'The Hunger Games' soundtrack takes No. 1 on the Billboard 200

Where did Odd Future, the Shins, Melanie Fiona and Esperanza Spalding land?

By Katie Hasty Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012 2:46 PM

From "The Hunger Games"

From the Box Office to Billboard: “The Hunger Games” not only took home big enough gains to dominate movie ticket sales this past weekend, its soundtrack moved enough copies to take the top of the album sales chart. The collection moved 175,000 units, and becomes the 16^th soundtrack in Billboard 200 chart history to bow at No. 1.

Taylor Swift, the Civil Wars, Arcade Fire, Maroon 5 and Miranda Lambert all contributed new songs to “The Hunger Games.”

Adele’s “21” stays at No. 2, declining 12% in sales with 130,000 copies total.

The Shins’ “Port of Morrow” bows at No. 3 with 75,000, trailing the band’s charting best: their last “Wincing the Night Away” (2007) started at No. 2 with 118,000.

One Directions’ “Up All Night” slides No. 1 to No. 4 (55,000, -69%).

Odd Future members have already released solo albums, but the hip-hop group’s debut “The OF Tape Vol. 2” finally makes a start, at No. 5 with 40,000.

Bruce Springsteen’s “Wrecking Ball” drops No. 4 to No. 6 (37,000, -35%).

Recent Grammy Award winner Melanie Fiona’s “The MF Life” debuts at No. 7 with 34,000. That’s an easy new high-water mark for the R&B singer, whose first album “The Bridge” (2009) peaked at No. 27 (in 2010).

Hits compilation “Now 41” sits tight at No. 8 (31,000, +7%) and Whitney Houston’s own “Greatest Hits” slips No. 6 to No. 9 (28,000, -37%).

Former Best New Artist Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding’s “Radio Music Society” enters the chart at No. 10 with 25,000. Her last “Chamber Music Society” made it up to No. 34.

Sales are down 3% compared to last week and down 16% compared to the same sales week last year. Sales are up 1% for the year so far.

Want More...

Hunger Games?

Check out everything there is including photos, reviews, videos.

Go There ►

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.

Next Article - Listen: Nicki Minaj heads an all star cast on new song 'Champion'
Previous Article - N.J. Gov. Chris Christie pleads with Springsteen to perform in Atlantic City

Monty Jack

So aggrivating to see a "soundtrack" consisting of 90% music that's NOT IN THE FRIGGING MOVIE sell like this.
March 28, 2012 at 4:49PM EST Reply to Comment
- Jessica Why? The songs (minus a few duds) are pretty good in my opinion, and it's a companion soundtrack. I think three of them are in the end credits of the film. There's a separate score soundtrack, but generally those don't sell particularly well. If the songs are good and the soundtrack selling well gets people interested in the film/books, what's so bad about that?
  March 28, 2012 at 6:24PM EST
Jonnybon

It's a great soundtrack. I'm guessing some of the songs will be included in an extended version of the film.
March 28, 2012 at 6:36PM EST Reply to Comment