There were less than two days left of the sales week when it was discovered that Amy Winehouse had died, but it was enough to launch her album “Back to Black” back into the Billboard 200 album chart top 10. The 2007 effort moved 37,000 copies, enough for No. 9, a 3,140% sales increase.
Winehouse”s Mercury Prize-nominated 2004 album “Frank” also bounces back to No. 57 (8,000) and the 2008 digital-only “Back to Black: B-Sides” EP makes it to No. 152 (3,000).
Of course, it”s another British singer (and Winehouse admirer) that takes the top of the chart: Adele”s “21” makes it 11 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, the first time an album has achieved that number of weeks since Taylor Swift”s did the same over 2007/2008. Only eight albums have been No. 1 for 11 weeks or longer since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.
“Kidz Bop 20” debuts with 69,000 copies at No. 2, the charting peak that two other versions of the children”s pop music series has achieved.
3 Doors Down Is appropriately at No. 3 this week, with the bow of “Time of My Life.” The rock act”s last two albums made it to the penthouse.
On the same token, Beyonce”s “4” is at – you guessed it – No. 4, climbing from No. 5 (53,000, -26%).
DJ Khaled”s “We the Best Forever” bows with a charting and sales best: No. 5, with 53,000. The hip-hop artist”s former tally best came with 2008″s “We Global” at No. 7.
Last week”s chart winner Blake Shelton”s “Red River Blue” falls from No. 1 to No. 6 with 47,000 (-60%).
311″s new album “Universal Pulse” debuts at No. 7 with 46,000, making it eight top 10 records for the rock band. Their last “Uplifter” from 2009 peaked at No. 3.
Jason Aldean”s “My Kinda Party” descends No. 7 to No. 8 (43,000, +2%); then it”s Winehouse; and then it”s Selena Gomez & the Scene”s “When the Sun Goes Down,” which sits tight at No. 10 (28,000, -12%).
Sales are up compared to last week and up 6% compared to the same week last year. Sales for the year total are up 1%.