Rush's Clockwork Angels Debuts at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart

Update: (06/21/2012 9:00am EST): The official Billboard Top 200 Chart has now been updated. In addition to taking the #2 spot in the Top 200 Albums Chart, Clockwork Angels also ranked extremely well in other various categories:

Digital Albums Rank: #3

Rock Albums Rank: #1

Hard Rock Albums Rank: #1

Taste Maker Albums Rank: #1

Canadian Albums Rank: #1
Not a bad showing at all...
Update: (06/20/2012 10:00pm EST):More charting statistics were made available via this MarketWatch story which shows Clockwork Angels at #2 in Japan, #10 in Norway, #11 in Germany and Holland, and #21 in Switzerland.
Update: (06/20/2012 2:00pm EST)According to this article from the Toronto Sun, Clockwork Angels has also debuted in the #1 spot in Canada!
Billboard has just announced that Rush's Clockwork Angels has debuted in the #2 position on their Top 200 Album Charts. This equals the best debut Rush has ever had which last occurred back in 1993 with the release of Counterparts. Unfortunately, Rush has never achieved the #1 spot from either a debut week or subsequent week of sales.

Clockwork Angels had estimated first week sales in the U.S. of approximately 103,000 units which makes it one of the fastest-selling Rush albums in recent history. By comparison, 2007's Snakes & Arrows, which debuted at the #3 spot, had first week sales of approximately 93,000 in the U.S.

According to figures just released by SoundScan (Thanks Eric from Power Windows), here is the breakdown of the first-week sales of Clockwork Angels:

Total Sales: 104,707

LP (Vinyl): 2,361

CD: 72,007

Digital: 30,339
From the Billboard announcement:
At No. 2 on the Billboard 200, rock band Rush clocks its best sales week in 10 years as "Clockwork Angels" debuts with 103,000. The group last sold more when 2002's "Vapor Trails" bowed at No. 6 with 110,000. "Clockwork Angels" is Rush's second album to hit No. 2 following 1993's "Counterparts." A No. 1 album continues to elude the act.
An interesting fact to consider regarding the #2 spot of Clockwork Angels is the impact the sale of the Classic Rock Fan Pack edition of the album had on the Billboard ranking. Fan Pack sales were registered as United Kingdom sales (despite where they were shipped to) and, thus, would not have counted towards the Billboard rankings. However with Usher's Looking 4 Myself taking the #1 spot this week with estimated sales in the 128,000 range, it's not likely that the Fan Pack sales would have made that much of a difference in Clockwork Angels ranking.

Congratulations to the band!

Comments

AnonymousJune 20, 2012 at 5:58 PM
100,000 albums in a week. Not bad for a band who's been around for almost 40 years. It feels good to see this. Persistence, longevity.... The song "Marathon" comes to mind... Still cranking out great, appreciated, music and still relevant. I'm going out tonight to have a beer at my local watering hole, and I'm going to play a Rush song on the "digital" jukebox, just to celebrate the fact that we are all still here and are still having this wonderful conversation, 32 years after "Tom Sawyer".... Anybody up for a cold one?
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AnonymousJune 21, 2012 at 2:28 AM
I specifically wanted to check this news today and came here first. A number two spot and over 100,000 in sales in one week sounds pretty darn good. I think the album is fabulous and I have been listening to it on my way to work everyday since I got it (and older Rush songs on my way home). So many "old" bands are still able to produce good albums, but Rush has made yet another great album. Three cheers for the three amigos of Willowdale!
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AnonymousJune 21, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Congratulations! To rock's reigning "Trifeca'! (Anyone notice today is 21/12?)
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AnonymousJune 21, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Congratulations to the reigning "Trifecta" of rock! (Anyone noticed today is..21/12?)
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MrSatyreJune 21, 2012 at 1:03 PM
I wonder if the digital downloads tally includes the lossless FLAC files from HDTracks? It would be interesting to learn how many Rush fans are FLAC users.
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AnonymousJune 21, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Absouletly no surprise! The album is amazing and I cannot wait for the tour
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AnonymousJune 21, 2012 at 5:03 PM
At least the "Canadians" got it right! #1! "Beauty, eh? (They still say that?)
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AnonymousJune 23, 2012 at 10:57 PM
Well, considering Usher is a solo-vocalist who's album (mostly written by people who are NOT him) entered the Billboard charts at #1, then RUSh (as a Band who write & co-produce all their own material) w/ a #2 debut, it basically means it's a #1 Billboard Chart Debut for a Band (in the world of "real music") as well as #1 for artists who create their own music. Well done Geddy, Alex & Neil... Now if only the RNR HoF would wake up... Whatever, you guys still sell out big halls, sell tons of albums and I can't wait to see you guys (again) in BOSTON!!! (Funny, however, that Rush & Usher each have the 'ush' in their names: "Rusher... eh?"). ~jon Lyndon
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AnonymousJune 26, 2012 at 2:14 PM
AMEN Jon! But, forget R&R hall of "lame!" If they do call (& NOW they might!) The boys should keep their 'dignity'...& stay home!! They said they don't care anyway! It's a joke!
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Rush's Clockwork Angels Debuts at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart

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