The Black Keys’ eighth studio album Turn Blue and Michael Jackson’s posthumous album Xscape are battling it out for the No. 1 spot on this week’s Billboard 200 chart. Both albums were released on Tuesday, May 13, and were expected to rack up impressive first-week sales. Industry sources had suggested both albums could sell between 150,000 and 155,000 copies in the week ending Sunday, May 18. The chart’s results will be revealed on Wednesday, May 21.
While a victory here would earn Jackson his seventh No.1, following other chart-toppers like 1982’s Thriller, 1987’s Bad, 1991’s Dangerous, 1995’s History: Past, Present and Future Book 1, 2001’s Invincible and 2009’s Michael Jackson’s This Is It, if the Black Keys snag the No. 1 title, it will mark the rock duo’s first-ever chart-topper. The pair’s last studio release, 2011’s El Camino, debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the album chart, selling 206,000 copies to start. The record stands as their best seller to date, with 1.4 million copies sold. El Camino earned the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, and also grabbed a nomination for Album of the Year.
As of Wednesday, May 14, The Black Keys’ Turn Blue, had the edge over Jackson’s Xscape, but not by much. To provide numbers, industry forecasters had sales for Xscape projected to bow with about 140,000 copies sold, while Turn Blue was aiming slightly higher with 150,000 copies. Last night’s special Michael Jackson hologram performance at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards, however, could be enough to amplify sales and put the King of Pop in the winning position.
The new albums from the Black Keys and Michael Jackson are both available for download on iTunes now.
Update: The Black Keys has earned its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart with Turn Blue, debuting in the top spot ahead of Michael Jackson’s Xscape. The rock duo’s Turn Blue record sold 164,000 copies in the week ending May 18, slamming the King of Pop’s 157,000 copies sold for Xscape.
