There are six debuts in the first six slots of The Billboard 200 chart this week, and Dave Matthews Band”s “Away from the World” tops them all. The rock band”s set moved 266,000 copies, making it their sixth consecutive album in a row to take the top; according to Billboard, they are the only group to have done that. Their previous “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King” bowed with 424,000 copies in 2009.
Little Big Town”s new “Tornado” bows at No. 2 with 113,000, a charting and sales best for the country crew.
Bob Dylan”s “Tempest” is right behind at No. 3 with 110,000. His 2009 album “Together Through Life” made it to No. 1, with 125,000.
The Avett Brothers earn a big week, as “The Carpenter” becomes their best charting and sales set yet, starting at No. 4 with 98,000. Their previous best was with 2009″s “I and Love and You,” bowing with 40,000 at No. 16.
Mercury Prize-winning band The xx makes it to No. 5 with “Coexist,” logging 73,000. They only made it to No. 92 with their self-titled debut in 2010.
ZZ Top”s “La Futura” starts at No. 6 with 31,000. It”s their first album in nine years, after 2003″s “Mescalero.” Their last album to get that tall on the char was 1990″s “Recycler.”
On this week’s chart: Dave Matthews Band’s “Away From the World” is trailed by arrivals from Little Big Town’s “Tornado,” Bob Dylan’s “Tempest,” the Avett Brothers’ “The Carpenter,” the xx’s “Coexist” and ZZ Top’s “La Futura.”
Imagine Dragons” “Night Visions” slips No. 2 to No. 7 (29,000, -65%), Matchbox Twenty”s “North” descends No. 1 to No. 8 (28,000, -71%) and “Now 43” moves No. 4 to No. 9 (24,000, -31%).
Amanda Palmer – the Kickstarter wunderkind – bows at No. 10 with “Theatre Is Evil,” selling 24,000. Of that number 93% of it were through digital download sales. Many of her Kickstarter pledgers received a physical or digi download of the set.
Sales are up 7% compared to last week and down 8% compared to the same week last year. Sales for the year are don 5% compared to last year so far.