Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar take Nos. 1 and 2 on Billboard 200

Tony Bennett, Gary Clark, Jr., Stone Sour, Lady Antebellum also debut

By Katie Hasty Wednesday, Oct 31, 2012 4:55 PM

Taylor Swift

Credit: AP Photo

On the heels of last night’s announcement that Taylor Swift’s new album “Red” sold like crazy last week, we bring you the top 10 of the Billboard 200, with the country crossover singer at the top.

“Red” moved 1.208 million copies, with is the biggest sales frame for any album since 2002 (Eminem’s “The Eminem Show” moved 1.322 million then). Fun fact from the Billboard folks: that means two copies of “Red” sold every second last week, Monday morning to Sunday night.

Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City” debuts at No. 2 with 241,000 behind Swift. It’s the rapper’s first major label album, for Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope.

Jason Aldean’s “Night Train” falls No. 1 to No. 3 with 116,000 copies, which is a 72% sales dip. Mumford & Sons’ “Babel” descends No. 2 to No. 4 with 53,000 (-27%).

Tony Bennett’s Latin duets album “Viva Duets” starts at No. 5 with 36,000. His successful “Duets II” album last year made it to No. 1.

Gary Clark Jr. makes his bow at No. 6 with “Blak & Blu,” selling 35,000. He only previously released an EP, “The Bright Lights,” via Warner Bros., making it to No. 91.

Stone Sour’s “House of Gold & Bones – Part 1” begins with 31,000 at No. 7. Their previous “Audio Secrecy” topped out at No. 6 with 46,000 in 2010.

Pink’s “The Truth About Love” slips No. 6 to No. 8 (25,000, -19%).

Lady Antebellum’s Christmas set “On This Winter’s Night” debuts at No. 9 with 25,000. Part of the album contains the six songs the country crew previously released on a Target-only exclusive EP in 2010.

Brandy’s “Two Eleven” moves No. 3 to No. 10 (22,000, -65%).

Album sales are up 19% this week over last, and up 12% compared to the same week last year. Sales for the year are down 4% 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.