Country-pop juggernauts Rascal Flatts hit No. 1 yet again on this week’s Billboard 200, debuting with 351,000 copies sold of their aptly titled Unstoppable, according to Nielsen SoundScan. This is their fourth time at the top of the chart, which, as Billboard points out, is more times than any band has gotten there in the past decade. Good for them! I am not personally a fan of Gary LeVox and Co., but clearly there are hundreds of thousands of people out there who are happy to celebrate this milestone.
Meanwhile, a bona fide rock legend, Neil Young, debuted way down at No. 19 after selling a pitiful 28,000 copies of Fork in the Road. That’s a substantial drop from the first-week numbers his last two studio efforts put up — 54,000 for 2007′s Chrome Dreams II and 60,000 for 2006′s Living With War. I’m sure ol’ Neil isn’t losing too much sleep about his Nielsen SoundScan figures at this stage in his career. Especially not for Fork in the Road, a concept album about a fuel-efficient car prototype that’s probably one of the least commercially-oriented entries in his voluminous discography. But what can I say? As a chart-watcher, it’s still depressing to see him humbled that way.
Other chart debuts came from New York rap vet Jadakiss, at No. 3 with a strong 135,000 copies sold of The Last Kiss; Nashville star Jason Aldean, at No. 4 with 109,000 copies of Wide Open; and Christian rockers MercyMe, at No. 18 with 30,000 copies of 10. What do you think about this week’s chart? Any surprises or disappointments?
More from EW’s Music Mix:
Keith Urban and Prince battle it out on the chart
NOW That’s What I Call Music!: The latest edition outcharts Miley Cyrus and everyone else
Neil Young Archives: They’re really coming this summer
Rascal Flatts are the worst band ever. They can’t even come up with their own songs…they have to do covers…pathetic. Whereas Neil is incredible!! nuf said!
Neil hasn’t put out a good record in nearly 20 years. #19 seems kinda high. and Rascall Flatts is N’Sync with a fiddle.
I want to see Lady GaGa’s album in the top spot on the chart. She is doing well in the Top 10, but need to get her up there higher!
What a surprise, nobody wants to hear a 65 year old multi-millionaire scold them about what type of car they drive. Neil’s relevance ran out about 1983, but if he wants to keep throwing his preachy garbage out there, more power to him, he can afford it.
Neil Young is a tired old bitter liberal jackass.
His guitar playing was always pathetic, (and yes I can play guitar much better),
and his singing voice sounds like a female impersonator in the middle of a nervous breakdown.
I stopped listening to this no talent hack when Crosby Stills Nash and Young broke up.
He clearly was not the driving force behind the legendary band.
Is there any more potent reminder of how anemic popular music is than Rascal Flats’ success? In the 70′s or even the 80′s they would have been relegated to a footnote. A heavily processed, poorly written one at that.
Nice hatchet job on Neil by Neocon losers with bad taste. Like Rascal Flatts, they are beneath contempt.
Rascal Flatts truly suck. They have to go on a Fluff show like Dancing with the Stars to promote their music. Can’t even get a real gig. If what they play is what people call music…then I ain’t listening…cause they are flat and off-key….BAD!!! I want to listen to people that can actually sing!
Thozz- get your head outta the clouds ! Neil Young has still got more talent in his little finger than you’ll ever have. and his Music is still by far better than anything you have ever done – CSN blow by comparison to Neil , who out distanced them eons ago! Talent wise and music wise!
Thozz your opinion sux bigtime!
Thozzz = D-Bag. Thozzz lives in his parents’ basement and listens to Britney Spears. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha… D-bag.
Maybe Thozz is a Barry Manilow fan.
Naa I like great guitarists like John Petrucci, or Jeff Beck.
You idiots obviously don’t know what you’re talking about so I’m not sweatin your ignorance and arrogance….
Hahaha!
Hey Steve you wanna suck my dick?
I’m a retired Marine you asswipe.
Don’t believe me pussy?
I’ll give ya my address and kick you lilly livered ass gay boy.
NEIL YOUNG SUCKS DICK!
HAHAHA!! HE SUCKS!!!
Be sure to print off this article. Forty years from now, when we are all listening to Rascal Flatt’s 34th album, it will be an important document in music history: the day a popular band sold more albums than a rock-poet. If you look back over the decades, Neil Young’s albums have never sold gangbusters in the first week — he’s had only one number one song — it’s the in the long distance run that he shines. For staying power, I’d put my money on Neil. No offence to Rascal Flatts and the hundreds of other pop stars who’ve come and gone.