Highway Prayers, the new album from bluegrass sensation Billy Strings, is already making historic waves on the Billboard charts: In addition to various other distinctions, the album unseated Chappell Roan‘s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess to top the October 12th-dated edition of the music industry publication’s overall Top Album Sales Chart, making it the first bluegrass LP to accomplish that feat since 2002.
As Billboard explained in a spotlight on Billy Strings’ big week on the charts, “Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates to May 25, 1991, when Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units.”
Of particular note, the last bluegrass album to earn the top spot on the Top Album Sales chart came back in 2002 with the release of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. Prior to the release of the new charts, Strings announced that he would celebrate the Coen Brothers classic and its beloved soundtrack with a load of special guests on Halloween night in Baltimore at a show billed as O Billy, Where Art Thou? Find tickets to the Billy Strings 2024 Halloween run in Baltimore here.
Per Billboard, the 20-track Highway Prayers, released on September 27th, also nabbed the #1 spot on the Bluegrass Albums chart (dated 10/12), the #8 spot on the Top Country Albums chart (dated 10/12), and the #6 spot on the Americana/Folk Albums chart. Billy Strings sold 19,000 copies and 24,000 equivalent album units of Highway Prayers in its first week (Sept. 27–Oct. 3), according to Luminate, marking the biggest sales week to date for the 32-year-old picker.
In other notable Billy Strings Billboard chart news, Highway Prayers bowed at #22 on the overall Billboard 200 chart, which tracks the top-performing albums across all genres by equivalent sales units. On the October 12th-dated Billboard 200, Highway Prayers came in just below Taylor Swift‘s Tortured Poet’s Department (#21) and notched the chart’s second-highest debut of the week, behind only Lady Gaga‘s new Joker sequel companion album, Harlequin (#20).
Stream/purchase Highway Prayers, the new album from Billy Strings, on the platform of your choice here or stream it via the Spotify player below.
Billy Strings – Highway Prayers – Full Album
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Billy Strings. Following the release of Highway Prayers, he hosted his Renewal festival in Buena Vista, CO but had to leave the event before he took the stage on its opening day to be with his wife in Michigan as she gave birth to their first child. While the show went on in his absence thanks to the various other bluegrass heavyweights booked to play, Strings and promoter Bonfire Entertainment later refunded all tickets sold to the event. This past weekend, he returned to the stage in Michigan for his first shows since becoming a dad—and marked the generational occasion by inviting his dad, Terry Barber, to join him and his band.
Next up for Billy Strings and his namesake band are a pair of shows in Indianapolis, IN’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse on October 11th and 12th. Find tickets to Billy Strings’ upcoming 2024 fall tour dates here.
[h/t Billboard]
The post Billy Strings’ ‘Highway Prayers’ Is The First Bluegrass LP To Top ‘Billboard’ Album Sales Chart Since 2002 appeared first on L4LM.
