AC/DC’s “Black Ice” tops “HSM3″ soundtrack
Although it was released only through Walmart, Sam’s Club and the band’s Web site, AC/DC’s long-awaited album “Black Ice” debuted at the top of the U.S. album charts, topping the “High School Musical 3″ soundtrack, according to this Billboard story.
“Black Ice” sold more than 780,000 copies in the U.S.; it’s the year’s second biggest album debut after Lil Wayne, who sold more than a million copies of “Tha Carter III” when it was released.
The CD has topped the charts in 29 countries since its release in the recent days, according to this Associated Press story.
“It’s overwhelming, and quite hard to take in,” the legendary group’s lead singer, Brian Johnson, told the AP Wednesday after learning his group had 2008′s second-biggest album debut.
“Even an old dog like me has a few more surprises in life, I guess,” he said, chuckling.
The group beat out “High School Musical 3,” whose predecessors both became top sellers, for the No. 1 spot.
According to figures released Wednesday by Nielsen SoundScan, “Black Ice” sold some 784,000 copies in its first week of release; the teen-oriented movie soundtrack sold about 297,000 copies.
In making Wal-Mart the only retailer for their album, AC/DC joined the ranks of the Eagles, Journey and Oklahoma native Garth Brooks, who have experienced success with the strategy.
“It was a win-win situation, and they decided to make it into a big thing with AC/DC merchandise and good deals with the other albums with the catalog,” Johnson told the AP. “This has been a wonderful thing.”
AC/DC will its “Black Ice” World Tour Jan. 26 to Tulsa’s BOK Center. For more information, go to www.bokcenter.com.
-BAM
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