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Harry Styles’ Latest Album Dominates Charts, Fugazi Makes Surprise Return
This week, the music world is abuzz with Harry Styles’ latest triumph, as his new album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.,” has effortlessly claimed the top spot on the Billboard 200. While Styles’ solo career has consistently delivered No. 1 debuts, the sheer scale of this album’s initial success has exceeded even the loftiest expectations.
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Styles’ “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.” racked up an impressive 430,000 equivalent album units in its first week.
A significant driver of this success was its robust sales, with 291,000 copies sold, including a remarkable 186,000 on vinyl. This vinyl figure sets a new record for male artists since Luminate began tracking vinyl sales in 1991, demonstrating that the album’s No. 1 debut was secured even before factoring in its massive streaming numbers.
This latest achievement solidifies Styles’ position as a chart powerhouse, making him the first solo artist since Alicia Keys (2001-2007) to debut at No. 1 with his first four albums. This impressive streak mirrors the initial success of his former band, One Direction, whose first four studio albums also debuted at the top of the charts.
The album’s blockbuster performance naturally extends to the Billboard Hot 100. The track “American Girls” debuts at No. 4, while “Aperture,” which previously hit No. 1 six weeks ago, rebounds significantly from No. 29 to No.
- Every song from the new album has successfully landed in the top half of the Hot 100.
While the album is off to a stellar start, its long-term staying power remains to be seen. Its first-week numbers, though exceptional, are slightly lower than those of his 2022 album, “Harry’s House,” which earned 521,500 equivalent album units in its debut week.
“Harry’s House” went on to win a Grammy for Album of the Year and produced the decade-defining hit “As It Was.” “Kiss All the Time.
Disco, Occasionally.” takes a different musical direction, leaning into post-punk and dance influences reminiscent of bands like LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip, rather than the ’80s pop of its predecessor. Despite this stylistic shift, its initial success is undeniable.
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With Harry Styles dominating the Billboard 200, last week’s No. 1 album, Bruno Mars’ “The Romantic,” has moved to No. 2.
Other recent top 10 debuts from Gorillaz, BLACKPINK, and Mitski have experienced steeper declines, though Gorillaz’s “The Mountain” maintains a respectable position at No. 16.
The shifting landscape in the top 10 has allowed older chart-toppers by SZA and Morgan Wallen to move up, with nine of this week’s top 10 albums having previously hit No. 1. This current calm is expected to be short-lived, with highly anticipated releases from BTS, Luke Combs, RAYE, Kanye West, Robyn, and more slated for March.
Beyond the mainstream, a notable debut has emerged at the lower end of the Billboard 200. Legendary D.C. post-hardcore band Fugazi, inactive since 2003, released a digital-only album of sessions recorded with the late Steve Albini in 1992.
These recordings, which include early versions of songs later featured on 1993’s “In on the Kill Taker,” were previously only available as low-quality bootlegs. Now, “Albini Sessions (Benefit for Letters Charity)” debuts at No. 197 on the Billboard 200, marking Fugazi’s first chart appearance since their 2001 album, “The Argument.”
The album’s release serves as a benefit for Letters Charity, an organization founded by Albini to support families experiencing poverty, a cause the band members are undoubtedly pleased to support.
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On the Hot 100, last week’s Bruno Mars surge saw “The Romantic’s” lead single, “I Just Might,” briefly return to No. 1 before sliding to No. 3 this week. Unlike the albums chart, Harry Styles doesn’t claim the top spot on the Hot 100, though his tracks “American Girls” and “Aperture” secure spots within the top 10.
Instead, Ella Langley’s country sensation, “Choosin’ Texas,” reclaims the No. 1 position, marking its third non-consecutive week atop the chart. While “Choosin’ Texas” ranks No. 2 on streaming (behind Styles’ “American Girls”) and No. 9 on Radio Songs, its consistent dominance on the Digital Song Sales chart for five weeks has propelled it to the top.
Elsewhere in the top 10, PinkPantheress’ “Stateside (feat. Zara Larsson)” continues its ascent, reaching a new peak at No.
- This surge follows Alysa Liu’s viral performance at the Winter Olympics, which has given the track a life of its own.