Bryan is latest challenger to hold off Swift for No. 1

Luke Bryan hits No. 1 with What Makes You Country this week. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE- PRESSE

NEW YORK • Remember when Taylor Swift had the No. 1 album?

It seems so long ago. Last week, U2 bumped Swift's Reputation from the top spot after three weeks. And this week, Luke Bryan hits No. 1 with What Makes You Country (Capitol Nashville).

Back in 2014, when Swift released 1989, she held at No. 1 for three weeks before losing that spot to One Direction for a single week. She then returned to the peak for two more weeks, and eventually notched a total of 11 weeks at No. 1.

Next week's chart will likely be topped by Eminem's latest. Will Swift regain the top slot?

What Makes You Country, Bryan's new album, reached No. 1 with the equivalent of 108,000 sales, including 99,000 copies sold as a full album and a modest 7.8 million streams, according to Nielsen.

That was enough to hold off Reputation, which is No. 2 this week with the equivalent of just under 100,000 sales, including 68,000 copies sold as full albums and 39 million streams. Sales may have been helped by its release on vinyl, as a gatefold double picture disc (list price: US$40 or S$54).

Ed Sheeran's ÷ is No. 3 in its 41st week on the chart and Pentatonix's A Pentatonix Christmas is in fourth place.

Next on the chart are two new releases. Double Or Nothing, by rapper Big Sean and producer Metro Boomin, opened at No. 5. Quality Control Presents: Control The Streets, Volume 1, a compilation album from Atlanta rap label Quality Control, starts at No. 6.

U2's Songs Of Experience, last week's top album, fell to No. 13.

NYTIMES

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 20, 2017, with the headline Bryan is latest challenger to hold off Swift for No. 1. Subscribe