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On the Charts: Green Day Sprint to Number One With “Breakdown”

5/20/09, 11:43 am EST

Photo: Bedder/Getty

The Big News: Despite an unorthodox release date that saw 21st Century Breakdown hit stores on Friday instead of the conventional Tuesday, Rolling Stone cover stars Green Day’s newest rock opera cruised to the top of the charts. The album sold more than 214,000 copies in its short week, giving the band their second consecutive Number One debut after 2004’s American Idiot. Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack stuck around at Two yet again with 68,000 sales, Cam’Ron’s Crime Pays, the only other Top 10 debut, entered at Three and Lady Gaga’s The Fame and Rascal Flatts’ Unstoppable claimed Four and Five respectively.

Debuts: With record labels likely reluctant to face off against Green Day, only Paul Wall’s Fast Life and Steve Earle’s Townes managed to crack the Top 20, landing at 15 and 19. Further down, Crystal Method’s Divided By Night came in at 50, ’90s alt-rockers Better Than Ezra’s Paper Empire made us nostalgic at 62 and Phoenix’s awesome new Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix rose again at 76.

Last Week’s Heroes: After setting the record last week for the Lowest Selling Number One Debut in Soundscan history, the charts were in desperate need of a Green Day. The aforementioned record holder, Chrisette Michele’s Epiphany, fell from Number One to Eight after seven days, while Ciara took a Fantasy Ride downward as her new album sank from Three to 10. All in all, total sales were up this week compared to the abysmal last week, and things are only going to get better from here: Eminem’s Relapse is expected to sell more than 500,000 copies in its first week, making it the biggest debut of 2009.


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Comments

Kevin the Robot | 5/20/2009, 12:42 pm EST

I wish Green Day would have gone head to head with Eminem. I think Em would have won, but Green Day would give him a run for his money.

TheCoz | 5/20/2009, 1:36 pm EST

I’m glad Green Day decided to not go head-to-head with Eminem. These guys deserve the number one spot due to the hard work put into the album.

Even if it’s not Shakespeare, it takes a lot more dedication to craft an album like “21st Century Breakdown” than an album that makes fun of Sarah Palin and sensantionalizes serial killers.

J-man | 5/20/2009, 3:03 pm EST

in my opinion, 21st Century Breakdown, is just as good as American Idiot, but hey thats just me

Anonymous | 5/20/2009, 3:24 pm EST

I agree, J-Man, their music has gotten so great over the past five years.

Jack | 5/20/2009, 3:24 pm EST

I agree, J-Man, their music has gotten so great over the past five years.

Anonymous | 5/20/2009, 3:58 pm EST

I think I still prefer American Idiot. There’s nothing on 21st Century Breakdown that can rival the brilliant Jesus Of Suburbia. But its still a great album, nonetheless. Gets better with each listen.

DrZ | 5/20/2009, 11:00 pm EST

Man, it’s a laff riot how often the word “great” gets thrown around.

Tom | 5/21/2009, 4:45 am EST

I don’t know, I just can’t really appreciate this album… I honestly think it is just another sell-out album like American Idiot was. Sure, a couple songs on AI were good, like Holiday and American Idiot, but most of them were either filler or songs the general public would think are “catchy”. But nothing on 21st CB appeals to me, whatsoever.
Post Dookie, GD just isn’t the same in my opinion.

Anonymous | 5/21/2009, 7:25 am EST

I love the new Green Day albums, 21st Century Breakdown, an idea of that nature takes hard work to write and more talent to perform and make it sound good! GD managed to write it and make it sound incredible! A job well done!

Jenny | 5/21/2009, 8:42 pm EST

American idiot was ok, but 21 CB sounds just slightly similar. Nothing really new, but GD is still my favorite band. Rock On.

Imp | 5/21/2009, 10:37 pm EST

Which cd has the song Mmmmm Bop?

Jay | 5/22/2009, 10:39 am EST

I THINK GREEN DAY HAS DONE VERY HARD WORK FOR THE RECORD…AND IT SHOWS ON THE ALBUM…….IT WILL DEFINITELY BE A GRAMMY WINNER

Pumbgalp | 7/14/2009, 1:02 am EST

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