Coldplay Cruises To No. 1 On The Billboard 200

Katie Hasty, N.Y.
As expected, Coldplay tops The Billboard 200 with "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," which shifted a whopping 721,000 first-week U.S. copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.The Capitol effort sold nearly as many copies as the band's other chart-topper, 2005's "X&Y," which moved 737,000. Only one other rock band has had a 700,000-plus week since the release of that effort. Last November, the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" began at No. 1 with 711,000.With the million-plus debut of Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" last week, this marks only the second time the chart has seen back-to-back debuts of more than 700,000 since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991. The first time it happened was way back in the summer of 2000, when Britney Spears' "Oops! I Did It Again" (1,319,000) was followed by Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" (1,760,000).Forty percent of "Viva La Vida" sales, 288,000 copies, were digital downloads, making it the biggest sales frame ever registered for a digital album. It surpasses the previous record, set earlier this year when Jack Johnson's "Sleep Through the Static" (139,000).With a 69% sales decrease, "Tha Carter III" (Cash Money/Universal) slips 1-2 with 309,000 units.
The soundtrack to the Disney Channel film "Camp Rock," featuring the Jonas Brothers, debuts at No. 3 with 188,000. The movie premiered on June 20 and averaged 8.9 million total viewers according to Nielsen, making it the network's second-most-watched original movie after 2007's "High School Musical 2."The multi-label "Now 28" compilation continues its decline 3-4 with 81,000 (39%), while Plies' "Definition of Real" (Big Gates/Slip-N-Slide) falls 2-5 with 68,000 (-68%). Selling 65,000, Usher's LaFace/Zomba set "Here I Stand" descends 5-6 with a 36% sales decrease. Flying up the chart 124-7, Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad" (SRP/Def Jam) experiences a 930% sales jump to 63,000; a re-issue of the 2007 album hit shelves with three additional tracks. Disturbed's former chart-topping Warner Bros. set "Indestructible" declines 4-8 with 59,000 (-42%).Capitol pop newcomer Katy Perry has a No. 9 start with her debut album, "One of the Boys," which sold 47,000. The single "I Kissed a Girl" has been climbing its way up the Hot 100 and sits currently at the No. 2 spot, behind Coldplay's "Viva La Vida."The Offspring's first album in five years, "Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace" (Columbia), debuts at No. 10 with 46,000. The veteran rock act's 2003 album "Splinter" peaked at No. 30. Metal mainstay Judas Priest's "Nostradamus" (Epic) begins at No. 11 with 42,000, the highest charting album of the band's career. Its previous best came with 2005's "Angel of Retribution" at No. 13.Blood Raw's first album for Def Jam, "CTE Presents: My Life: The True Testimony," debuts at No. 30 with 17,000, and rapper 2 Pistols' debut "Death Before Dishonor" (J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League) bows at No. 33 with 16,000. Indie rock act Wolf Parade earns its highest chart position with "At Mount Zoomer" (Sub Pop), moving 13,000 to open at No. 46.Album sales are down 10.6% from last week's sum at 8.30 million units, and are down 6.7% compared to the same week last year. With 196.98 million units sold this year so far, sales are down 10.9% overall compared to last year.