Lady Antebellum racks up its second No. 1 album on The Billboard 200 as “Own the Night” bows with 347,000 copies. The country trio topped the chart previously with breakthrough “Need You Now” in 2010, which debuted moving 481,000. Their first, self-titled set entered and peaked at No. 4 with 43,000 in 2008.
The only other country groups to have earned No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 are Rascal Flatts (with four) and Dixie Chicks (with three).
Adele‘s “21” stays put at No. 2 with 119,000 copies, a sales decrease of only 2%. Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter IV” moves No. 1 to No. 3 with 117,000 (-47%).
Brantley Gilbert”s “Halfway to Heaven” has a gallant re-entry onto the chart, moving 51,000 for a whopping 15,000% increase. How”d that happen? The set was independently released back in 2010, but got picked up by Valory Music (with distribution from Universal) and was re-released on a grander scale last week. It originally made it to No. 112 on the big chart, and has since sold 135,000 copies.
Staind”s self-titled set debuts at No. 5 with 47,000, and comes on the heels of 2008″s “The Illusion of Progress,” which made it to No. 3 with 92,000.
The Beatles” hits collection “1” dips No. 4 to No. 6 (46,000, -24%) and George Strait”s “Here for a Good Time” slides No. 3 to No. 7 (43,000, -53%).
Dream Theater”s new album “A Dramatic Turn of Events” bows with 36,000 copies at No. 8, a runner-up success to 2009″s “Black Clouds & Silver Linings” (No. 6, 40,000).
Jay-Z and Kanye West”s “Watch the Throne” falls No. 6 to No. 9 (36,000, -28%).
Christian metalcore act The Devil Wears Prada earns its second top 10 effort with “Dead Throne,” which starts with 32,000. Their EP “Zombie” made it to the same spot last year, though with 25,000.
Album sales this week are up 2% compared to last week and up 4% compared to the same week last year. Sales for the year are up 3% compared to last year so far.