Foo Fighters earn first No. 1 album on The Billboard 200

Debuts from Alison Krauss, Paul Simon and Mana also in top 10

By HitFix Staff Wednesday, Apr 20, 2011 12:28 PM

Foo Fighters

It’s kind of astounding to consider, but ever since Foo Fighters have been releasing albums sinc 1995, the rock group has never garnered a No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

That is, until now.

“Wasting Light” wasted no time making it to the top in its first week, with 235,000 copies. It’s the group’s second-biggest sales week, though, as 2005’s “in Your Honor” sold more, with 311,000.

Adele’s “21” drops, therefore, from No. 1 to No. 2, with a 5% sales increase to 93,000 units.

Alison Krauss and Union Station’s “Paper Airplane” flies in at No. 3 with 83,000. The singer achieved a higher peak with Robert Plant on “Raising Sand,” which made it to No. 2 and 112,000 in 2007. Solo, and with Union Station, though, “Airplane” is a Krauss personal best.

Paul Simon’s “So Beautiful or So What” arrives right behind at No. 4 with 68,000, making it the songwriter’s best sales week since SoundScan started tracking these numbers in 1991. His last “Beautiful,” from 2006, only made it to No. 14.

Latin group Mana’s “Drama y Luz” starts at NO. 5 with “Drama y Luz,” moving 47,000. Their 2006 album “Amar Es Combatir” fared better, debuting at No. 4 with 87,000.

Britney Spears’ “Femme Fatale” slips No. 2 to No. 6 (43,000, -43%), “Songs for Japan” stays at No. 7 (37,000, -28%), Wiz Khalifa’s “Rolling Papers” rolls No. 5 to No. 8 (37,00, -38%), Chris Brown’s “F.A.M.E.” descends No. 6 to No. 9 (35,000, -32%) and Mumford & Sons’ “Sigh No More” moves No. 8 to No. 10 (35,000, +1%).

Just outside of the top tier, Jessie J’s debut “Who You Are” debuts at No. 11 (34,000), TV On the Radio’s “Nine Types of Light” bows at No. 12 (32,000) and Atmosphere’s “Family Sign” begins at No. 13 (28,000).

Sales this week are up 8% over last week and up 16% compared to the same week last year. Sales for the year are down only 3%.