Madonna’s new album, ‘Madame X,’ marks the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 with sales tied to concert tickets
It seems like it’s the ’80s all over again what with Madonna sitting pretty atop the “Billboard” album chart with her ninth No. 1 album, “Madame X.” The Material Girl earned enough sales to keep a ’70s chart-topper from claiming the peak position — the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, whose new release “Western Stars” is his 20th top 10 album after landing at No. 2.
The last and only time this superstar pair topped the album charts together was in 1985, when Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” and “Like a Virgin” held the No. 1 and 2 spots, respectively, before they flipped positions later on.
Madonna’s June 14 release has collected the equal of 95,00 album units in the U.S. About 90,000 came from album sales, most of which went to those who bought tickets for her upcoming fall tour. Springsteen’s LP gathered 66,000 equivalent album units, with 62,000 being album sales.
The 60-year-old Queen of Pop’s No. 1 perch comes 35 years after her first for her second LP, 1984’s “Like a Virgin.” Her other albums that reached the top spot: “True Blue” (1986), “Like a Prayer” (1989), “Music” (2000), “American Life” (2003),”Confessions on the Dance Floor “(2005), “Hard Candy” (2008) and “MDNA “(2012).
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Her 14th studio extends her position as the women with the second-most No. 1 albums sold in the U.S., with only Barbra Streisand in her way with 11 No. 1’s. As for all performers, the Beatles are the champs with 19 chart-toppers followed Jay-Z (14), Springsteen tying Streisand (11), Elvis Presley (10) and Madonna joining Eminem, Garth Brooks and the Rolling Stones with nine.
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Madonna’s tour is featuring more intimate venues, including 17 shows at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, 11 at the Wiltern in Los Angeles and six at the Chicago Theatre. As she told “Variety,” “I want to look into people’s eyes. I want to feel that energy. … Every time I did a small theater after playing huge places like stadiums and sports arenas I was like ‘Oh my God, so great.’ I can see people and I can talk to people.”
The music on “Madame X” — a moniker given to her by her dance teacher, Martha Graham — was influenced both by current politics as well as from her time living in Lisbon, Portugal, for the past two years. Check out the video below as she collaborates with Colombian artist Maluma on her single “Medallin” and join the discussion on this and more with your fellow music fans here in our forums.
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