 1, Bruce Springsteen’s “Wrecking Ball,” falls to No. 4 after a 71 percent sales cut.
Billboard’s Top 10 albums (sales in parentheses, figures according to Nielsen SoundScan)
1. One Direction, Up All Night (176,000)
2. Adele, 21 (148,000)
3. Guns N Roses, Greatest Hits (85,000)
4. Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball (57,000)
5. Passion/ various artists, White Flag (48,000)
6. Whitney Houston, Whitney! The Greatest Hits (45,000)
7. Drake, Take Care (36,000)
8. Various artists, Now 41 (29,000)
9. Gotye, Making Mirrors (24,000)
10. fun., Some Nights (22,000)
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