Bob Dylan’s ‘Rough and Rowdy Ways’ Enters Album Chart at No. 2

Chris Willman
·3 min read

Click here to read the full article.

Bob Dylan’s first album of original material in eight years, “Rough and Rowdy Ways,” got a rowdy and welcoming reception from fans, entering the charts at No. 2 on strong sales and coming in only behind Lil Baby’s streaming giant of an album.

“Rough and Rowdy Ways” debuted with 54,700 album units. Nearly all of Dylan’s cumulative tally for the week came from full-album sales; the record sold 52,400 copies, making it far and away the sales leader. (Those were on CD or digital, the album might have sold even more if it had been available on vinyl, with many fans holding out for its belated release as a double-LP in mid-July.)

More from Variety

By contrast to Dylan’s 52,400 in actual album sales, Lil Baby sold a mere 464 full copies of “My Turn.” But that didn’t keep Lil Baby from holding onto his overall No. 1 spot on the Rolling Stone album chart, as “My Turn” was streamed 78.8 million times for the week, versus Dylan’s mere 2.5 million streams. Lil Baby’s album (which has been out for 17 weeks) stayed on top with 78,800 album units.

The album chart had no other albums besides Dylan’s debuting in the top 10, but Teyana Taylor had a notable premiere at No. 12 with “The Album,” bowing with 30,000 album units. Lamb of God’s self-titled album was close behind at No. 14, debuting with 29,400 album units.

John Legend’s “Bigger Love” came in at No. 17 on 24,600 album units. A hair behind that, at No. 18, was Neil Young’s “Homegrown,” an album that was recorded in the mid-1970s but not released until now. Doing unusually well for an archival project, Young’s album had 24,300 album units, of which 18,000 were full album sales.

Returning albums in the top 10 included a resurgent A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, back up to No. 3 in his 19th week with 41,200 album units, followed by DaBaby, Post Malone, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, Polo G, Drake and the Weeknd.

Styles’ “Fine Line” is back in the top 10 for the first time in months — at No. 7 and 32,400 album units for the week — thanks to a single, “Watermelon Sugar,” that is propelling him back into view. “Watermelon Sugar” cracked the top 10 of the Rolling Stone songs chart for the first time this week, moving up to No. 8 with 11.9 million streams after being out for 22 weeks.

The songs chart is led by the enduring “Rockstar” by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch, holding in after 10 weeks on the chart and reaching the top spot for the fourth time. It had 26.5 million streams for the week.

Gabby Barrett’s country smash “I Hope” is crossing over to pop now, which would help explain why it cracks the top 10 of the overall songs chart for the first time this week, landing at No. 9 with 10.8 million streams. Barrett’s song had been on the chart for 40 weeks before reaching this plateau.

 

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.