Yours Truly, the first album from 20-year-old Ariana Grande, debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 album chart this week with one of the best starts for a new female artist in years.
The album started off with 138,000 copies sold, surpassing expectations for a tight race on the charts this week, notes Billboard. It’s the first time a female solo artist’s first release has debuted at the top since Ke$ha’s Animal opened at No. 1 in January 2010. The group of other female artists to achieve this includes Britney Spears, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus and Beyonce.
Grande stars on Nickelodeon’s Victorious and earned notice from music insiders thanks to her covers of Justin Bieber’s “Die In Your Arms” and Mariah Carey’s “Emotions,” notes Rolling Stone.
Many compare her vocals to Carey, which she calls a compliment. “It's an incredible compliment but it doesn't worry me, because when you listen to my album as a whole, you get to know me,” she told Rolling Stone.
Back on the charts, Grande topped Tamar Braxton’s new release Love & War, which sold 114,000 copies. Nine Inch Nails returned with Hesitation Marks, which debuted with 107,000 copies sold. John Legend’s new release also came in the Top 5, scoring 68,000 copies sold.
Luke Bryan’s Crash My Party rounded out the Top 5 with 68,000 copies.
The rest of the Top 10 includes Jaheim’s Appreciation Day (58,000); Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines (57,000); Avenged Sevenfold’s Hail To The King (42,000); Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience (38,000); and Imagine Dragons’ Night Visions (35,000).
Katy Perry’s “Roar” notched another week at the top of the Digital songs Chart with 373,000 downloads.
image: NBC