Album Chart: Linkin Park’s ‘Meteora’ shoots to the top
ByApr 2, 2003 11:00 PM
With first-week sales in the high six-figures, Linkin Park’s “Meteora” easily takes the top spot on the forthcoming Billboard 200 album chart.
With first-week sales in the high six-figures, Linkin Park’s “Meteora” easily takes the top spot on the forthcoming Billboard 200 album chart.
The group--whose new set moved about 810,000 copies, according to industry sources--seems to have maintained the momentum created by its 2000 debut, “Hybrid Theory.” That set didn’t claw its way to the top of the chart until several months after its release, but its steady growth garnered it the title for best-selling album of 2001.
Helping to propel “Meteora” is the hit single “Somewhere I Belong,” which sits at No. 2 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Following “Meteora” at No. 2--but with only about half the sales--is Celine Dion’s “One Heart.” The album--which was timed to hit stores amidst a publicity swirl for the launch of Dion’s three-year, multi-million dollar Las Vegas gig--moved about 431,000 copies during its first week out.
Debuting at No. 3 is the 12th installment in the “Now That’s What I Call Music!” series. The set features previously released hits from 3 Doors Down, LL Cool J, Vanessa Carlton and others.
All the newcomers push 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” out of the No. 1 seat and down the ladder to No. 4. The album, now in its seventh week of release, spent five of its first six weeks in the top slot.
Also down is Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me,” which slips three places to No. 5; and the “Chicago” soundtrack, which--despite a post-Oscar Awards sales boost--still dips two spots to No. 6.
The debuts resume with Brian McKnight’s “U Turn,” which enters the chart at No. 7 thanks to first-week sales of about 109,000 copies; and continue with the Diplomats’ “Diplomatic Immunity” at No. 8, which sold about 91,000 copies.
Closing out the Top 10 is Evanescence’s “Fallen,” which slips four spots to No. 9; and R. Kelly’s “Chocolate Factory,” which loses seven places to land at No. 10.
Debuts happening outside the Top 10 include Hot Boys’ “Let ‘Em Burn” at No. 14; the “Rewind Hip-Hop” compilation at No. 34; 702’s “Star” at No. 45; Stacie Orrico’s self-titled sophomore release at No. 59; Les Nubians’ “One Step Forward” at No. 79; Ringo Starr’s “Ringorama” at No. 113; and Cradle of Filth’s “Damnation and a Day” at No. 140.