Chart Watch: Foo Fighters hit No. 1, equaling a Nirvana feat

Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl at the Later with Jools 25th Anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl at the Later with Jools 25th Anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Foo Fighters land their second No. 1 album as Concrete and Gold enters the Billboard 200 in the top spot. The group first topped the chart in April 2011 with Wasting Light. Group leader Dave Grohl has now reached No. 1 with as many studio albums with Foo Fighters as he did with Nirvana. That iconic trio topped the chart with Nevermind in January 1992 and In Utero in October 1993 (as well as with two subsequent live albums.) Of course, the Foos have released more studio albums than Nirvana did — nine for the Foos to just three for Nirvana.

Concrete and Gold also enters the Official U.K. Albums Chart at No. 1. It’s the first album by an American rock group to reach No. 1 in both the U.S. and the U.K. since Kings of Leon’s Walls nearly a year ago.

Wasting Light also reached No. 1 in both countries. Foo Fighters also topped the U.K. chart with One by One and Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. Those albums both peaked at No. 3 in the U.S.

The new album, which was produced by Greg Kurstin, features guest appearances by Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake, and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men.

Another rock band, the Killers, will likely debut at No. 1 next week with Wonderful Wonderful.

Top Songs

Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” moves up from No. 2 to No. 1 in its 12th week on the Hot 100. Cardi B is the just fourth female rapper to top the Hot 100 as a lead or co-lead artist. She follows Lauryn Hill, whose first solo hit, “Doo Wop (That Thing),” spent two weeks at No. 1 in November 1998; Lil’ Kim, who reigned for five weeks in June 2001 with “Lady Marmalade,” a co-equal collabo with Christina Aguilera, Mya, and P!nk; and Iggy Azalea, whose debut hit “Fancy” (featuring Charli XCX) spent seven weeks on top in June and July 2014.

One other female rapper has reached No. 1, but as a featured artist. Shawnna was featured on Ludacris’s “Stand Up,” which hit No. 1 in December 2003.

“Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” holds at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for the fourth week.

Post Malone lands his second top 10 hit in a row as “Rockstar” (featuring 21 Savage) debuts at No. 2. It follows “Congratulations” (featuring Quavo), which peaked at No. 8. “Rockstar” sold 80K digital copies in its first week, which allows it to enter Top Digital Songs at No. 1. The song is from the hip-hopper’s upcoming sophomore album, Beerbongs & Bentleys.

Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” drops from No. 1 to No. 3 in its fifth week. The song spent three weeks on top. This marks the first time that female lead artists have had back-to-back No. 1 hits since November 2014, when Swift’s “Blank Space” dethroned her previous hit, “Shake It Off.”

Logic’s “1-800-273-8255” (featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid) dips from its No. 3 peak to No. 4 in its 21st week.

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” (featuring Justin Bieber) dips from No. 4 to No. 5 in its 36th week. The song spent a record-tying 16 weeks at No. 1. “Despacito” is falling at a slower pace than “One Sweet Day,” the Mariah Carey/Boyz II Men smash that was the only previous single to spend 16 weeks at No. 1. Four weeks after it ended its run at No. 1, that ballad dropped from No. 9 to No. 15.

French Montana’s “Unforgettable” (featuring Swae Lee) inches up from No. 7 to No. 6 in its 24th week. The song peaked at No. 3.

Imagine Dragons’ “Believer” rebounds from No. 9 to No. 7 in its 33rd week. The song peaked at No. 4.

Yo Gotti’s “Rake It Up” (featuring Nicki Minaj) rebounds from No. 16 to No. 8 in its 12th week. This is its highest ranking to date.

Charlie Puth’s “Attention” dips from No. 8 to No. 9 in its 22nd week. The song peaked at No. 5.

Portugal. The Man’s “Feel It Still” jumps from No. 14 to No. 10 in its 14th week. The song logs its 14th week at No. 1 on the Alternative Songs airplay chart. Only one song has had a longer run at No. 1 on the alternative chart in this decade — Muse’s “Madness,” which spent 19 weeks on top in 2012-13. “Feel It Still” has the quirky charm of Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks,” a No. 3 smash on the Hot 100 in 2011.

Sam Smith’s “Too Good at Goodbyes” drops out of the top 10 this week, after debuting at No. 5 last week. The song logs its second week at No. 1 on The Official U.K. Singles Chart.

Two other songs drop out of the top 10 this week — DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts” (featuring Rihanna & Bryson Tiller) and Shawn Mendes’s “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back.”

Top Albums

Lil Uzi Vert’s first full-length album, Luv Is Rage 2, rebounds from No. 4 to No. 2 in its fourth week. The album debuted at No. 1. The album includes his former top 10 hit, “XO Tour Llif3.”

Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes drops from No. 1 to No. 3 in its second week. The album logs its second week at No. 1 on Top Country Albums. It’s the first album to spend its first two weeks at No. 1 on the country chart since Little Big Town’s The Breaker in March.

Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. rebounds from No. 8 to No. 4 its 23rd week. The album has logged four weeks at No. 1.

XXXTENTACION’s 17 inches up from No. 6 to No. 5 in its fourth week. The album debuted and peaked at No. 2.

Khalid’s American Teen rebounds from No. 9 to No. 6 in its 29th week. The album peaked at No. 4. The album includes his former top 20 hit “Location.”

BTS, the South Korean boy band, becomes the first K-pop act to crack the top 10 as their EP Love Yourself: Herdebuts at No. 7. In addition, BTS lands its first entry on the Hot 100. “DNA,” from the new album, debuts at No. 85.

Imagine Dragons’ Evolve rebounds from No. 13 to No. 8 in its 13th week. The album debuted and peaked at No. 2.

The country duo Big & Rich lands its fourth top 10 album as Did it for the Party debuts at No. 9.

Post Malone’s Stoney rebounds from No. 17 to No. 10 in its 41st week. The album debuted and peaked at No. 6. (Of the albums that were in the top 10 the week Stoney debuted, Stoney is the only one that is still in the top 10 today.)

Five albums drop out of the top 10 this week. They are: The National’s Sleep Well Beast, ODESZA’s A Moment Apart, Jack Johnson’s All The Light Above It Too, Dustin Lynch’s Current Mood and Kip Moore’s Slowheart.

Prophets of Rage’s eponymous debut album just misses the top 10. The rap/rock super-group consists of three members of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave (Tom Morello, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford), two members of Public Enemy (rapper Chuck D and DJ Lord), and rapper B-Real of Cypress Hill.

The Moana soundtrack is No. 1 on Top Soundtracks for the 22nd week.

Coming Attractions: Look for The Killers to debut at No. 1 next week with Wonderful Wonderful. Lecrae’s All Things Work Together and Jhené Aiko’s Trip are also eyeing top 10 debuts.