Chart Beat
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BTS has been a dominant act on Billboard’s global charts since the group’s launch in September 2020, with the most chart-toppers on both lists — six each on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. — among all acts. Beyond the group’s many achievements, its members have notched an additional 26 entries on Global Excl. U.S., including debuts on May 6-dated lists.
Suga, performing under the alias Agust D, scores four debuts on Global Excl. U.S., including the chart’s highest new entry as “Haegeum” starts at No. 12. “Amygdala,” “Huh?!” with fellow BTS member J-Hope, and “D-Day” follow at Nos. 127, 182 and 200, respectively.
Add in “People Pt. 2,” Agust D’s duet with Iu, bouncing back from No. 108 to No. 64, and he tallies five songs on this week’s Global Excl. U.S. ranking. That’s more songs in one week than any BTS member has simultaneously charted as a soloist, passing Jimin’s recent haul of four songs on the April 8 chart.
The rush of activity for Agust D follows the release of his latest solo album, D-Day. The set debuts at No. 2 on the U.S.-based Billboard 200 with 140,000 equivalent album units, according to Luminate. Globally, the LP’s 10 songs drew 131 million streams and sold 98,000 downloads in the week ending April 27. Those totals fall in line with Jimin’s 133 million streams in the week ending March 30, the debut frame for his FACE EP.
The 10-song tracklist for D-Day averaged 15.6% of its streams from the U.S. and 84% from outside, a near dead-ringer for Jimin’s 16.1% U.S. share. With most of Agust D’s activity coming from outside the U.S., it makes sense that his songs perform better on the Global Excl. U.S. chart than the Global 200, where he lands three entries. “Haegeum” leads his titles there as well, but a few notches lower at No. 15 (outpaced by The Weeknd’s Hot Shot Debut, “Double Fantasy” featuring Future, at No. 12).
Beyond the No. 58 debut on the U.S.-based Billboard Hot 100 for “Haegeum,” the track cracks four of Billboard’s Hits of the World rankings. It debuts on Indonesia Songs (No. 19), Singapore Songs (No. 20), South Korea Songs (No. 24), and Philippines Songs (No. 25). “People Pt.2” spent one week on the April 22-dated Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea charts.
Agust D (an alias of BTS’ Suga) sees his solo debut studio effort D-Day bow at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated May 6), selling 122,000 copies in the United States in the week ending April 27, according to Luminate. That marks the fourth-largest sales week for an album in 2023.
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D-Day is the first leader for Agust D, and he’s the second member of BTS to achieve a No. 1 on Top Album Sales. He follows Jimin, who bowed at No. 1 earlier this year with FACE (April 8-dated chart). BTS itself has notched six No. 1s on Top Albums Sales, most recently with the retrospective collection Proof in 2022.
Like many K-pop releases, the CD edition of D-Day was issued in collectible CD packages (seven total, including exclusives for Target, Walmart and the Weverse webstore) each containing a standard set of items and randomized elements (in this case, photo cards). It was also available as a standard digital download album, as well as three alternative cover digital download variants that were sold exclusively through the artist’s official webstore. Of D-Day’s first-week sales, 90% were CDs, while the remaining 10% were digital album downloads. The set was not available in any other retail format (such as vinyl or cassette).
Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.
Taylor Swift’s Record Store Day-exclusive vinyl release Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions launches at No. 3 on Top Album Sales with 75,000 sold – all from sales of its vinyl LP. It’s the single-largest sales week for an album on vinyl in 2023. It’s the 15th top 10 for Swift on Top Album Sales.
The live acoustic album, which was previously available only as bonus tracks on a deluxe digital and streaming edition of her Folklore studio album (released in 2020), was issued on vinyl LP (its first physical release of any kind) for Record Store Day (RSD) (April 22) at participating independent record stores. It was previously announced that Long Pond’s production run for Record Store Day would be 75,000 copies in the United States, and the set sold out instantly. It’s typical for many albums and singles to garner unique and limited edition runs exclusively for the annual independent record store day celebration.
Typically, high-profile Record Store Day-exclusive titles might have a production run of 10,000-to-20,000 in the United States. For Record Store Day 2022, there were 10 titles that had pressings ranging from 10,000 to 18,000, but nothing larger. For Record Store Day 2023, Swift’s Long Pond title had by far the largest production run of any RSD title. Pearl Jam’s live concert album Give Way had the second-biggest production run, with 15,500 vinyl LPs pressed.
Metallica’s former leader 72 Seasons falls 1-3 in its second week on Top Album Sales with 25,000 sold (down 81%).
Pearl Jam’s Give Way starts at No. 4 with 22,000 copies sold – representing vinyl, CD and digital download sales combined. The set made its retail debut on both vinyl LP (one set available at indie retailers and one sold through the band’s fan club) and CD (exclusive to indie stores), as well as a digital download. The album was recorded in 1998 during the group’s Yield Tour. Give Way is the 17th top 10 effort on Top Album Sales for Pearl Jam.
Swift has a second title in the top 10, as her chart-topping Midnights dips 4-5 with a little over 15,000 sold (up 20%). Melanie Martinez’s former No. 1 Portals falls 3-6 with 14,000 (up 5%), Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. is a non-mover at No. 7 with 11,000 sold (up 25%) and Boygenius’ The Record climbs 13-8 with 10,000 (up 47%).
Coming in at No. 9 is a re-entry from The Cure with its live album Show, and Stevie Nicks debuts at No. 10 with Bella Donna: Live 1981.
Show’s sales (just over 10,000) are driven almost entirely from a new picture disc vinyl release of the album for Record Store Day. The set was originally released widely in 1993 and initially peaked at No. 42. Show was recorded during The Cure’s 1992 Wish album tour.
For Nicks, Bella Donna: Live 1981 made its debut as stand-alone album for Record Store Day, and only on vinyl. It sold 10,000 copies. Its tracks were originally commercially released on an album as part of a deluxe edition of Nicks’ 1981 studio album Bella Donna, released in 2016. The Bella Donna: Live 1981 album was recorded during Nicks’ White Winged Dove Tour on Dec. 13, 1981.
In the week ending April 27, there were 2.927 million albums sold in the U.S. (up 44.4% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 2.583 million (up 54.3%) and digital albums comprised 339,000 (down 2.8%).
There were 760,000 CD albums sold in the week ending April 27 (up 9.6% week-over-week) and 1.809 vinyl albums sold (up 87.5%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 11.224 million (up 4.9% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 16.296 million (up 28.7%).
Overall year-to-date album sales total 33.707 million (up 10.9% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 27.699 million (up 17.8%) and digital album sales total 6.009 million (down 12.5%).
YoungBoy Never Broke Again makes it five straight years with a No. 1 project on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as his latest album, Don’t Try This at Home, starts at the summit of the list dated May 6. The set begins with just over 60,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending April 27, according to Luminate.
Streaming fuels nearly all the album’s activity, with 59,000 of the first-week units deriving from the consumption method. The sum equals 87.7 million official U.S. on-demand streams for the album’s songs. One-thousand units of the remaining lot comes from traditional album sales, while a negligible amount is owed to track-equivalent units. (One unit equals the following levels of consumption: one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.)
Don’t Try This at Home gives the 23-year-old YoungBoy Never Broke Again, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, his eighth career champ on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. He previously ruled with AI Youngboy 2 (2019), Still Flexin, Still Steppin, 38 Baby 2 and Top (all 2020), Sincerely, Kentrell (2021), Colors and The Last Slimeto (both 2022). All of his leaders debuted at No. 1 and held the rank for one week. The new champ also brings YoungBoy Never Broke Again to a milestone 25th entry on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
Elsewhere, Don’t Try This at Home launches at No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums chart and at No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
As a result of the album’s strong streaming performance, four of its cuts debut on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. “Big Truck” leads the new arrivals at No. 28, and was the week’s most-streamed Don’t Try This at Home track at 6.6 million clicks. “Mr. Gaulden” (No. 39), “What You Say,” featuring Post Malone and The Kid LAROI (No. 47) and “Rear View,” with Mariah The Scientist (No. 50) round out the crew. Plus, previous release “WTF,” featuring Nicki Minaj, rebounds 46-43 after having reached a No. 32 best.
“Big Truck” also debuts in the anchor slot of the Billboard Hot 100, and the No. 100 bow gives YoungBoy Never Broke Again a milestone 100th title on the flagship chart. He becomes the 13th – and youngest – artist to reach triple digits.
Tiësto races onto Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart (dated May 6) with Drive. The set starts at No. 2 with 12,000 equivalent album units earned in the April 21-27 tracking week, according to Luminate.
The veteran superstar DJ/producer adds his 19th top 10, extending his mark for the most among all acts dating to the chart’s 2001 inception. Louie DeVito is next, with 15 top 10s. Drive is also Tiësto’s 23rd total title to chart, second only to Armin van Buuren’s 33.
With the album’s launch, Tiësto concurrently scores the top debut on the multi-metric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart with “Chills (LA Hills),” with A Boogie Wit da Hoodie (No. 11). Tiësto’s 39th appearance and the rapper’s second, “Chills” eases in with 1.9 million U.S. streams.
Drive also fuels other Hot Dance/Electronic Songs action for Tiësto, including top Sales Gainer “10:35,” featuring Tate McRae (5-5; nearly 1,000 sold, up 37%) and top Streaming Gainer “Lay Low” (17-15; 1.1 million streams, up 18%). Plus, the set includes former top 10s “The Business” (No. 2, March 2021); “The Motto,” with Ava Max (No. 2, March 2022); and “Hot in It,” with Charli XCX (No. 10, July 2022).
Girl Power
Continuing with the Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart, Everything But the Girl returns to the top 10 with Fuse, new at No. 3 (10,000 units) – the UK duo’s highest rank among four career entries and top 10s. The set is the pair’s first showing since 2005’s Adapt or Die: Ten Years of Remixes (No. 9). Previously, the act logged the top 10s Like the Deserts Miss the Rain (No. 5, 2003) and Back to Mine (No. 10, 2001); the former takes its title from the twosome’s signature smash, “Missing,” which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1996.
Madonna in the ‘Mix’
Further on Top Dance/Electronic Albums, Madonna debuts at No. 6 with a limited Record Store Day (April 22) exclusive vinyl release, American Life: Mixshow Mix (Honoring Peter Rauhofer) (6,000 sold). The set, which contains six previously unreleased remix edits and four by late New York City-based DJ Rauhofer, is Madonna’s fifth top 10. Her American Life album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in May 2003.
READ MORE: https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-american-life-revisit-8359092/
Good ‘V I B R A T I O N’
Kaleena Zanders and Shift K3Y top the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart with “V I B R A T I O N,” which vaults 7-1. Zanders’ first leader and K3Y’s second is notching core-dance airplay on Music Choice’s Dance/EDM channel, WCPY (Dance Factory FM) Chicago and KMVQ-HD2 San Francisco, among other outlets. (The Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart measures radio airplay on a select group of full-time dance stations, along with plays during mix shows on around 60 top 40-formatted reporters.)
Additionally on Dance/Mix Show Airplay, MK claims his fifth top 10 and Dom Dolla adds his second with “Rhyme Dust” (13-8).
‘90s Nostalgia in Top 10
Returning to Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Odetari reaps his first Billboard top 10 with “Narcissistic Personality Disorder” (11-10). The viral hit earned 2.6 million streams, up 10%, in the tracking week.
Meanwhile, the trend of modern takes on ‘90s dance continues with two new entries on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. First, Rita Ora’s reworking of Fatboy Slim’s 1999 alternative/dance hit “Praise You,” titled “Praising You,” featuring Fatboy Slim, debuts at No. 27. Ora’s eighth appearance and Fatboy Slim’s third, “Praising” prances in with 1.3 million radio airplay audience impressions and 512,000 streams. It’s the second charted remake of the original “Praise” – Fatboy Slim’s highest-charting Hot 100 hit (No. 36, 1999) – after club favorite “Praise You (2018)” (No. 30, 2019).
Plus, producer Hypaton achieves his first Hot Dance/Electronic Songs hit, teaming with David Guetta on “Be My Lover (2023 Mix),” featuring the original’s La Bouche (No. 29). It’s Guetta’s 77th entry (and La Bouche’s first), extending his lead for the most among all acts (over Kygo, with 62). The “Lover” cover earned 513,000 streams and sold nearly 500, also good for a No. 17 start on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart. The original “Lover” hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 1996.
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. This week: The pop smashes on both sides of a major copyright dispute see gains, Nate Smith makes his case as country’s next reliable hitmaker and Luke Combs’ cover of an ’80s alt-folk classic gives it a sales boost.
Listeners Making Their Own Judgments in Ed Sheeran-Marvin Gaye Copyright Trial
It’s been a long week for global pop star Ed Sheeran, as he defended himself against claims of copyright infringement from the heirs of Ed Townsend, co-writer of Marvin Gaye‘s 1973 soul classic “Let’s Get It On.” Sheeran was accused of plagiarizing “Let’s Get It On” with his own Grammy-winning 2014 smash “Thinking Out Loud” — a charge that he not only strenuously denied, but threatened to quit music altogether if he was found guilty of it. (Today, the jury returned a not guilty verdict, so presumably fans will not have to go directly from the release of Sheeran’s – (Subtract) album this Friday, May 5, into mourning for his career.)
It may be cold comfort for Sheeran, but a small silver lining to his recent legal battle is that it’s drawn enough attention in news headlines and over social media over the past week to direct listeners back to the songs in question. “Thinking Out Loud” rose 15% in weekly on-demand official U.S. streams, from under 2.7 million for the tracking week ending April 20 to over three million the following week, according to Luminate — while also nearly tripling in sales, from under 400 to almost 1,100. And the numbers have also gone up for “Let’s Get It On,” which has risen 11% in streams (to around 900,000) and 93% in sales (to nearly 400) over that same period.
Clearly, listeners are interested in drawing their own conclusions about the similarities (or lack thereof) between the two songs as the trial goes on — and with the official verdict now in, the number of those independent investigations may still continue to climb. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Nate Smith’s Country Fans ‘Ship ‘Wreckage’
Much like Zach Bryan and Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith is a new-school country singer-songwriter beloved by the TikTok set, and the California native has leaned into app engagement, regularly teasing songs and even posting “duets” with fans who are lip-synching along with his tracks. “Wreckage,” a track from Smith’s self-titled debut album that was released last Friday (Apr. 28) on Arista Nashville, has been out since November, but the tender love song (“Laying in this bed beside you, I don’t have to hide away / You see all the wreckage, and it wrecks me that you stay,” Smith growls) keeps rising in streams in part due to TikTok engagement, as well as some prime placement on major streaming playlists.
“Wreckage” leads both Amazon Music’s Country Heat playlist and Spotify’s Hot Country this week — especially impressive, considering competition like Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and Luke Combs’ “Fast Car.” And although the song has been hovering around 3 million weekly U.S. on-demand streams since the beginning of April, last week, as Smith went into full album-promo mode, that weekly total rose 44% to 4.68 million streams, according to Luminate.
Although “Wreckage” has yet to hit the Billboard Hot 100 — Smith’s previous single, “Whiskey on You,” peaked at No. 43 last year — that could change next week, if streams continue to rise and country fans, including Smith’s 1.5 million TikTok followers, delve into his first full-length. – JASON LIPSHUTZ
Tracy Chapman’s Original “Fast Car” Speeding Up in Song Sales
Country superstar Luke Combs‘ cover of alt-folk hero Tracy Chapman‘s 1988 smash “Fast Car” is one of the surprise breakout hits of 2023, climbing all the way to No. 14 on the Hot 100 — now just eight spots away from matching the peak of the original — and becoming one of the spring’s best-selling songs, reaching No. 3 on Billboard‘s Digital Song Sales listing.
While the cover has not resulted in a pronounced streaming uptick for Chapman’s version, its sales impact has carried over: The original “Fast Car” jumped 148% in digital song sales the week of Combs’ Gettin’ Old release week (the album with his cover) to nearly 800 copies, and that weekly sales number has continued to climb to nearly 1,000. The numbers are still relatively small, but if they continue to climb — or simply steady at a higher weekly number than it was doing two months ago — it could add up to a nice little annual bonus for the artist behind what Combs has called his “first favorite song.” – AU
New releases from Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, The Cure, Stevie Nicks and more were among the top sellers from Record Store Day 2023 in the United States, according to data tracking firm Luminate.
Swift’s vinyl debut of her acoustic live set Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions leads the best-sellers among the albums released for the annual indie record store celebration. The vinyl debut of Pearl Jam’s concert album Give Way, recorded on March 5, 1998, during its Yield Tour, was the second-biggest title. (See lists below, which are ranked by album sales generated in the week ending April 27.)
Dozens of unique and limited-edition albums and singles, mostly vinyl pressings, are released for Record Store Day. Often, these titles will be produced in relatively small quantities, though Swift’s Long Pond had an extraordinarily large number of albums available: 75,000 in the U.S. She sold through the entire pressing, and the album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated May 6. (Typically, a high-profile Record Store Day title might have a production run of 10,000 – 25,000.)
Tied for the third-biggest Record Store Day 2023 albums are The Cure’s picture disc release of the live album Show and Nicks’ Bella Donna: Live 1981. The former was recorded during The Cure’s 1992 Wish album tour, while the latter was recorded during Nicks’ White Winged Dove Tour on Dec. 13, 1981. (Thus, the top four Record Store Day albums were all live efforts.)
Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Albums at Independent Record Stores in U.S.Rank, Artist, Title
1. Taylor Swift, Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (grey colored double vinyl)2. Pearl Jam, Give Way (double vinyl)3 (TIE). The Cure, Show (double vinyl picture disc)3 (TIE). Stevie Nicks, Bella Donna: Live 1981 (double vinyl)5 (TIE). Grateful Dead, Boston Garden, Boston, MA 5.7.77 (five vinyl LP box set)5 (TIE). The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet (swirl-colored vinyl)7. Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes: B-Sides (vinyl)8. Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, The Sound Emporium EP (vinyl)9. Larry Lovestein & The Velvet Revival, You (gold-colored 10-inch vinyl)10. The Ramones, Pleasant Dreams (vinyl)11. Beach House, Become (crystal clear-colored vinyl)12. Billy Joel, Live at the Great American Music Hall, 1975 (double vinyl)13. The Allman Brothers Band, Syria Mosque Pittsburgh, PA January 17, 1971 (steel grey-colored double vinyl)14. Van Halen, Live: Right Here, Right Now (four vinyl LP set)15. Jerry Garcia Band, How Sweet It Is… (double vinyl)16. Madonna, American Life: Mixshow Mix (Honoring Peter Rauhofer) (180 gram vinyl)17. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Return to the 36 Chambers (double vinyl picture disc)18. Miles Davis, Turnaround: Rare Miles From the Complete On the Corner Sessions (sky blue-colored vinyl)19. Dolly Parton, The Monument Singles Collection: 1964-1968 (vinyl)20. Chet Baker, Chet (180 gram vinyl)21 (TIE). The Black Keys, Live at Beachland Tavern March 31, 2002 (tangerine-colored vinyl)22 (TIE). Paul McCartney and Wings, Red Rose Speedway (half-speed vinyl)23. Blur, Blur Present the Special Collectors Edition (colored double vinyl)24. Tom Tom Club, Tom Tom Club (Expanded Edition) (double vinyl)25 (TIE). Sisters of Mercy, The Reptile House E.P. (smoky-colored vinyl)25 (TIE). Various Artists, Jazz Dispensary: Hotel Jolie Dame (psych-sunset orange marble-colored vinyl)25 (TIE). Wilco, Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (vinyl)
Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Singles at Independent Record Stores in U.S.Rank, Artist, Title
1. The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute / The Widow (12-inch vinyl)2. U2, Two Hearts Beat as One / Sunday Bloody Sunday (180-gram 12-inch white-colored vinyl)3. Motley Crue, Helter Skelter (12-inch picture disc vinyl)4. Post Malone, Waiting for Never / Hateful (12-inch translucent red-colored vinyl)5. Fleetwood Mac, Albatross / Jigsaw Puzzle Blues (12-inch vinyl)6. Bjork, The Fossora Remixes (12-inch vinyl)7 (TIE). Maya Hawke, To Love a Boy / Stay Open (7-inch vinyl)7 (TIE). Sam Smith & Kim Petras, Unholy (colored 7-inch vinyl)9. The Doors, Break on Through (3-inch vinyl)10. The Doors, Love Her Madly (3-inch vinyl)
Source: Luminate, for the week ending April 27, 2023
Record Store Day once again spurred big sales of music on vinyl and at independent record stores in the United States, according to data tracking firm Luminate – resulting in some eye-popping numbers.
This year’s edition of the indie record store celebration, held on April 22, helped sell 1.809 million vinyl albums in total across all retailers and sellers (not just indie stores) in the U.S. in the week ending April 27, according to Luminate. That sum marks a record number of vinyl albums sold in a Record Store Day (RSD) week (including Black Friday-related RSD celebrations), and the fourth-largest week for vinyl album sales since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991.
RSD 2023 also drove a modern-era record of 1.426 million vinyl albums sold in the U.S. at independent record stores April 21-27. That is the largest week ever for the format at the indie sector in Luminate history, since the company began tracking sales in 1991. It surpasses the previous Luminate-era high for weekly vinyl album sales at indies, with 1.012 million sold in the week ending April 28, 2022 (during RSD 2022). (Vinyl was so big at indies – 79% of all vinyl albums sold that week, industry-wide, were sold through indie record stores.)
Further, independent record stores sold 1.673 million albums in total across all formats (vinyl, CD, cassette, etc.) in the week ending April 27 – marking the biggest album sales week at indie stores since at least before January 2008, when Luminate began archiving data specific to this sector. Fifty-seven percent of all albums sold in the U.S. (across all formats, both physical and digital) in the week ending April 27 were sold via independent record stores.
Traditionally, Record Store Day is held on one Saturday in the springtime, when hundreds of albums (and many singles) are released specifically for the event, and available only at participating independent record stores. (In 2020 and 2021, RSD celebrations were heavily altered and spread across multiple events [dubbed “Drops”] due to COVID-19, while the event was mostly back to its pre-pandemic self for the 2022 edition, and it was business as usual for the 2023 installment.)
Among the unique titles that hit shelves for Record Store Day 2023: the vinyl debut of Taylor Swift’s acoustic live set Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (pressed on grey-colored double vinyl, in a massive 75,000-production run in the U.S. – an unusually high quantity for a RSD title), the vinyl and CD debut of Pearl Jam’s 1998 concert recording Give Way, the vinyl premiere of Stevie Nicks’ Bella Donna: Live 1981 concert recording, Tori Amos’ Little Earthquakes: B-Sides on vinyl and a reissue of The Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet on grey, blue, black and white swirl-colored vinyl. All five releases are among the top-selling RSD-exclusive titles for the week (see lists, below).
The husband-and-wife team of Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires (Record Store Day Ambassadors for 2023) gifted RSD with two releases: a four-track EP from the duo (The Sound Emporium EP) and a four-track EP from Shires (Live at Columbia Studio A) that includes a guest appearance from Isbell.
Here are some facts on Record Store Day 2023’s impact, plus a look at the top-selling Record Store Day-exclusive albums and singles:
(All data is according to Luminate, for the week ending April 27, 2023, in the U.S, unless otherwise indicated. Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991. References to the Luminate era mean from 1991-onwards.)
Industry-wide total album sales in U.S. across all formats (physical [including CD, vinyl, cassettes, etc.] and digital downloads): 2.923 million – up 44.4% compared to the previous week (2.02 million). It’s the largest album sales week in 2023.
The last larger week was the week ending Dec. 22, 2022, when 3.897 million albums were sold. (Outside of the holiday shopping season – from the week containing Thanksgiving through the end of the year – the last larger week was the frame ending April 26, 2018, during RSD 2018, when 3.267 million albums were sold.)
Industry-wide total physical album sales in U.S. (CD, vinyl, cassette, etc.): 2.583 million – up 54.3% compared to the previous week (1.675 million). It’s the largest sales week for physical album sales in 2023.
The last bigger week was the week ending Dec. 22, 2022, when 3.526 million physical albums were sold. (Outside of the holiday shopping season – from the week containing Thanksgiving through the end of the year – the last larger week was the frame ending Feb. 18, 2016, when 2.710 million physical albums were sold.)
Industry-wide CD album sales in U.S.: 760,000 – up 9.6% compared to the previous week (693,000).
Industry-wide vinyl album sales in U.S.: 1.809 million – up 878.5% compared to the previous week (965,000).
That 1.809 million sum translates to a record number of vinyl albums sold in any Record Store Day-related week (including Black Friday-related RSD festivities) and the fourth-largest week for vinyl album sales since Luminate began tracking data in 1991. It’s also the biggest week outside of the holiday shopping season for vinyl album sales, in the Luminate era.
The largest week for vinyl album sales in the Luminate era occurred in the week ending Dec. 22, 2022, when 2.232 million vinyl albums were sold. The Nos. 2-5 largest weeks are: week ending Dec. 23, 2021 (2.115 million); Dec. 24, 2020 (1.842 million); April 27, 2023 (1.809 million; includes RSD 2023) and Dec. 29, 2022 (1.57 million).
62% of all albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were vinyl albums (1.809 million of 2.922 million). For context, year-to-date, vinyl albums comprise 48% of all album sales (16.296 million of 33.707 million).
70% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were vinyl albums (1.809 million of 2.583 million). Year-to-date, vinyl albums represent 59% of all physical album sales (16.296 million of 27.699 million).
Independent store album sales in U.S.: 1.673 million – up 112% compared to the previous week (789,000). That marks the biggest album sales week at indie stores since at least before January 2008, when Luminate began archiving data specific to this sector.
Independent store CD album sales in U.S.: 238,000 – up 11% compared to the previous week (216,000). It’s the largest sales week for CD album sales at indie stores in 2023. The last bigger week was the week ending Dec. 22, 2022, when 268,000 CD albums were sold at indies. (Outside of the holiday shopping season, the last bigger week for CD album sales at indies was in the frame ending March 12, 2020, when 239,000 CD albums were sold in the indie sector.)
Independent store vinyl album sales in U.S.: 1.426 million – up 152% compared to the previous week (566,000). That marks the largest week ever for the format at the indie sector since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991. It surpasses the previous Luminate-era high for weekly vinyl album sales at indies, with 1.012 sold in the week ending April 28, 2022 (during the week of Record Store Day 2022).
57% of all albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were sold via independent record stores (1.672 million of 2.922 million). For context, year-to-date, indie store album sales comprise 37% of all album sales (12.459 million of 33.707 million).
65% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were sold via independent record stores (1.672 million of 2.583 million). Year-to-date, 45% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. were sold via indie stores (12.459 million of 27.699 million).
79% of all vinyl albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were sold via independent record stores (1.426 million of 1.809 million). Year-to-date, 57% of all vinyl albums were sold via indie record stores (9.317 million of 16.296 million).
49% of all albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were vinyl albums sold via independent record stores (1.426 million of 2.922 million). Year-to-date, 28% of all albums sold in the U.S. have been vinyl albums via indie record stores (9.317 million of 33.707 million).
55% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were vinyl albums sold via independent record stores (1.426 million of 2.583 million). Year-to-date, 34% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. have been vinyl albums sold via indie record stores (9.317 million of 27.699 million).
57% of vinyl albums sold via independent record stores in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were of the rock genre (814,723 of 1.426 million). Fifty-six percent of all vinyl albums sold industry wide in the U.S. were rock titles (1,013,297 of 1,809,301 million). Year-to-date, the rock genre comprises 57% of vinyl albums sold through indie record stores (5,353,048 million of 9.317 million). While rock holds 54% of all vinyl albums sold industry wide (8.722 million of 16.296 million).
Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Albums at Independent Record Stores in U.S.Rank, Artist, Title
1. Taylor Swift, Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (grey colored double vinyl)2. Pearl Jam, Give Way (double vinyl)3 (TIE). The Cure, Show (double vinyl picture disc)3 (TIE). Stevie Nicks, Bella Donna: Live 1981 (double vinyl)5 (TIE). Grateful Dead, Boston Garden, Boston, MA 5.7.77 (five vinyl LP box set)5 (TIE). The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet (swirl-colored vinyl)7. Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes: B-Sides (vinyl)8. Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, The Sound Emporium EP (vinyl)9. Larry Lovestein & The Velvet Revival, You (gold-colored 10-inch vinyl)10. The Ramones, Pleasant Dreams (vinyl)11. Beach House, Become (crystal clear-colored vinyl)12. Billy Joel, Live at the Great American Music Hall, 1975 (double vinyl)13. The Allman Brothers Band, Syria Mosque Pittsburgh, PA January 17, 1971 (steel grey-colored double vinyl)14. Van Halen, Live: Right Here, Right Now (four vinyl LP set)15. Jerry Garcia Band, How Sweet It Is… (double vinyl)16. Madonna, American Life: Mixshow Mix (Honoring Peter Rauhofer) (180 gram vinyl)17. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Return to the 36 Chambers (double vinyl picture disc)18. Miles Davis, Turnaround: Rare Miles From the Complete On the Corner Sessions (sky blue-colored vinyl)19. Dolly Parton, The Monument Singles Collection: 1964-1968 (vinyl)20. Chet Baker, Chet (180 gram vinyl)21 (TIE). The Black Keys, Live at Beachland Tavern March 31, 2002 (tangerine-colored vinyl)22 (TIE). Paul McCartney and Wings, Red Rose Speedway (half-speed vinyl)23. Blur, Blur Present the Special Collectors Edition (colored double vinyl)24. Tom Tom Club, Tom Tom Club (Expanded Edition) (double vinyl)25 (TIE). Sisters of Mercy, The Reptile House E.P. (smoky-colored vinyl)25 (TIE). Various Artists, Jazz Dispensary: Hotel Jolie Dame (psych-sunset orange marble-colored vinyl)25 (TIE). Wilco, Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (vinyl)
Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Singles at Independent Record Stores in U.S.Rank, Artist, Title1. The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute / The Widow (12-inch vinyl)2. U2, Two Hearts Beat as One / Sunday Bloody Sunday (180-gram 12-inch white-colored vinyl)3. Motley Crue, Helter Skelter (12-inch picture disc vinyl)4. Post Malone, Waiting for Never / Hateful (12-inch translucent red-colored vinyl)5. Fleetwood Mac, Albatross / Jigsaw Puzzle Blues (12-inch vinyl)6. Bjork, The Fossora Remixes (12-inch vinyl)7 (TIE). Maya Hawke, To Love a Boy / Stay Open (7-inch vinyl)7 (TIE). Sam Smith & Kim Petras, Unholy (colored 7-inch vinyl)9. The Doors, Break on Through (3-inch vinyl)10. The Doors, Love Her Madly (3-inch vinyl)
Source: Luminate, for the week ending April 27, 2023
The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week (for the upcoming charts dated May 12), after sets from a pair of BTS alums fall just short of matching the totals of Morgan Wallen’s Billboard 200 juggernaut, a 13-strong K-pop group looks to take their crack at it.
SEVENTEEN, 10th Mini Album ‘FML’ (Pledis/YG Plus): It’s a showdown we’ve seen time and time again on the Billboard 200 in recent years: a lengthy album from an artist who dominates streaming vs. a much shorter set from an artist who sells an exceptional amount of physical copies. Many of the albums from the latter category are from K-pop, and we have another entrant this week in the form of the 13-member boy band SEVENTEEN’s latest mini-album, FML.
The group has climbed closer to the Billboard 200’s apex with each successive release, including a pair of top 10 efforts last year with 4th Album: Face the Sun (No. 7 in June) and that set’s extended repackaged reissue, Sector 17 (No. 4 in August). Helping their sales numbers this time will be an array of different CDs — 14 total, including different exclusives for the act’s official webstore, Barnes & Noble, Target and the Weverse store; all with a standard set of items packaged inside and additional randomized items like postcards, mini posters, bookmarks and stickers. There are also 17 different alternative digital albums on their webstore, each with a different cover. Four of them have two bonus tracks – one instrumental version, one voice member from certain group members – that are different on each album. The remaining 13 alternative digital albums all have the standard tracklist, just with a different cover (one for each of the group members).
The bar for SEVENTEEN to hit No. 1 might be slightly lower than it was for BTS alums Jimin and Suga last month, as Morgan Wallen’s mighty One Thing at a Time slips below 150,000 equivalent album units for the first time in its eight weeks at No. 1 with its 149,000 May 6 chart (reflecting the tracking week ending April 27). If they can accomplish the feat, SEVENTEEN would become the second Korean pop group to top the Billboard 200 in 2023, following TOMORROW X TOGETHER, which did so in February with The Name Chapter: Temptation in February.
Jack Harlow, Jackman. (Generation Now/Atlantic): Louisville rapper Jack Harlow made the leap to pop stardom last year with his Billboard Hot 100-topping, Fergie-sampling crossover smash “First Class,” which was followed by the album Come Home the Kids Miss You. Though the star-studded affair – featuring appearances from A-listers Drake, Lil Wayne, Pharrell and Justin Timberlake – peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, it was poorly received critically and failed to produce a second hit on the level of “First Class.”
Harlow went in a different direction for last week’s semi-surprise-released Jackman., announced just days earlier and titled after his full first name. The set includes just 10 tracks, with no guests or any big pop samples or interpolations that littered his prior album. The currently digital-only set – Harlow’s webstore also has a pre-sale of limited-edition green vinyl version available for August – may not quite do the kind of robust streaming numbers as its predecessor with no big features or previously released hits, but it is drawing much better reviews.
IN THE MIX
The National, First Two Pages of Frankenstein (4AD): Cincinnati-via-Brooklyn indie rock vets The National are regular visitors to the Billboard 200’s top 5, having reached there with four consecutive albums dating back to 2010’s High Violet, most recently with 2019’s No. 5-peaking I Am Easy to FInd. A not-so-secret weapon on the new First Two Pages of Frankenstein could help make it five straight: Taylor Swift, now a regular collaborator of band co-founder Aaron Dessner, who features on the album’s “The Alcott.”
Grateful Dead, Dave’s Picks Volume 46 (Rhino): Another season, another transmission from the live archives of rock’s most storied jam band. This three-disc set – available in a limited edition of 25,000 copies, as usual for Dave’s Picks – is taken from the Grateful Dead‘s 1972 gig at the Hollywood Palladium, with some copies also including a bonus fourth discs of songs from ‘72 shows in Roosevelt Stadium in New Jersey and Folson Field in Colorado.
Illenium, Illenium (Warner): The star EDM DJ-producer is better known for his impressive live show – which he’s taking to arenas and stadiums this summer – but Illenium has also had three Billboard 200-charting albums, with the most recent (2021’s Fallen Embers) peaking at No. 49. His new self-titled album is more rock-influenced, and the chart returns so far have been positive, with all seven of its pre-release advance tracks reaching the top 20 of Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.
Prince Royce collects his 33rd top 10 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay Chart as “Me EnRD” debuts at No. 9 on the May 6-dated survey. The song was released via Smiling Prince/Sony Music Latin on April 20, the same date the Dominican artist premiered it live at the eighth annual Latin American Music Awards in Las Vegas.
“Me EnRD” bows at No. 9 with 3.33 million audience impressions earned in the U.S. during its first tracking week ending April 27, according to Luminate. The romantic bachata is just the second song to start in the upper tier so far in 2023, after Marshmello and Manuelle Turizo’s “El Merengue” launched at No. 4 on the list dated March 18.
Among 36 career entries, “Me EnRD” gives Royce his 33rd top 10 on Tropical Airplay, and his fifth to debut in the region. At its No. 9 start, it’s his best debut since the 11-week champ “Déjà Vu,” with Shakira, launched at No. 2 in March 2017.
Royce’s 33 top 10s rank fifth on the all-time list, tied with Elvis Crespo, where Victor Manuelle still leads with 64 top 10s since the chart’s inception in 1994. Here’s the leaderboard:
64, Victor Manuelle55, Marc Anthony37, Gilberto Santa Rosa34, Daddy Yankee33, Elvis Crespo33, Prince Royce31, Jerry Rivera28, Olga Tanon28, Romeo Santos
Further, Royce’s “Me EnRD” marks his 20th top 10 without a collaborative act. It trails the No. 6-peaking “Otra Vez” (Feb. 11-dated list) also released as a soloist. On the current chart, the latter ranks at No. 11 for a second week.
Beyond its top 10 debut on Tropical Airplay, “Me EnRD” bows at No. 30 on the all-genre Latin Airplay tally, where singer-songwriter claims his 41st entry.
Singer-songwriter Lena Byrd Miles notches her first leader on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart as “WOW (Walk on Water)” climbs to No. 1 on the survey dated May 6. The song increased by 7% in plays in the tracking week ending April 27, according to Luminate.
Miles, who grew up in San Leandro, Calif., and was raised in Oakland, co-authored the song with Warryn Campbell (who also produced it) and Eric Dawkins.
“Wow unto ‘WOW,’” marveled Miles after hearing the news of her first leader on any Billboard chart. “I’m just tickled pink that it’s No. 1, and over-the-moon happy about it. God has blown my mind once again. I just have to say ‘thank you’ to all of my supporters.”
“WOW” is from Miles’ rookie album, Brand New, which was released last October.
“WOW” is Miles’ third Gospel Airplay entry. It follows “This Is the Day,” which reached No. 23 in September 2019, and her featured turn on Jason McGee & The Choir’s “Promises,” which climbed to No. 11 that February.
Prior to launching her solo career, Miles worked with other gospel artists such as Tye Tribbett, Lalah Hathaway, Deitrick Haddon and Dorinda.
Winans’ ‘Worthy’ in Top 10
On Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Gospel Songs chart, CeCe Winans’ “Worthy of It All” ascends 11-10. The song becomes her sixth solo top 10 on the tally, with four earned this decade. (She also boasts two top 10s, logged in 2009-10, as a duo partner with brother CeCe Winans.)
tobyMac Within One of Record
On Billboard’s multi-metric Hot Christian Songs chart, tobyMac adds his 28th top 10 as “Cornerstone,” featuring Zach Williams, jumps 14-8. The song also leaps 9-5 on Christian Airplay (4.7 million in audience, up 14%).
tobyMac moves to within one of the record for the most top 10s since Hot Christian Songs began in 2003. Casting Crowns, MercyMe and Chris Tomlin have tallied 29 each.
Williams, meanwhile, adds his eighth top 10 on the chart.