For the fifth consecutive week, disgraced country singer Morgan Wallen has the No. 1 album in America.
Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album had already ascended to top of the Billboard 200 prior to TMZ posting video of him using a racial slur. However, in the aftermath of the video, Wallen saw his album and song sales surge — even as his radio play and playlist inclusions diminished. He remained at No. 1 at the close of last week, and he’s still sitting there as of this week.
There had been some thought that because the Billboard charts are traditionally one week behind, Wallen wouldn’t see the impact of his media blackout until this week. Well, the data is in, and that theory is not playing out.
In fact, sales of Dangerous are continuing to *increase* week over week. Physical sales of the album were up 49% (!) with a total of 37,000 units. All told, 150,000 equivalent album units were moved — a 1% increase from the week prior.
In claiming the No. 1 spot, Wallen beat The Weeknd, whose new greatest hits collection The Highlights debuted at No. 2 following his Super Bowl Halftime performance. At No. 3 was Foo Fighters’ Medicine at Midnight.
Last week, Wallen uploaded a five-minute apology video to his social media channels. He attributed his use of the n-word to being at the end of a 72-hour bender.
