It’s time for the rule of Queens of the Stone Age to begin.
The long-running California rock act reign supreme on this week’s Billboard 200 chart, as their latest album “…Like Clockwork” debuted in the No. 1 spot, selling 91,000 copies.
It’s the group’s first No. 1 album; their 2007 “Era Vulgaris” debuted at No. 14 with 52,000 sold. Notably, 13% of “Clockwork’s” sales were on vinyl, making it the second-biggest seller in that category since SoundScan started tracking LP sales again in January, 2010.
Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories,” which topped the chart the two previous weeks, was bumped to second place, moving 62,000 copies. “RAM,” driven by the hit single “Get Lucky,” is quickly approaching the gold (500,000 copies sold) mark.
At No. 3 is rock group Sleeping With Sirens, whose “Feel” sold 59,000 in its first week, largely driven by Internet retailers’ pre-sales efforts.
Though its sales were actually down 13%, Blake Shelton’s “Based on a True Story . . .” moves up one place from No. 5 to No. 4 this week, after selling 36,000.
Likewise, Darius Rucker’s “True Believers” shifts from No. 6 to No. 5, after selling 33,000 (down 18%).
Legendary metal gods Megadeth make a solid return to the charts, with “Super Collider,” which debuts at No. 6 with 29,000 copies sold. It’s their highest chart position since 1994’s “Youthanasia,” which peaked at No. 4. The group hit No. 2 in 1992 with the classic “Countdown to Extinction.”
Imagine Dragons’ “Night Visions” also rises one spot, moving from No. 8 to 7 with 28,000 sold.
The biggest uptick, however, be lobs to country duo Florida Georgia Line, whose CMT Awards wins powered their set “Here’s to the Good Times” from No. 17 all the way to No. 8. They sold 28,000 copies, an increase of 26% over last week.
Refusing to exit the top ten after twelve straight weeks, Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” remains at No. 9, after selling 27,000.
Canada’s Barenaked Ladies return to the charts, as their new “Grinning Streak” debuts in the tenth spot, selling 26,000. Their 2003 “Everything to Everyone” also bowed at No. 10.
Total album sales for the week (ending June 9) equaled 4.9 million, a scant 1% increased from last week, but down 8% from the same week in 2012 (5.3 million sold). 2013 sales so far stand at 126.3 million, a 5% drop from last year.