Notorious B.I.G. scores posthumous top slot on album chart
Slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. returns to the top of the latest Billboard Top 200 album chart with his "Greatest Hits," moving 99,000 copies last week to give the late performer his third No. 1 title.
B.I.G.--whose real name was Christopher Wallace--was murdered almost 10 years ago exactly, on March 9, 1997. His "Greatest Hits" appears to be getting a boost from the inclusion of two unreleased tracks: "Want That Old Thing Back" and "Running Your Mouth."
Montreal's Arcade Fire scored its best sales week ever, selling 92,000 copies of its new set, "Neon Bible," to push the indie band to the No. 2 position, according to Billboard, which bases its album chart on Nielsen SoundScan retail reports. The group's previous high-water mark on the album charts was at No. 131 for it's 2005 debut, "Funeral." The new effort also tops the Independent Albums and Rock Albums charts this week.
Slipping to No. 3 was last week's sales leader, Daughtry. The hard rock band, led by former "American Idol" contestant Chris Daughtry, saw its self-titled debut take a 9% dip in sales to 82,000 copies. Akon's "Convicted" saw a slight sales boost to 76,000 copies, but drops one position to No. 4, while country singer Gary Allan's "Greatest Hits" debuted in the No. 5 slot with 70,000 units moved.
Rounding out the Top 10 are Relient K's "Five Score and Seven Years Ago," Norah Jones' "Not Too Late," Fall Out Boy's "Infinity on High," Korn's "MTV Unplugged" and Robin Thicke's "The Evolution of Robin Thicke."
- Artist Links:
Briefly: Heaven and Hell, Notorious B.I.G., Shadows Fall, Yes [February 2007]
Notorious B.I.G. slaying gets fresh look [August 2006]
Briefly: The Who, Rolling Stones, Chris Martin, Notorious B.I.G. [April 2006]
Briefly: Notorious B.I.G., Kid's Choice Awards, Ryan Cabrera, Supernova [March 2006]
Briefly: Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Kevin Federline [January 2006]
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