After dominating the charts four years ago with his multi-platinum album Confessions, Usher returns to reclaim his throne at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The mega-singer’s sixth studio album Here I Stand, pushed 445,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, thanks in part to his endemic smash “Love In Da Club”. While the set didn’t come close to the 1,096,000 units Confessions moved, it’s the second highest debuting album this year behind Mariah Carey’s E=MC2, which sold 463,000.
On the heels of debuting at No. 2, southern rap icon Bun-B holds down the No. 4 spot this week with his sophomore solo release II Tril.l Despite enduring at 59% decline in sales, the Rap-A-Lot/Asylum disc sold an impressive 40,000 copies. Led by the Sean Kingston assisted single “That’s Gangsta,” the UGK member’s set comes on the heels of his partner-in-rhyme, Pimp C, unexpected death, last year.
R&B diva extraordinaire, Mariah Carey continued her slow slide down the Top 10. The recently married songstress dropped another spot from 7 to 8, moving reasonable 35,600 copies of her sixth studio album E=MC2. Despite the drop Mrs. Nick Cannon is a few copies shy of earning another platinum plaque, standing at 968,000.
The big boss of the South, Rick Ross fell three notches to No. 25. Hit with a 15% decrease, the “Boss” pushed 15,000 copies of his sophomore disc Trilla this week. After 12 weeks, Ross certified gold sophomore set has scanned 550,000 copies.
After plummeting 15 spots last week, Grammy Award winning singer Alicia Keys rebounds from No. 50 and rose six notches to No. 44 this week. Experiencing 2% increase in sales, the songbird moved 11,600 copies of her multi-platinum set As I Am. After 30 weeks, the disc has scanned an amazing 3,490,400 copies.
SOHH
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