Madonna Achieves Ninth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With Madame X
Keith Caulfield at Billboard breaks the news we all were waiting for: X marks the No. 1 spot.
Madonna lands her ninth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as Madame X enters atop the tally. The set, released via Interscope Records on June 14, launches with 95,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending June 20, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 90,000 were in album sales.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units are comprised of traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new June 29-dated chart, where Madame X bows at No. 1, will be posted in full on Billboard’s websites on June 25.
Overall, Madame X’s debut sum of 95,000 equivalent album units is comprised of 90,000 in album sales – the fourth-largest sales week for an album in 2019 by a woman – 1,000 in track equivalent albums units and 4,000 in streaming equivalent albums units.
The album’s sales were bolstered by a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer with the Queen of Pop’s upcoming theater tour, as well as an array of merchandise/album bundles sold via her official website.
Madame X grants Madonna her ninth leader on the Billboard 200. She last led the list in 2012, with MDNA. Her U.S. No. 1 albums are:
- Madame X (2019)
- MDNA (2012)
- Hard Candy (2008)
- Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005)
- American Life (2003)
- Music (2000)
- Like a Prayer (1989)
- True Blue (1986)
- Like a Virgin (1985)
Madonna continues to have the second-most No. 1 albums among female artists, trailing only Barbra Streisand, who has 11. Among all acts, The Beatles have the most No. 1s, with 19. They are followed by Jay-Z (14), Streisand and Bruce Springsteen (both with 11), Elvis Presley (10), Eminem, Garth Brooks, Madonna and The Rolling Stones (all with 9).
Madonna is a frequent visitor to the top 10 of the Billboard 200, having notched at least four top 10 albums in each of the last four decades (‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s and ‘10s). Madame X marks her 22nd top 10, and fourth of the ‘10s.
Earlier in the decade, she reached the region with her last studio effort, Rebel Heart (No. 2 in 2015), MDNA (No. 1, 2012) and the live album Sticky & Sweet Tour (No. 10, 2010).
Madonna’s first top 10 came nearly 35 years ago, when her self-titled debut album climbed 12-10 on the Oct. 6, 1984-dated chart. It eventually peaked at No. 8 two weeks later (Oct. 20). The diva would place five top 10s in the ‘80s, seven in the ‘90s, six in the ‘00s and now four in the ‘10s.
At No. 2 on the new Billboard 200, Bruce Springsteen’s Western Stars debuts with 66,000 equivalent album units (of which 62,000 were in album sales).
Fun fact for chart watchers: with Madonna and Springsteen at Nos. 1 and 2 on the new Billboard 200, it’s the first time the Queen of Pop and The Boss have been in the top two together since 1985. The last time they were buddies in the top two (and the only time before this week) was for four weeks in January and February that year. On the charts dated Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, 1985, Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. and Madonna’s Like a Virgin were Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Then, the titles flipped ranks on Feb. 9 and Feb. 16. (Born spent a total of seven weeks at No. 1 and Virgin ruled for three weeks.)
Read the full story at Billboard.com.
