AC/DC's latest album, "Power Up", has entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 1. The effort shifted 117,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release, according to Billboard. Of that sum, 111,000 were album sales, 5,000 (equaling 7.8 million on-demand streams of the album's songs) were streaming equivalent albums (SEA) units; and 1,000 were track equivalent albums (TEA) units.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums and streaming equivalent albums. Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.
AC/DC previously topped the Billboard 200 with 2008's "Black Ice" and 1981's "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)".
"Power Up" is the fastest-selling album of 2020 in at least three of its biggest markets â U.S., Australia and the U.K. â where it debuted at No. 1. In the U.K., it opened with first-week sales of 62,000. 52,955 units of these were on a physical format (CD, vinyl, cassette).
Back in December 2014, AC/DC's previous album, "Rock Or Bust", sold around 172,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart. This marked a huge drop from the opening number of AC/DC's 2008 CD, "Black Ice", which topped sales charts in 29 countries, including the U.S., where it sold an incredible 784,288 in its first week â making it the band's first-ever No. 1 debut on the U.S. album chart. "Black Ice" went on to sell another 270,923 units in its second week, bringing the first two weeks' sales in the U.S. to over 1 million copies. Sold exclusively at Walmart, Sam's Club and ACDC.com in the U.S., "Black Ice" quickly became the biggest-selling rock record of 2008.
"Power Up" features AC/DC's 2020 lineup of Brian Johnson (vocals), Phil Rudd (drums), Cliff Williams (bass), Angus Young (guitar) and Stevie Young (guitar).
The LP was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien, who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and 2014's "Rock Or Bust".
"Power Up" is available in multiple configurations, including digital, CD, and deluxe versions. The limited edition, one-of-a-kind deluxe "Power Up" box is the ultimate fan package. Hit the button on the side of the box and watch the flashing neon AC/DC logo light up while the opening bars of "Shot In The Dark" blast out of the built-in speaker. Inside the box is the full CD package in a soft-pack with a 20-page booklet that features exclusive photos and USB charging cable allowing the box to remain powered up and on display. The vinyl LP was pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket. Limited-edition variants of the LP are available at select retailers nationwide, as well as the band's online store.
Photo credit: Josh Cheuse
