People Still Buy Music: That Lionel Richie country album is now the nation's No. 1 record
Clearly, it was an idea that was destined to become a hit: Take Lionel Richie, have him do a bunch of old Lionel Richie songs, add a batch of country music superstars, sell the shit out of it on the Home Shopping Network, and then sit back and watch the money roll in. Actually, all irony aside, that's exactly what's happened with Richie's new self-covers country record, Tuskegee, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard albums chart three weeks ago and now has taken over the top slot, selling 129,000 copies. It is Richie's first No. 1 album in 26 years.
Once again, Tuskegee benefited for savvy marketing, with sales soaring in the wake of Friday's high-rated CBS special ACM Presents: Lionel Richie & Friends, which lifted the record from last week's position at No. 4. That's after the record sold 199,000 copies in its first week after Richie became the first artist to perform on the Home Shopping Network's HSN Live Concert Series. Outrageous!
The highest debut this week is Monica's decent-ish New Life, which lands at No. 4 with 69,000. Bonnie Raitt is another new arrival in the top 10, coming in at No. 6 with 64,00o sold of the new Slipstream. This is Raitt's highest chart performance since 1994's Longing In Their Hearts.
The rest of the top 10 includes: Adele's 21 (No. 2, 92,000); Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (No. 3, 81,000); One Direction's Up All Night (No. 5, 66,000); Gotye's Making Mirrors (No. 7, 54,000); Alabama Shakes' Boys & Girls (No. 8, 43,000); Rascal Flatts' Changed (No. 9, 41,000); and Hoodie Allen's All American (No. 10 28,000). [via Billboard]