Tweet
E! Online
May 25 2005
System "Mesmerizes" Charts
by David Jenison
May 25, 2005, 4:35 PM PT
The angry American couldn't compete with the angry Armenians.
In the record store showdown between flag-waving country star Toby
Keith and power rockers System of a Down, the Billboard 200 album
chart was a little bit country and a lot more rock 'n' roll. System
of a Down's Mezmerize debuted at number one, moving 453,000 copies,
according to Nielsen SoundScan.
System's new CD also opened at number one in 11 other countries,
including Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Austria and Greece, with
sales topping 800,000 worldwide. Mezmerize, the band's second
straight chart topper, is the first of a two-part concept album.
Hypnotize, the second in the series, will be released in late fall.
The band, all of whose members are of Armenian heritage, is riding
the smash single "B.Y.O.B.," an anti-war song that stands for "Bring
Your Own Bombs." Coincidentally, the group earned headlines earlier
this month by dropping the F-bomb during a Saturday Night Live
performance.
This marks the fifth consecutive week a rock act has debuted at
number one--following Dave Matthews Band's Stand Up, Nine Inch Nails'
With Teeth, Bruce Springsteen's Devils & Dust and Rob Thomas'
Something To Be. Rock, consigned to dinosaur status in recent years
due to the dominance of pop, country, rap and R&B, has experienced a
renaissance this year, with Green Day's American Idiot and U2's How
To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb also topping the charts and albums by
alt-rock stars Weezer and Beck performing strongly.
Meanwhile, Toby Keith, whose pro-war sentiments were vocalized in his
mega-hit "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American),"
checked in at number two with 283,000 copies of Honkytonk University.
His previous album, 2003's Shock'n Y'all, rode that hit single to
number one with career-best first-week sales of 585,000; the older CD
returned to the chart this week at 174.
Soulful R&B singer Kem sold 140,000 copies of Album II to open at
number five. The former homeless drug addict made his major label
debut in 2003 with Kemistry.
As Idol-mania hits a fever pitch with the season finale Wednesday,
the 13-track American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers opened at six
with 83,000 copies. The disc features songs from the top 10
finalists, including Bo Bice, Carrie Underwood and Constantine
Maroulis.
The fifth and final Top 10 bow belonged to veterans rockers Def
Leppard, whose double-disc best-of set Rock of Ages: The Definitive
Collection sold more than 65,000 copies to open in the 10 spot.
The rest of the Top 10 were leftovers: Mariah Carey's The
Emancipation of Mimi at three, Dave Matthews Band's Stand Up at four,
50 Cent's The Massacre at seven, Gwen Stefani's Love, Angel, Music,
Baby at eight and Weezer's Make Believe at nine.
Rapper Memphis Bleek just missed the Top 10, selling 60,000 copies of
534 to open at 11. The disc benefited from a guest appearance by
"retired" rapper Jay-Z on "Dear Summer."
Other high-charting newbies included Cowboy Troy's Loco Motive at 15,
Natalie's self-titled at 16, Totally Hits 2005 at 20 and Van
Morrison's Magic Time at 25. Bozo rap-rockers the Insane Clown Posse
followed at 32 with Calm.
Finally, the Black Eyed Peas, whose Monkey Business hits retail next
month, celebrated their 100th week on the charts with Elephunk. The
rap group joins Switchfoot, Beyoncé, Maroon 5 and the Beach Boys as
the only artists currently claming triple-digit stints on the album
chart.
Here's a recap of the Top 10 albums for the week ended Sunday:
1. Mezmerize, System of a Down
2. Honkytonk University, Toby Keith
3. The Emancipation of Mimi, Mariah Carey
4. Stand Up, Dave Matthews Band
5. Album II, Kem
6. American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers, various
7. The Massacre, 50 Cent
8. Love, Angel, Music, Baby, Gwen Stefani
9. Make Believe, Weezer
10. Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection, Def Leppard
May 25 2005
System "Mesmerizes" Charts
by David Jenison
May 25, 2005, 4:35 PM PT
The angry American couldn't compete with the angry Armenians.
In the record store showdown between flag-waving country star Toby
Keith and power rockers System of a Down, the Billboard 200 album
chart was a little bit country and a lot more rock 'n' roll. System
of a Down's Mezmerize debuted at number one, moving 453,000 copies,
according to Nielsen SoundScan.
System's new CD also opened at number one in 11 other countries,
including Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Austria and Greece, with
sales topping 800,000 worldwide. Mezmerize, the band's second
straight chart topper, is the first of a two-part concept album.
Hypnotize, the second in the series, will be released in late fall.
The band, all of whose members are of Armenian heritage, is riding
the smash single "B.Y.O.B.," an anti-war song that stands for "Bring
Your Own Bombs." Coincidentally, the group earned headlines earlier
this month by dropping the F-bomb during a Saturday Night Live
performance.
This marks the fifth consecutive week a rock act has debuted at
number one--following Dave Matthews Band's Stand Up, Nine Inch Nails'
With Teeth, Bruce Springsteen's Devils & Dust and Rob Thomas'
Something To Be. Rock, consigned to dinosaur status in recent years
due to the dominance of pop, country, rap and R&B, has experienced a
renaissance this year, with Green Day's American Idiot and U2's How
To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb also topping the charts and albums by
alt-rock stars Weezer and Beck performing strongly.
Meanwhile, Toby Keith, whose pro-war sentiments were vocalized in his
mega-hit "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American),"
checked in at number two with 283,000 copies of Honkytonk University.
His previous album, 2003's Shock'n Y'all, rode that hit single to
number one with career-best first-week sales of 585,000; the older CD
returned to the chart this week at 174.
Soulful R&B singer Kem sold 140,000 copies of Album II to open at
number five. The former homeless drug addict made his major label
debut in 2003 with Kemistry.
As Idol-mania hits a fever pitch with the season finale Wednesday,
the 13-track American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers opened at six
with 83,000 copies. The disc features songs from the top 10
finalists, including Bo Bice, Carrie Underwood and Constantine
Maroulis.
The fifth and final Top 10 bow belonged to veterans rockers Def
Leppard, whose double-disc best-of set Rock of Ages: The Definitive
Collection sold more than 65,000 copies to open in the 10 spot.
The rest of the Top 10 were leftovers: Mariah Carey's The
Emancipation of Mimi at three, Dave Matthews Band's Stand Up at four,
50 Cent's The Massacre at seven, Gwen Stefani's Love, Angel, Music,
Baby at eight and Weezer's Make Believe at nine.
Rapper Memphis Bleek just missed the Top 10, selling 60,000 copies of
534 to open at 11. The disc benefited from a guest appearance by
"retired" rapper Jay-Z on "Dear Summer."
Other high-charting newbies included Cowboy Troy's Loco Motive at 15,
Natalie's self-titled at 16, Totally Hits 2005 at 20 and Van
Morrison's Magic Time at 25. Bozo rap-rockers the Insane Clown Posse
followed at 32 with Calm.
Finally, the Black Eyed Peas, whose Monkey Business hits retail next
month, celebrated their 100th week on the charts with Elephunk. The
rap group joins Switchfoot, Beyoncé, Maroon 5 and the Beach Boys as
the only artists currently claming triple-digit stints on the album
chart.
Here's a recap of the Top 10 albums for the week ended Sunday:
1. Mezmerize, System of a Down
2. Honkytonk University, Toby Keith
3. The Emancipation of Mimi, Mariah Carey
4. Stand Up, Dave Matthews Band
5. Album II, Kem
6. American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers, various
7. The Massacre, 50 Cent
8. Love, Angel, Music, Baby, Gwen Stefani
9. Make Believe, Weezer
10. Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection, Def Leppard