Image: Shawn Mendes performs during the iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards in Toronto, Ontario, Canada June 19, 2016. REUTERS/Fred Thornhill/File Photo
By Piya Sinha-Roy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Social media star turned singer Shawn Mendes’ sophomore album debuted at the top of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 chart on Monday, ousting Canadian R&B star Drake and holding off new entries from country singer Luke Bryan and veteran rocker Bruce Springsteen.
Mendes’ “Illuminate” sold 121,000 albums, 79,000 songs and was streamed 24 million times, totalling 145,000 units, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan for the week ended on Sept. 29.
The Canadian teen, who grew a devoted fan base on Vine, also topped the Billboard 200 chart with his debut album, “Handwritten,” last year.
Drake’s “Views” dropped to No. 2 with sales of 50,000 album units that include 55 million streams. The album has dominated the charts this year on the strength of its streaming figures.
The Billboard 200 album chart tallies units from album sales, song sales (10 songs equal one album) and streaming activity (1,500 streams equal one album).
The only other new entries in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart were country singer Bryan’s “Farm Tour…Here’s to the Farm” at No. 4 and Springsteen’s latest record, “Chapter & Verse,” at No. 5.
On the Digital Songs chart, which measures online single sales, the Chainsmokers’ summer hit “Closer” featuring Halsey held onto the top spot with another 137,000 copies sold.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
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