Bruno Mars’s latest album “The Romantic” has debuted at No. 1 on the albums chart, making it his first full-length project to bow atop the tally.

The singer’s fourth offering enters the Billboard 200 with 186,000 equivalent album units. He previously reached No. 1 with “Unorthodox Jukebox” in 2013, when it took three months to climb to the summit. Over the past week, some users on social media were surprised to learn that his last solo album, 2016’s “24K Magic,” only peaked at No. 2 as Metallica’s “Hardwired… to Self-Destruct” blocked it from the top of the chart. “An Evening with Silk Sonic,” his 2021 release as one-half of Silk Sonic, topped out at No. 2.

As Billboard notes, Mars’ span of 13 years between No. 1s is the longest for any living solo male artist since Paul McCartney’s return to the top in 2018 with “Egypt Station,” marking a 36-year gap. “The Romantic” got a boost from its 10 vinyl variants, as vinyl sales accounted for 48,000 of the album’s first week. Mars teased the project with its first single “I Just Might,” which became his 10th No. 1 on the Hot 100 and is expected to return to the summit when the chart is unveiled tomorrow.

Elsewhere on the albums chart, Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” maintains its hold at No. 2, followed by Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem,” Don Toliver’s “Octane” and Olivia Dean’s “The Art of Loving.” Megan Moroney’s “Cloud 9,” which bowed atop the chart last week, slides to No. 6, while Gorillaz’s new record “The Mountain” enters at No. 7. Blackpink lands its third top 10 with “Deadline” at No. 8, followed by Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” and Mitski’s “Nothings About to Happen to Me” to round out the top 10.

Source: Variety
--Agencies