Fact: Weird Al Yankovic’s new album has (so far) sold more copies than Robin Thicke’s new album.
Mandatory Fun has landed on top of the Billboard 200 chart, earning Weird Al his first No. 1 album. Ever.
Weird Al’s 14th studio release sold some 104,000 copies in the week ending July 20 according to Nielsen SoundScan [via Billboard].
Bringing it back to Robin Thicke for a second, buddy’s Paula debuted at number nine during its first week with 24,000 copies.
Let that sink in . . .
On Wednesday morning, Weird Al took to Twitter to celebrate his No. 1 album:
It’s official. MANDATORY FUN enters the Billboard album chart this week at #1. Wow. WOW.
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) July 23, 2014
If you’d told me 30 years ago this would happen, I never would’ve believed it. If you’d told me 2 WEEKS ago, I never would’ve believed it.
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) July 23, 2014
I’m so pleased everybody is enjoying the album, and I’m enormously grateful for everyone’s support. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU.
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) July 23, 2014
Last week, Weird Al unleashed eight music videos over eight days in conjunction with the release of Mandatory Fun. Most were great. This one’s my favorite.
As Billboard notes, Mandatory Fun is the first comedy album to take the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart since 1963, when Allan Sherman’s My Son, the Nut sat on top for eight weeks, Billboard reports. Cheech & Chong didn’t even make it to the very top in their heyday (they came close in 1972 and 1973).
Jason Mraz, Rise Against and Kidz Bop Kids’ new albums enjoyed strong debuts, taking the second, third and fourth spot, respectively, on the Billboard 200 chart last week.
Way to go, Weird Al. Way to go.
[Lead photo courtesy of Weird Al Yankovic/RCA Records]
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