Ed Sheeran‘s “=” was equal to the task of becoming the pop star’s fourth No. 1 album, as it entered the Billboard 200 on top with 118,000 equivalent album units.
On the Billboard Hot 100, Adele said hello to the No. 1 spot for the third week in a row with “Easy on Me.”
The bigger news on Billboard’s singles chart, though, might have been Glass Animals finally cracking the top 10 for the first time with “Heat Waves.” The song took 42 weeks from its first entry to reach the top 10, which Billboard says is a record length to get to that mark in the entire 63-year history of the Hot 100.
Back on the album chart, Megan Thee Stallion had the second-best bow of the week after Sheeran’s, coming in at No. 5 with “Something for the Hotties,” a 21-track album that consists of previously unreleased vault tracks mixed with freestyles that were already out, plus the June single “Thot Shit.”
The three projects that landed between Sheeran’s and Megan’s all fell one spot from the previous week to make room for the new chart topper. Drake’s “Certifiable Lover Boy” dropped to second place, earning 67,000 equivalent album units for the week. Morgan Wallen’s “Dangerous: The Double Album” also fell a spot to No. 3, with 42,000, and Doja Cat’s “Planet Her” was down one to No. 4 with 40,000. None of those three chart mainstays was down more than 10% in volume for the week.
Rounding out the top 10 albums at Nos. 6-10: Oliva Rodrigo, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Nas X, the Kid Laroi and Moneybag Yo.
On the Hot 100, Adele’s indomitable single was followed by the Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber’s “Stay,” repeating at No. 2 after a seven-week run at No. 1 that only Adele could break. Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow’s “Industry Baby” remains where it was last week, as well, at No. 3.
The release of Sheeran’s album helped give two songs he already had in the top 10, “Bad Habits” and “Shivers,” one-spot boosts, to Nos. 4 and 6, respectively.
Country singer Walker Hayes’ “Fancy Like” fell one spot on the Hot 100, to No. 5. But the news continued to be good for Hayes, as his phenomenon topped the country airplay chart for the first time, even as it stood at No. 1 on the overall Hot Country Songs chart for a remarkable 17th week.
Other holdovers in the top 10:Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy at No. 7, Doja Cat’s “Need to Know” at No. 8 and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U” at No. 9.
