[WEEKLY SALES] Ed Sheeran’s ‘÷’ Is 2017’s First Album to Spend Two Weeks at #1

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):

Ed Sheeran’s ÷ (Divide) is the first album of 2017 to spend its first two weeks at #1 on the Nielsen and BuzzAngle Music charts. It’s a feat last accomplished by the Suicide Squad soundtrack in August 2016 and Drake’s Views in May 2016. Speaking of soundtracks, Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast made its own magic at #3 on both charts, easily topping the #19 peak position of the 1991 animated version’s soundtrack. Meanwhile, Metallica’s concert ticket/album bundle continues to pay dividends for Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, which spends its second straight week at #2 as fans redeem the album. Next week, we’ll see whether Hip-Hop star Rick Ross can unseat Sheeran with Rather You Than Me.”