Bon Jovi topped the U.S. album charts for the first time since 1988 on Wednesday, while rock duo the White Stripes scored a personal best with a No. 2 debut for their latest release. Bon Jovi’s “Lost Highway” sold 292,000 copies in the week ended June 24, the rock troupe’s biggest one-week sum since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales data in 1991. The Island/Mercury Nashville set is Bon Jovi’s third No. 1 album, joining 1988’s “New Jersey” and 1987’s “Slippery When Wet.”
Sales were fueled in part by the group’s new country fanbase, wrangled in with the Grammy-winning 2006 hit “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” featuring Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles.
The White Stripes’ “Icky Thump” sold 223,000 copies. Jack and Meg White have enjoyed increasing success with each new album: 2005’s “Get Behind Me Satan,” started at No. 3 with 189,000, 2003’s “Elephant” peaked at No. 6, and 2002’s “White Blood Cells” topped out at No. 61. “Icky Thump” also opened at No. 1 in Britain, their second chart-topper after “Elephant.”
Brad Paisley’s fifth studio album, “5th Gear,” bowed at No. 3 with 197,000 units, the country singer’s best sales week ever. Last week’s champ, Toby Keith’s “Big Dog Daddy” slid to No. 4 with 73,000, suffering a 64% sales hit.
Paul McCartney’s “Memory Almost Full” fell two to No. 5 in its third week with 64,000, while Linkin Park’s former chart-topper “Minutes to Midnight” sat tight at No. 6 with 3,000.
Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” rose three places to No. 7 with 62,000, Maroon 5’s “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long” dropped four to No. 8 also with 62,000, and Fabolous’ “From Nothin’ to Somthin”‘ tumbled seven to No. 9 with 59,000 in its second week. T-Pain’s “Epiphany” fell five to No. 10 with 56,000.
Powered by the hit single “Party Like a Rockstar,” rap combo Shop Boyz’ debut album “Rockstar Mentality” opened at No. 11 with 52,000. Other big debuts included Lifehouse’s fourth album “Who We Are” at No. 14 with 49,000, rapper Huey’s “Notebook Paper” at No. 26 with 29,000, Chrisette Michele’s “I Am” at No. 29 with 26,000, and Mandy Moore’s “Wild Hope” at No. 30 with 25,000.
Album sales were down 7.1% from last week’s total at 8.9 million units and down 5.2% compared to the same week last year. Overall album sales for the year are down 15% compared to last year at 221 million units.
Reuters/Billboard
