Thursday, July 17, 2008

Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 7/13/08

In this week’s Hip-Hop and R&B charts, Lil’Wayne remains on top of the charts, G-Unit continues to ride a brick, and Rihanna upgrades her Top 10 spot.

For the second consecutive week, and third week in total, Lil’ Wayne’s sixth studio album Tha Carter III, sits atop of the charts at No.1, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Despite a 20% drop in sales, Weezy F. managed to dominate his competitors moving another 125,000 copies. After five weeks, Young Moola is quickly approaching the double platinum mark with 1,807,000 units sold.

Pop-star, Rihanna’s re-release of her third studio album Good Girls Gone Bad, ascends one spot to No. 8. Experiencing 17% increase in sales this week, the Barbadian princess moved 47,000 copies. The repackaged disc comes with three additional tracks, on top of her smash hits including the Grammy award winning “Umbrella,” and her latest jam “Take A Bow.” After 58 weeks, Ri Ri’s set has shifted 1,440,000 copies.

After debuting last week at No. 4 G-Unit’s sophomore album T.O.S. (Terminate on Sight) narrowly stays in the Top 10 falling five spots to No. 9. Impacted with a 64% decline in sales, the Units set shifted 36,000 copies this week. The follow up to their debut set Beg For Mercy, which started at No. 1 with 377,000, T.O.S. falls short of the General 50 Cent’s expectations. After two weeks, T.O.S. which features G-Unit soldiers Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo and recently ousted member Young Buck, has moved a disappointing 140,000 units.

After six weeks on top of the charts, Usher’s sixth studio album Here I Stand bows out of the Top 10 dropping three spots to No. 11. Despite being hit with a 20% decrease in sales, the set moved 33,000 copies. Powered by the hit lead single “Love In This Club” featuring Young Jeezy and the rising second single “Moving Mountains,” Mr. Confession’s certified gold album is slowly climbing to platinum with 881,000 units sold.

UK import, Leona Lewis’ debut album Spirit is up three spots to No. 15. The sultry songstress experienced a 1% decline in sales, pushing 27,000 copies this week. In 14 weeks, Lewis certified Gold debut is approaching platinum status with 884,000 units sold.

Academy Award-winning duo, Three 6 Mafia’s ninth studio album Last 2 Walk descends five spots to No. 16 this week. With a 34% decrease in sales, DJ Paul and Juicy J’s Hypnotize Minds/ Columbia set pushed 24,000 units. Marking their first project in three years, the follow up to 2005’s Most Known Unknown, in three weeks the disc has sold 138,000 copies.

Florida’s native, Plies sophomore studio album Definition of Real slips two notches to No. 17. Despite being hit with a 22% decline in sales, the set still managed to push 42,000 copies this week. The follow-up to 2007’s certified gold debut The Real Testament, the Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic Records disc is powered the smash single “Bust It Baby Part. 2”featuring Ne-Yo. In just five weeks, Plies disc has amassed 380,000 copies.

Teen heartthrob, Chris Brown holds steady at No. 27. Brown experienced a 12% decrease in sales, as the re-issue of his sophomore set Exclusive sold 16,000 copies this week. After 36 weeks, his platinum Jive set has amassed 1,682,000 copies.

R&B icon, Mariah Carey’s chart-topping album E=MC2 makes a short climb up the charts this week rising two spots to No. 31. Impacted with a 8% decrease in sales, Carey’s sixth studio album shifted 15,000 copies this week. After 13 weeks, the IDJ set has sold 1,100,000 copies.

After entering the charts at No. 12 last week, with is eleventh studio album Killer, Kansas City rapper and underground MC, Tech N9ne plummets 22 notches to No. 34. Hit with a 63% decrease in sales, the 32-track double disc release pushed 13, 000 copies this week for a total of 50,000 units sold.

Honorable mention:

Atlanta MC and former Purple Ribbon All-star, Killer Mike’s third studio album I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind II enters the charts at No. 178 at a mere 4,000 units sold. The follow up to 2006’s I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind, part two features appearances from Shawty Lo, Ice Cube, Chamillionaire and 8Ball & MJG.

Check back next week to see how albums from Nas and David Banner impact the charts.

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