Game tops The Billboard 200 with 'RED' album, prepares the way for Lil Wayne

Barbra Streisand, Miranda Lambert's Pistol Annies

By Katie Hasty Wednesday, Aug 31, 2011 2:35 PM

Game tops The Billboard 200 with 'RED' album, prepares the way for Lil Wayne

After months and months of delays, rapper Game’s “R.E.D.” album has dropped, and it dropped big enough for a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200. The album move 98,000 copies and becomes his third No. 1 album, behind 2007’s “Doctor’s Advocate” and 2005’s “The Documentary.” His last set, 2008’s “LAX,” bowed at No. 2, but it sold 239,000 in its first week.

That pushes last week’s No. 1 to No. 2: Jay-Z and kanye-west" class="autolink">Kanye West’s “Watch the Throne” moves 94,000, a 47% sales decrease.

Adele’s “21” falls No. 2 to No. 3 (82,000, +3%), with a little gain due to her performance on MTV’s VMAs on Sunday.

Barbra Streisand’s “What Matters Most” enters at No. 4 with 66,000, logging the singer’s 31^st top 10 album. Only the Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra have had more top 10s.

“Now 39” dips No. 3 to No. 5 (44,000, -31%).

Miranda Lambert’s side project Pistol Annies’ “Hell on Heels” bows at No. 6 with 42,000. The trio also boasts singers Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley.

Luke Bryan’s “Tailgates & Tanlines” falls No. 4 to No. 7 (35,000, -34%).

The “Muppets: The Green Album” – a compilation of rock covers of songs from the famous puppets – debuts at No. 8 with 30,000. It was led by OK Go’s take on the show’s theme song.

Jason Aldean’s “My Kinda Party” descends No. 5 to No. 9 (29,000, -22%) and Eric Church’s “Chief” is down No. 7 to No. 10 (24,000, -23%).

Album sales this week are down 4% compared to last week and up less than 1% compared to the same week last year. Sales for the year are up 2% so far.

Katie Hasty
Managing Editor

After five years as a columnist and editor at Billboard, Katie Hasty joined HitFix in 2009 for music and film reporting out of New York. The Midwest native has worked as a writer, music promoter and in A&R since 1999 and performs with her band Numbers And Letters.