Mumford & Sons” new album “Babel” blazes its way to the top of The Billboard 200 chart this week, logging the biggest single sales tally for a debut this year. The British band”s sophomore set moved 600,000 copies, which is also the second-biggest sales total for an independently distributed album (Eagles’ Walmart-exclusive “Long Road Out of Eden” moved 711,000 in 2007).
Mumford & Sons” first album “Sigh No More” (2009) made it to No. 2, but in 2010.
Green Day”s “¡Uno!”, the first in their upcoming trilogy, bows at No. 2 with 139,000. Their last set “21st Century Breakdown” made it to No. 1 with 215,000.
No Doubt”s “Push and Shove” enters at No. 3 with 115,000, and is their first album since 2001. That full-length, “Rock Steady,” peaked on that chart at No. 9 with 255,000 units (later 270,000 over the holiday shopping season).
Pink”s “The Truth About Love” slips from No. 1 to No. 4 (94,000, -66%).
Lupe Fiasco”s fresh “Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1” debuts at No. 5 with 89,000. His previous “Lasers” started at No. 1 with 204,000 in 2011.
deadmau5 earns his best charting and sales frame yet as “album title goes here” starts at No. 6 with 58,000. His 2010 album “4X4=12” made it to No. 47 with 27,000.
Kanye West”s G.O.O.D. Music compilation “Cruel Summer” dips No. 2 to No. 7 (55,000, -73%), Dave Matthews Band”s “Away From the World” descends No. 4 to No. 8 (36,000, -42%), Little Big Town”s “Tornado” drops No. 5 to No. 9 (34,000, -33%) and the Killers” “Battle Born” moves No. 3 to No. 10 (31,000, -73%).
Album sales are up 5% compared to last week and up 2% compared to the same week in 2011. Sales for the year are down 4% so far.