Lorde's newest album, titled "Virgin," has entered the Billboard chart at the second position.
In the latest edition of the Billboard 200 album chart, Lorde's fourth studio album, "Virgin," made a notable debut at No. 2, selling 71,000 album-equivalent units. This performance marks a significant uptick from the first-week performance of her previous album, "Solar Power," which debuted with 56,000 units in 2021.
One of the key factors contributing to "Virgin's" success is its impressive vinyl sales. The album sold 31,000 copies on vinyl during its first week, a personal best for Lorde in the LP format. This strong vinyl performance is part of a broader resurgence of the format, reflecting a cultural shift towards valuing physical music and its unique aesthetic and auditory qualities.
Historically, "Virgin" achieved a remarkable success in vinyl sales, with 31,000 copies sold in its first week, marking Lorde's best-ever weekly vinyl tally. However, it's important to note that while vinyl sales are crucial, they are part of a broader mix of formats (including digital and streaming) that influence an album's chart position. Despite the strong vinyl sales, "Virgin" debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart.
Other notable performances on the Billboard 200 include Russ' album "Wild," which debuted at No. 10 with 32,000 units, and Karol G's album "Tropicoqueta," which dropped two spots to No. 5 in week 2. Playboi Carti's album "Music" made a big jump from No. 28 to No. 8 due to a vinyl edition being released.
Meanwhile, the "KPop Demon Hunters" soundtrack moved up from No. 8 to No. 3 in its second week on the chart, with 62,000 units. Its strength was heavily weighted toward streaming, a common trend for K-pop releases.
SZA's album "SOS" dropped three spots to No. 7, while Katseye's album "Beautiful Chaos" debuted at No. 4 with 44,000 equivalent album units. Sabrina Carpenter's album "Short 'n Sweet" dropped three spots at No. 9, with a followup album scheduled to come out in less than two months.
The release of "Virgin" also saw the availability of eight different vinyl variants, further catering to fans who appreciate the tactile experience of vinyl. The album's success underscores the growing interest in physical music and the role it plays in connecting artists with their fans.
[1] https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lorde-vinyl-sales-record-1311927/ [2] https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200 [3] https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/9738187/lorde-vinyl-sales-record-debut-virgin [4] https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/9738187/lorde-vinyl-sales-record-debut-virgin [5] https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/9738187/lorde-vinyl-sales-record-debut-virgin
The strong vinyl sales of Lorde's latest album, "Virgin," demonstrated the growing interest in physical music, as shown by the sale of 31,000 copies in its first week. This album's success, along with the popularity of music vinyl format in general, highlights the value placed on the unique aesthetic and auditory qualities that come with owning a physical copy of an album.
