Migos Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With ‘Culture’

Hip-hop trio Migos scores its first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with the arrival of Culture. The set — which was led by the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 single “Bad and Boujee,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert — launches atop the list with 131,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Feb. 2, according to Nielsen Music. Culture, Migos’ second album, was released on Jan. 27 through Quality Control/300 Entertainment.

The act had previously peaked as high as No. 17 on the Billboard 200 with its debut set, Yung Rich Nation, in August 2015.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new Feb. 18-dated chart (where Migos debuts at No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s websites on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Culture’s debut was driven by streams of its songs, as streaming equivalent album units accounted for 59 percent of the set’s first-week total (77,000 of 131,000). The album sold 44,000 in traditional album sales and earned 10,000 in track equivalent album units. It also arrives as Migos’ first No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts.

Migos leads a busy top 10, as five albums debut in the region. That’s the most new arrivals in the top 10 since the Dec. 24, 2016-dated list, when five titles also bowed in the top 10.

Brantley Gilbert’s The Devil Don’t Sleep debuts at No. 2 on the new Billboard 200, with 77,000 units earned in its first week (66,000 from traditional album sales — it’s also the top selling album of the week). It’s the third top five-charting effort for the country singer, following Just as I Am (No. 2 in 2014) and Halfway to Heaven (No. 4 in 2011).

The Devil Don’t Sleep is the highest-charting country title on the Billboard 200 since the Nov. 19, 2016-dated tally, when Kenny Chesney’s Cosmic Hallelujah debuted and peaked at No. 2. Gilbert’s new album also starts at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart, securing the artist his second leader on that list, after Just as I Am.

Back on the Billboard 200 chart, singer/songwriter Kehlani bows at No. 3 with her debut studio effort ,SweetSexySavage, earning 58,000 units (32,000 in traditional album sales). It follows her No. 36-peaking mixtape You Should Be Here, which was released in 2015 and earned a Grammy Award nomination for best urban contemporary album.

SweetSexySavage scored a top 40-charting single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart last November, with “CRZY,” which peaked at No. 34.

The Weeknd’s Starboy slips from No. 1 to No. 4 on the new Billboard 200 with 51,000 units (down 10 percent).

The Now 61 compilation album starts at No. 5 with 37,000 units (all from traditional album sales). The long-running series has seen all 61 of its main (numbered) albums reach the top 10.

The soundtrack to La La Land is pushed down three slots to No. 6, though it boasts a 15 percent gain, rising to 36,000 units earned in the week. The album scored a 27 percent increase in sales (climbing to 25,000 copies sold), thanks in part to a surge in vinyl LP sales for the set (5,000; up 453 percent). The title became widely available on black vinyl on Jan. 27 after a limited release on blue vinyl.

Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic falls 4-7 with 31,000 units earned (though it’s up two percent).

Train rolls in at No. 8 with its sixth top 10-charting album, A Girl a Bottle a Boat, starting with 30,000 units earned (23,000 in traditional album sales). The band recently notched its 14th top 10 hit on the Adult Pop Songs airplay chart with the album’s “Play That Song.”

Train previously hit the top 10 on the Billboard 200 with Bulletproof Picasso (No. 5 in 2014), California 37 (No. 4, 2012), For Me, It’s You (No. 10, 2006), My Private Nation(No. 6, 2003) and Drops of Jupiter (No. 6, 2001).

Rounding out the new top 10 are Post Malone’s Stoney (7-9 with a little more than 27,000 units; up five percent) and the soundtrack to Moana (6-10 with 27,000 units; down less than one percent).
Source: billboard.com