Madonna Achieves Ninth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With ‘Madame X’

Plus: Bruce Springsteen and Bastille debut in top 10.

X marks the No. 1 spot.

Madonna lands her ninth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as Madame X enters atop the tally. The set, released via Interscope Records on June 14, launches with 95,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending June 20, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 90,000 were in album sales.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units are comprised of traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new June 29-dated chart, where Madame X bows at No. 1, will be posted in full on Billboard‘s websites on June 25.

Overall, Madame X’s debut sum of 95,000 equivalent album units is comprised of 90,000 in album sales, 1,000 in TEA units and 4,000 in SEA units.

Madame X grants Madonna her ninth leader on the Billboard 200. She last led the list in 2012, with MDNA. Here’s a look at all of Madonna’s No. 1 albums: Madame X, MDNA, Hard Candy (2008), Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), American Life (2003), Music (2000), Like a Prayer (1989), True Blue (1986) and Like a Virgin (1985).

Madonna continues to have the second-most No. 1 albums among female artists, trailing only Barbra Streisand, who has 11. Among all acts, The Beatles have the most No. 1s, with 19. They are followed by Jay-Z (14), Streisand and Bruce Springsteen (both with 11), Elvis Presley (10), Eminem, Garth Brooks, Madonna and The Rolling Stones (all with nine).

Madonna is a frequent visitor to the top 10 of the Billboard 200, having notched at least four top 10 albums in each of the last four decades (‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s and ‘10s). Madame X marks her 22nd top 10, and fourth of the ‘10s. Earlier in the decade, she reached the region with her last studio effort, Rebel Heart (No. 2 in 2015), MDNA (No. 1, 2012) and the live album Sticky & Sweet Tour (No. 10, 2010).

Madonna’s first top 10 came nearly 35 years ago, when her self-titled debut album climbed 12-10 on the Oct. 6, 1984-dated chart. It eventually peaked at No. 8 two weeks later (Oct. 20). The diva would place five top 10s in the ‘80s, seven in the ‘90s, six in the ‘00s and now four in the ‘10s.

The Rolling Stones have the most top 10s in the history of the Billboard 200, with 37. They are followed by Streisand (34), The Beatles (32), Frank Sinatra (32), Presley (27), Bob Dylan (22), Madonna (22), George Strait (21), Elton John (20), Paul McCartney/Wings (20) and Springsteen (20).

Madame X’s debut week was comprised of 90,000 in album sales, which is the fourth-largest sales week for an album in 2019 by a woman. The album’s sales were bolstered by a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer with the Queen of Pop’s upcoming theater tour (starting on Sept. 12 in New York at Brooklyn’s Howard Gilman Opera House), as well as an array of merchandise/album bundles sold via her official website.

Madame X was led by the track “Medellín,” with Maluma, which climbs 2-1 on the Dance Club Songs chart dated June 29, marking Madonna’s 47th leader on the tally. (The chart, like the Billboard 200, will refresh on Billboard’s website on Tuesday, June 25.) “Medellín” also reached the top 20 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.

Before Madame X dropped, four more preview cuts were issued: “I Rise,” “Future,” with Quavo, “Crave,” with Swae Lee, and “Dark Ballet.” “Crave” recently debuted on the Adult Contemporary airplay chart, and holds at No. 15 on the most recently published list (dated June 22). 

At No. 2 on the new Billboard 200, Springsteen’s Western Stars debuts, marking his 20th top 10 effort. The set begins with 66,000 equivalent album units (of which 62,000 were in album sales). Springsteen first hit the top 10 back in 1975, when Born to Run sprinted 84-8 in its second week on the list (dated Sept. 20, 1975). The Boss last hit the top 10 in 2016 with the retrospective compilation release Chapter and Verse (debuting and peaking at No. 5).

Western Stars was led by the radio-promoted single “Hello Sunshine,” which has peaked at No. 23 on the Adult Alternative Songs airplay chart.

Fun fact for chart watchers: With Madonna and Springsteen at Nos. 1 and 2 on the new Billboard 200, it’s the first time the Queen of Pop and The Boss have been in the top two together since 1985. The last time they were buddies in the top two (and the only time before this week) was for four weeks in January and February that year. On the charts dated Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, 1985, Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. and Madonna’s Like a Virgin were Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Then, the titles flipped ranks on Feb. 9 and Feb. 16. (Born spent a total of seven weeks at No. 1 and Virgin ruled for three weeks.)

Back on the new Billboard 200, a pair of former No. 1s are at Nos. 3 and 4, as Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? dips 2-3 (58,000 units; down 1%) and Jonas Brothers’ Happiness Begins falls 1-4 in its second week (52,000 units; down 87%).

Alt-rock band Bastille collects its second top 10 album, as the group’s new studio effort, Doom Days, bows at No. 5 with 41,000 equivalent album units earned (34,000 in album sales). Like Madame X, Bastille’s first week was also encouraged by a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer for its upcoming tour (starting in September). Bastille clocked its first top 10 effort with its last studio effort, 2016’s Wild World, which debuted and peaked at No. 4.

Khalid’s former No. 1 Free Spirit climbs one spot to No. 6 with 37,000 equivalent album units (up 2%), Polo G’s Die a Legend slips 6-7 with 29,000 units (down 25%) and DaBaby’s Baby On Baby steps 9-8 with a 28,000 units (down 3%).

Rounding out the top 10 are Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You (rising 14-9 with a little more than 27,000 units; up 3%) and Ariana Grande’s former No. 1 Thank U, Next (12-10 with 27,000 units; down 2%).

Source: billboard.com