For the first time in their 22-year career, Red Hot Chili Peppers score a No. 1 album on The Billboard 200. The two-disc “Stadium Arcadium” (Warner Bros.) sold 442,000 copies in the United States in its debut week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The total is the band’s career best sales week, beating the opening week of 2002’s “By The Way,” which bowed at No. 2 with 282,000.
“Stadium Arcadium” is RHCP’s ninth studio effort and its fifth top 5 entry. The album’s first single, “Dani California,” is also the group’s ninth No. 1 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart, the most by any artist.
Nick Lachey’s second solo effort, “What’s Left of Me,” bows at No. 2 on The Billboard 200. The Jive set’s first week sales of 172,000 copies equals what the ex-98 Degrees member’s first effort, “SoulO” (Universal), which has sold since its 2003 release. Coincidentally, his former group also opened in the No. 2 spot in 2000 with “Revelation,” which sold 276,000 in its first week and 1.8 million to date.
After debuting on top last week, Tool’s “10,000 Days” (Tool Dissectional/Volcano) slides 1-3 on sales of 157,000, a steep 72% slide. The disc remains atop of the Top Rock Albums chart, however, for a second week.
Jagged Edge’s self-titled Columbia album enters The Billboard 200 at No. 4 with 115,000 copies. The quartet’s fifth release ranks behind the openings of 2003’s “Hard” (No. 3, 178,000) and 2001’s “Jagged Little Thrill” (No. 3, 215,000).
The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley’s “Baby Makin’ Music” (Def Soul) slides in at No. 5 with 111,000 copies. It crowns the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, their 10th No. 1, tying them with Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin for the second-most No. 1s on the chart (the Temptations are the current champs with 17 chart toppers).
Rascal Flatts’ “Me and My Gang” (Lyric Street/Hollywood) falls 5-6 despite an 18% uptick to 89,000, and helms the Top Country Albums chart for a sixth week. The soundtrack to Disney’s “High School Musical” drops 4-7 with 89,000 (-6%) and after a No. 2 entry last week, Pearl Jam’s self-titled J records release falls to No. 8 with 86,000 (-69%).
The 21st “NOW! That’s What I Call Music” (BMG/Zomba/EMI/UME) installment slips 6-9 with sales of 76,000 (-11%) and James Blunt’s “Back to Bedlam” (Custard/Atlantic) re-enters the top tier with a 13-10 move on a 22% rise to 71,000 copies.
Elsewhere on the big chart, Paul Simon scores his highest SoundScan-era rank as “Surprise” (Warner Bros.) lands at No. 14 with an opening frame of 61,000. The rock and folk legend’s last studio set, “You’re the One,” debuted at No. 19 off 60,000 units in 2000. Another rock icon, Neil Young, hits The Billboard 200 with “Living With War” (Reprise), his 49th chart entry, at No. 15 with sales of 60,000.
Other major chart debuts include Cee-Lo/Danger Mouse collaboration Gnarls Barkley’s “St. Elsewhere” (Downtown, No. 20), Teena Marie’s “Sapphire” (Cash Money, No. 24) and Snow Patrol’s “Eyes Open” (A&M, No. 34).
At 11 million units, overall CD sales were up 10% from the previous week and up 8% compared to the same week a year ago. Sales for 2006 are down 2% compared to 2005 at 203.2 million units.
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