The 2013 VMAs were very, very good to the ladies. In the first full week of sales reporting since the August 25 blowout, hitmaking headline-grabbers Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus all had great weeks on the Billboard Digital Songs chart.
The VMA Bump
In addition to closing out the show with a knockout performance, Perry locked down the #1 spot on the Digital chart with “Roar,” which sold 448,000 copies as sales went up by 14 percent.
Though he was part of the tongue-wagging, history-making moment that was Cyrus’ VMA takeover, Robin Thicke’s summer smash “Blurred Lines” is finally starting to lose steam, dropping a spot to #3 as sales were down 3 percent to 244,000. Just behind was Gaga’s “Applause,” which rose 31 percent and one spot to #4 (213,000).
Cyrus’ new ballad, “Wrecking Ball,” rose eight to #5 (up 124 percent, 201,000) and “We Can’t Stop” fell two to #9 as sales climbed 10 percent to 157,000. Rounding out the top 10 was another VMA performer, Drake, whose “Hold On, We’re Going Home” moved back in at #10 as sales spiked by 57 percent to 141,000.
Eminem goes “Bezerk”
Slim Shady made a healthy return to the songs chart with the old-school jam “Bezerk.” The Beastie Boys-sampling tune from Eminem’s upcoming The Marshall Mathers LP 2 rushed into the #2 slot on sales of 362,000. Those numbers were around 17,000 units below the first single from Recovery, “Not Afraid,” which debuted at #1 in 2010.
All Hail A7X
It was another trip to the top for SoCal metal band Avenged Sevenfold, whose Hail to the King, took the top spot with sales of 159,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. The #1 debut is the second in a row for A7X, whose 2010 release, Nightmare, knocked Eminem from his perch by moving 163,000 in its first week on the charts.
Big Sean and Juicy J
The other two big debuts in the top 10 were from a pair of rappers, Big Sean and Juicy J. Sean’s Hall of Fame came in at #3 (71,000), while J’s Stay Trippy was just behind at #4 (64,000).
The news wasn’t as good for Cee Lo Green and his reunite Goodie Mob, whose first new album in nine years, Age Against the Machine, had a soft landing at #30 (12,000).
The VMA bump, part two
Thanks to wins and performances at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, a number of acts saw some serious bumps, including Thicke, whose Blurred Lines was up 20 percent to 55,000 (#5). The biggest gainer, though, was also the night’s biggest winner, Justin Timberlake, whose The 20/20 Experience zoomed up 16 spots to #6 as sales ballooned by 148 percent to 37,000.
Also up was Bruno Mars’ Unorthodox Jukebox (#9, 29 percent), which moved 27,000 units, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ The Heist (#13, 25,000), whose sales climbed by 34 percent and Selena Gomez’s Stars Dance (#20, 19,000), which was up 39 percent. Further down the list, Kanye West’s Yeezus moved up 11 spots to #38 as sales rose by 45 percent to 10,000.
Next week’s charts will bring debuts from Ariana Grande, Nine Inch Nails and Jaheim.
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