Linkin Park Steal Maroon 5’s Thunder On The Album Chart

When all was said and done, Linkin Park‘s Living Things sold 223,000 copies in its first week of release, just 1,000 more than Maroon 5‘s Overexposed. The California bands thus debut at #1 and #2, respectively, on the Top 200 album chart. Adam Levine‘s band had to settle for a #2 peak with their previous LP, 2010’s Hands All Over, as well. Only their 2007 sophomore effort It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, which contained the band’s first chart-topping hit “Makes Me Wonder”, landed at the top of the main album chart.

The arrivals of Linkin Park and Maroon 5 send last week’s #1 album, Justin Bieber‘s Believe, packing. Bieb winds up at #3 with another 115,000 copies sold.

After that, two other Top 10 entries round out the first five positions on the chart: the hip hop-fueled Maybach Music Group Presents: Self Made 2 compilation (98,000) debuts at #4, while R. Kelly‘s 11th LP Write Me Back (68,000) pops in at #5.

Meanwhile, Adele‘s 21 (42,000) maintains its #7 position, marking only the third week since the album’s release in February 2011 that it hasn’t placed somewhere in the first five spots on the chart.

The Top 10 Of Billboard’s Top 200 Chart

1. Linkin Park, Living Things *new* *1 week*
2. Maroon 5, Overexposed *new*
3. Justin Bieber, Believe
4. Various, Maybach Music Group Presents: Self Made 2 *new*
5. R. Kelly, Write Me Back *new*
6. Kenny Chesney, Welcome To The Fishbowl
7. Adele, 21
8. One Direction, Up All Night
9. Usher, Looking 4 Myself
10. Various, Rock Of Ages soundtrack