Nothing Can Stop Eminem's Relapse

Rapper scores fifth straight No. 1 with his first studio album in nearly five years

By David Jenison May 27, 2009 6:00 PMTags
Eminem, Relapse AlbumAmazon.com

Eminem just discovered a 13th step to recovery.

Nearly five years since his last studio album, the rehabbed rapper has returned to No. 1 as Relapse sold 608,000 copies, per Nielsen SoundScan, for his fifth straight chart-topper.

The Motown MC last crowned the charts with 2004's Encore and his retrospective Curtain Call: The Hits in 2005.

Eminem also lowered the boom on a pair of rock superstars. Relapse dropped Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown to No. 2 (with 166,000) and bested U2's No Line on the Horizon (484,000 back in March) as the year's biggest bow.

Six other newcomers hit the Top 10.

Roping in the No. 3 spot, Kenny Chesney sold 89,000 copies of Greatest Hits II, a CD-only release. Method Man & Redman followed at No. 4, selling 63,000 copies of Blackout! 2. Dane Cook laughed it up at No. 5, selling 61,000 copies of ISolated INcident, while Busta Rhymes sold 59,000 copies of Back on My B.S. at No. 6.

Tori Amos and Kate Voegele wrapped up the Top 10, with Amos' Abnormally Attracted to Sin selling 41,000 at No. 9 and Voegele's A Fine Mess taking the 10 spot on 37,000.

Other notable debuts included Mat Kearney's City of Black & White at No. 13, Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood's Live from Madison Square Garden at No. 14 and former American Idol champ Ruben Studdard at No. 36 with Love IS.

The slew of new discs drove sales up 13 percent compared to last week, but the tally was still down 9 percent compared to the same sales week in '08.

Here's a Top 10 recap:

  1. Relapse, Eminem
  2. 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day
  3. Greatest Hits II, Kenny Chesney
  4. Blackout! 2, Method Man & Redman
  5. ISolated INcident, Dane Cook
  6. Back on My B.S., Busta Rhymes
  7. Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack, various
  8. The Fame, Lady Gaga
  9. Abnormally Attracted to Sin, Tori Amos
  10. A Fine Mess, Kate Voegele