Chris Stapleton collects his first No. 1 album on Billboard 200

PanARMENIAN.Net - Chris Stapleton collects his first No. 1 album on Billboard 200 following his triumphant night at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards. The county star's acclaimed debut set "Traveller" has just landed at the top slot interestingly after a two-month absence from the chart, AceShowbiz reports citing Billboard.

Nielsen Music reports that the effort, which won the Album of the Year Award at the annual ceremony last Wednesday, November 4, re-enters Billboard 200 at No. 1 with 177,000 equivalent album units (up 6,109 percent), including 153,000 in pure album sales (up 6,412 percent). Upon its arrival in May, it debuted and peaked at No. 14 on the list.

In addition to the Album of the Year trophy, Stapleton took home two other CMAs for the Male Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year. During the event, he also teamed up with Justin Timberlake for a much-talked-about performance of "Tennessee Whiskey" off the LP as well as "Drink You Away" from the former NSYNC member's "The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2".

Next on this week's Billboard 200, two other country acts benefiting from CMA Awards occupy the chart's second and third places. Carrie Underwood, who co-hosted the show with Brad Paisley, takes the No. 2 slot as her "Storyteller" sells 81,000 units in its second week.

Eric Church is sitting at No. 3 as his surprise album "Mr. Misunderstood" starts with 76,000 earned in less than two days after being released without prior notice shortly before the singer opened the CMA Awards.

Behind Church's latest set is the "Now 56" compilation that comes at No. 4 with 58,000, all of which are from pure album sales. The Weeknd's "Beauty Behind the Madness" drops two rungs to No. 5 with another 49,000.

Fetty Wap's self-titled debut effort is at No. 6, falling from last week's No. 4 with 39,000. 5 Seconds of Summer' Sounds Good Feels Good dips from No. 1 to No. 7 with 32,000. It's followed by the "We Love Disney" collection that arrives at No. 8 with 31,000.

Closing out the top 10 are Drake and Future's "What a Time to Be Alive", which slips three rungs to No. 9 with 30,000, and Def Leppard's new self-titled album that opens at No. 10 with 30,000.

For the first time in more than a year, Taylor Swift's "1989" gets kicked out of the top 10, landing at No. 11 with 30,000. The record has so far spent a total of 53 consecutive weeks in the region.