Follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram for all map news. The new graph on January 2, 2021 (where McCartney III bows up to no. 1) will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on December 29th.
McCartney III According to Nielsen Music / MRC Data, 104,000 copies were sold in the US in the week ending December 24. The last solo rock album to record a major sales week was McCartney’s own Egypt Station, which opened at number 1 on the list of 22 September 2018 with 147,000 copies sold. (Egypt StationThe sales – like many other albums – are boosted by a presentation of concert tickets / album sales, as well as merchandise / album bundles, which from October 9 could no longer count for ticket sales.)
McCartney III and Egypt Station is McCartney’s two no. 1 on the Top Album sales chart, launched on May 25, 1991.
McCartney IIIThe strong sales were helped by its availability in many CD and vinyl LP formats, including editions with alternative cover art or colored vinyl. The album sold 53,000 copies on CD; nearly 32,000 on vinyl LP, 18,000 as digital download and 1,000 on cassette.
The album was available in more than ten vinyl variants, selling nearly 32,000 copies in its first week – the third biggest sales week for a vinyl album since Nielsen Music / MRC Data began in 199 electronically to track music sales. Only the debut weeks of Jack White’s Lazaretto (40,000) and Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy (34,000) was larger.
McCartney III is naturally also in first place on the weekly vinyl album chart, which occupies the top-selling vinyl records of the week.
The new album was also a popular seller at independent record stores, with 16,000 copies sold in all its available formats at indie stores. It bows at number 1 on the Tastemaker Albums chart, which ranks this week’s top-selling albums in indie music stores. (Both cards will be fully on Billboardwebsite on December 29.)
As for the rest of the top 10 on the latest album sales, Taylor Swift Always fell 1-2 in its third week with 102,000 copies sold (34% lower), while Eminem’s Music to kill by resumes number 3 with 33,000 sales (after the January 2020 release was released on December 18 with 16 additional tracks).
Swift’s former no. 1 Folklore decline 2-4 with 32,500 sales (69% lower), NCTs Resonance, Pt. 1 runs 93-5 after the album was re-released on December 18 with bonus tracks, Carrie Underwood’s My gift fell 3-6 with 27,000 sales (5% higher) and Chris Stapleton’s Start over climb 8-7 by 22,000 (29% higher).
The top 10 is rounded off by three former no. 1’s: AC / DC’s Turn on (7-8 with just under 22,000 sales; 18% higher), BTS ‘ Be (a non-car at number 9 with 21,000; with 28% higher) and Harry Styles’ Find ago (4-10 with 20 500; with 18% lower).