Ariana Grande”s debut album “Yours Truly” comes out on the top of the Billboard 200 chart this week, besting efforts from Nine Inch Nails and Tamar Braxton. “The Way” singer”s start with 138,000 is the first female solo artist”s first album hit the top in its first week since Ke$ha”s “Animal” in January 2010
Tamar Braxton starts right behind with “Love & War” at No. 2 with 114,000. She Of The Braxtons sister-troupe hadn”t released a solo album since 2000.
Trent Reznor-led Nine Inch Nails return with their first album in five years with “Hesitation Marks,” which marks up the No. 3 spot with 107,000 units. The heavy rock band”s last “The Slip” made it to No. 13 with 29 when it came out in 2008, but it didn”t have label support like “Hesitation Marks” did. Go back to 2007″s “Year Zero” (via Nothing/Interscope) for a comparably label-aided release: it made it to No. 2 with 187,000.
John Legend”s “Love in the Future” enters the chart at No. 4 with 68,000. His last album “Wake Up!” with the Roots started at No. 8 in 2010. His last solo album “Evolver” from 2008 debuted at No. 4 with 133,000.
Luke Bryan’s “Crash My Party” slips No. 2 to No. 5 (68,000, -26%).
Jaheim”s “Appreciation Day” bows at No. 6 with 58,000, which follows 2010″s “Another Round.” That effort started at No. 3 with 112,000.
Robin Thicke”s “Blurred Lines” falls No. 5 to No. 7 (57,000, +3%), Avenged Sevenfold”s “Hail to the King” descends No. 1 to No. 8 (42,000, -74%), Justin Timberlake”s “The 20/20 Experience” moves No. 6 to No. 9 (38,000, +44%) and Imagine Dragons’ “Night Visions” rises No. 16 to No. 10 ( 35,000 +44%).
Sales are up 3% compared to last week and up 6% compared to the same week last year. Sales for the year are down 6% so far.