Harry Styles Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart

Plus, Zac Brown Band, Paramore & Machine Gun Kelly launch in the top 10.

Harry Styles bows at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his self-titled debut effort, launching with 230,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending May 18, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 193,000 were in traditional album sales.

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 June 3, 2017-dated chart (where Styles enters at No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s websites on Tuesday, May 23.

With Styles’ start of 193,000 he earns the biggest debut sales week for a U.K. male artist’s first full-length album since Nielsen Music began tracking sales in 1991. He surpasses the previous record holder, Sam Smith, who saw his In the Lonely Houralbum launch with 166,000 copies sold at No. 2 back in 2014.

In addition, Styles is just the second U.K. male artist to bow at No. 1 with a debut album in the 61-year history of the Billboard 200. He follows his former One Direction bandmate, Zayn, who entered at No. 1 with Mind of Mine on the chart dated April 16, 2016 (with 157,000 units and 112,000 in traditional album sales).

With One Direction having spawned No. 1 solo albums for both Styles and Zayn, the group earns the rare distinction of having more than one member achieve a solo No. 1. The group joins a club that includes Destiny’s Child, which saw both Beyoncé and LeToya Luckett claim No. 1s, while The Beatles launched chart-toppers from George Harrison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. (The super group Blind Faith also saw its members Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood earn solo No. 1s, years after the release of the group’s only album, in 1969. Clapton first led the list in 1974, and Winwood in 1988.)

At No. 2 on the new Billboard 200, Zac Brown Band debuts with its latest effort, Welcome Home. It enters with 146,000 units, of which 139,000 were in traditional album sales. The group’s last studio effort, 2015’s Jekyll + Hyde, bowed at No. 1 with 228,000 units and 214,000 copies sold. In total, Zac Brown Band has achieved five top 10 albums: Welcome Home, Jekyll + Hyde, Uncaged (No. 1 in 2012), You Get What You Give (No. 1 in 2010) and The Foundation (No. 9, 2010).

Kendrick Lamar’s former No. 1 DAMN. stays steady at No. 3 with 117,000 units (down 13 percent), while Chris Stapleton’s From A Room: Volume 1 dips from No. 2 to No. 4 in its second week with 75,000 units (down 66 percent). The Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2 soundtrack falls one slot to No. 5 with 69,000 units (down 21 percent).

Paramore scores its third top 10 album, as its new studio effort After Laughter starts at No. 6 with 67,000 units (53,000 in traditional album sales). It’s the act’s first studio release since its 2013 self-titled set, which bowed at No. 1 with 106,000 copies sold in its first week. The band previously logged a top 10 with its 2009 album Brand New Eyes (debuting and peaking at No. 2).

Drake’s More Life descends 5-7 with 58,000 units (down 7 percent) in its ninth week on the chart. The former chart-topper spent three weeks leading the list.

Machine Gun Kelly nets his third top 10 effort, as Bloom bows at No. 8 with 57,000 units (and 38,000 in traditional album sales). The rapper previously visited the top 10 with General Admission (No. 4 in 2015) and Lace Up (No. 4, 2012).

Rounding out the new top 10 are Ed Sheeran’s former two-week No. 1 ÷ (Divide), which slips 6-9 with 47,000 units (down 5 percent) and Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic, as it moves 8-10 with 41,000 units (down 2 percent).

Source: billboard.com