Music

'Thank Me Later' secures the first position on the U.S. albums chart with a strong number, becoming this year's best chart debut by a solo act so far.

• Jun 24, 2010

AceShowbiz - Drake is this week's Billboard Hot 200 champion with "Thank Me Later". His first album bowed around 447,000 copies, becoming the third-best chart debut of the year so far behind Sade's "Soldier of Love" which arrived with 502,000 in February and Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" which debuted 481,000 in January.

And since both Sade and Lady Antebellum are music groups, "Thank Me Later" so far is also considered as the best chart debut of 2010 by a solo act. Last year's best chart debut record was held by Susan Boyle's "I Dreamed a Dream" which entered at No. 1 with 701,000 in November.

As if debuting high on the U.S. album chart is not enough, the Canadian rapper also scores the highest new entry of this week on U.S. Digital Songs chart. His Nicki Minaj-assisted single "Up All Night" debuts at No. 22 on the list with 57,000 downloads.

Back on Hot 200, Drake's victory has blocked other new releases such as Tom Petty and Sarah McLachlan to rule the chart. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers arrive as the runner-up with "Mojo" which scans 125,000 units, and Sarah follows at the third place with "Laws of Illusion" which sells 94,000. additionally, a hit singles compilation "Now 34: That's What I Call Music" garners 88,000 and the number is enough to place it at the fourth spot.

Other than Drake, Tom, Sarah and the latest edition of "Now" compilation, there is no other new entry on the list. Jack Johnson's "To the Sea" slips one slot to No. 5 with 68,000, "The Twilight Saga's Eclipse" soundtrack drops from No. 2 to No. 6 with 55,000, and Justin Bieber's "My World 2.0" falls to No. 7 with 47,000. Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now", meanwhile, holds its last week's position at No. 8 with 40,000, but Christina Aguilera's "Bionic" is forced to fall from No. 3 to No. 9 with 40,000. Rounding up the Top 10 is last week's champ "Glee: The Music - Journey to Regionals" with 39,000 (down 64|percent|).

Next week, Eminem's "Recovery" is to snatch the No. 1 position from Drake's, according to the projection from Nielsen SoundScan. The June 21 release is estimated to be able to exceed 600,000 copies by week's end on Sunday, June 27 and there is even a chance that it could surpass the opening number of "Relapse" which started 608,000 last year.

Also competing for a notable debut on the chart are Ozzy Osbourne's "Scream", Miley Cyrus' "Can't Be Tamed", The Roots' "How I Got Over", Cyndi Lauper's "Memphis Blues" and Macy Gray's "The Sellout" among others.

Top 10 of Billboard Hot 200:

1. "Thank Me Later" - Drake
2. "Mojo" - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
3. "Laws of Illusion" - Sarah McLachlan
4. "Now 34: That's What I Call Music" - various artists
5. "To the Sea" - Jack Johnson
6. "The Twilight Saga's Eclipse" - various artists
7. "My World 2.0" - Justin Bieber
8. "Need You Now" - Lady Antebellum
9. "Bionic" - Christina Aguilera
10. "Glee: The Music - Journey to Regionals" - various artists