‘Encanto’ Soundtrack Surges to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart

It’s the first soundtrack to hit No. 1 since Disney’s own “Frozen II” in 2019.

The soundtrack to the Walt Disney animated musical film Encanto surges to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Jan. 15), as the set jumps 7-1 in its sixth week on the list. It’s the first soundtrack to hit No. 1 in more than two years — since Disney’s own Frozen II chilled atop the list for one week, on the chart dated Dec. 14, 2019.

Encanto earned 72,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Jan. 6 (up 76%), according to MRC Data. Streaming activity of the set’s songs drove the majority of that unit sum.

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 comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Jan 15, 2022-dated chart (where Encanto hits No. 1) will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Jan. 11. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of Encanto’s 72,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Jan. 6, SEA units comprise 58,000 (up 91%; equaling 87.69 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 11,000 (up 33%) and TEA units comprise 3,000 (up 33%). The album’s two most popular songs of the week, by SEA units, are “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure.” “Bruno” and “Surface” both debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated Jan. 8 and should jump up the list dated Jan. 15.

The Encanto soundtrack, with songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, was released on Nov. 19, before the film arrived in U.S. theaters on Nov. 24. The movie was released via the Disney+ streaming service a month later — which is likely helping the album’s exposure and promotion in the last two tracking weeks. A week ago, the album leaped 110-7 after its premiere on Disney+.

Sixth Animated Film Soundtrack to Hit No. 1: Encanto is just the sixth animated film soundtrack to hit No. 1 since the Billboard 200 began regularly publishing on a weekly basis in 1956. Encanto follows Frozen II (one week at No. 1, 2019), Frozen (13 weeks, 2014), Jack Johnson’s Curious George (one, 2006), Pocahontas (one, 1995), The Lion King (10, 1994-95). (All but Curious George were Disney films.)

Over Two Years Between No. 1 Soundtracks: It’s been two years and one month since a soundtrack was No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (since Frozen II led for one week on the Dec. 14, 2019, chart). That’s the longest the chart had gone without a soundtrack at No. 1 since the two year and six-month gap between Bad Boys II’s fourth and final week at No. 1 (Aug. 23, 2003) and Johnson’s Curious George soundtrack’s one week atop (Feb. 25, 2006).

A Rare No. 1 Album That Did Not Debut at No. 1: Notably, Encanto is a somewhat rare example of a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 that did not debut at No. 1. Encanto debuted at No. 197 on the chart dated Dec. 11, 2020, then moved 162-179-110-7-1. Most of the albums that reach No. 1 on the chart do so by debuting at No. 1. The last album to climb to No. 1, before Encanto, was The Kid LAROI’s F*ck Love, on the Aug. 7, 2021 chart. It reached No. 1 in its 53rd week — following multiple deluxe reissues that added additional songs. (F*ck Love debuted at No. 8 on the Aug. 8, 2020-dated chart.)

Reflecting a trend for soundtracks, which can build as buzz for their parent films, Encanto is the first album to debut outside the top 10 to go No. 1 since Frozen II bowed at No. 15 on the Nov. 30, 2019, chart, and hit No. 1 in its third week (Dec. 14, 2019). The last album to debut outside the top 40 and go to No. 1 was the soundtrack to The Greatest Showman, which launched at No. 71 on the Dec. 30, 2017, chart, and reached No. 1 in its fourth week (Jan. 13, 2018).

Stunningly, as Encanto debuted at No. 197, it’s only the third album to debut between Nos. 197-200 to reach No. 1. Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin II debuted at No. 199 on Nov. 8, 1969, and reached No. 1 in its eighth week (Dec. 27, 1969). Before that, The Monkees’ Headquarters bowed at No. 197 on June 10, 1967, and reached No. 1 in its third week (June 24, 1967).

Adele’s chart-topping 30 album falls to No. 2 after spending its first six weeks on the Billboard 200 at No. 1. It earned 57,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Jan. 6 (down 43%).

Morgan Wallen’s former No. 1 Dangerous: The Double Album celebrates a full year on the chart, as it rises 5-3 with 42,000 (down 4%) in its 52nd week on the chart. It debuted at No. 1 on the Jan. 23, 2021-dated list and spent 10 weeks atop the tally. It recently closed 2021 as MRC Data’s most popular album of the year.

Many albums this time of year, like Dangerous, make positional moves up the Billboard 200 despite declines in activity (or very small gains), as the chart readjusts to normal following weeks of the chart being filled with older Christmas albums. On the new chart, there isn’t a single Christmas album on the tally – while in the previous week, there were 37 on the tally, including five in the top 10.

Dangerous: The Double Album has now accumulated 51 nonconsecutive weeks in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 — the most of any country album by a male artist. It surpasses the 50 weeks that Garth Brooks’ Ropin the Wind collected in 1991-92. Among all country sets, Taylor Swift’s Fearless has the most weeks in the top 10, with 58, followed by Shania Twain’s Come On Over (53), and then Dangerous.

Among all genres, Dangerous is just the seventh album released since 2000 to spend 50 weeks in the top 10. Among all albums released since January of 2000, only Adele’s 21 (84 weeks), Swift’s 1989 (59), Swift’s Fearless (58), Ed Sheeran’s ÷ (Divide) (53), Lady Gaga’s The Fame (51), Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding (50) and Dangerous have logged at least 50 weeks in the top 10.

A trio of former No. 1’s are next up on the Billboard 200, as Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour is a non-mover at No. 4 (41,000 equivalent album units earned; down 10%), Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) falls 3-5 (38,000; down 19%) and Drake’s Certified Lover Boy rises 11-6 (37,000; up 2%).

Doja Cat’s Planet Her bumps 15-7 with 34,000 equivalent album units (up 5%).

The Weeknd’s hits compilation The Highlights rises 13-8 with 34,000 units (up less than 1%). The Weeknd should make a splashy debut on the Jan. 22-dated Billboard 200 with his surprise new studio album, Dawn FM, which was released with little warning on Jan. 7. The set was released via streaming services and as a digital download album for purchase. Its CD edition is due out on Jan. 28, while its cassette and vinyl LP editions are scheduled for release on April 29. If Dawn FM bows at No. 1, it would mark The Weeknd’s fifth chart-topping effort, and eighth top 10 overall. (All of his charting entries have debuted in the top four of the list.)

Source: billboard.com