[WEEKLY SALES] Brand New Becomes First Independently Distributed Artist To Hit #1 in 2017

James Donio, President of the Music Business Association (Music Biz), commented on this week’s sales numbers issued by Nielsen (published in Billboard) and BuzzAngle Music (published in HITS Daily Double):

“Rock band Brand New became the third Rock act and first independently distributed artist to reach #1 in 2017 on the Nielsen and BuzzAngle Music charts with their first album in eight years, Science Fiction. The record, which is currently available only via streaming and digital download with physical copies expected in October, moved over 58,000 album equivalent units to become Brand New’s first chart-topper more than 14 years after they debuted on the charts back in 2003 with Deja Entendu. Elsewhere, Kodak Black debuted at #2 on both charts with his new mixtape Project Baby Two while Welsh Rock act Neck Deep took #4 on the Billboard 200 and #7 on the BuzzAngle Music chart with The Peace and the Panic and Rapper Dave East reached #9 on the Billboard 200 with Paranoia: A True Story. Next week, we’ll be watching to see whether Queens of the Stone Age can keep Rock’s momentum going with their new album Villains or whether they’ll be overtaken by the Country of Old Dominion’s Happy Endings, the Hip-Hop of Lil Uzi Vert’s Luv Is Rage 2, or the Pop of Fifth Harmony’s new self-titled album.”