Drake smashes records as “Views” debuts atop Billboard 200

PanARMENIAN.Net - As projected, Drake's "Views" tops this week's Billboard 200 with a massive first-week sales. Nielsen Music reports that the Canadian rapper's latest studio effort opens with 1.04 million equivalent units that include 852,000 copies in traditional album sales, AceShowbiz said.

That is the biggest sales week for any album released in 2016 so far and for any album by a male artist in 3 years. Justin Timberlake scored bigger sales week back in 2013 when "The 20/20 Experience" debuted with 968,000 copies.

"Views" also gives Drizzy his best sales week ever and marks his sixth record to land atop the chart. His previous sets to do so included his 2015 mixtapes, "If You're Reading This It's Too Late" and the Future-aided "What a Time to Be Alive". Billboard additionally notes that the new project was streamed 254.1 million times in the U.S. in its first week to break the most-streamed album record, beating Justin Bieber's "Purpose" that had 100 million plays following its arrival late last year.

Back to the new Billboard 200, Beyonce Knowles' "Lemonade" falls from last week's top spot to No. 2 with another 321,000 units collected in the week ending on May 5. Prince's "Purple Rain" remains at No. 3 with 75,000 units, while his "The Very Best of Prince" slips two rungs to No. 4 with 70,000. Trailing behind the late singer is Rihanna, whose "Anti" sits still at No. 5 with 51,000.

Rob Zombie's "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser" and the "Now 58" album are the other new titles making up the top 10. The former debuts at No. 6 with 41,000 units, while the latter bows at No. 7 with 37,000. Rounding out the top 10 are Chris Stapleton's "Traveller" (No. 8 with 31,000), Bieber's "Purpose" (No. 9 with 29,000) and Adele's "25" (No. 10 with 28,000).