Mac Miller Debuts At No. 1 On Billboard 200

As forecasted, indie rapper Mac Miller's first album, "Blue Slide Park," debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 144,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

While it didn't shift as much as some industry sources had expected ( 180,000 was the optimistic projection), he still can lay claim to a pretty cool chart feat: "Blue Slide Park" is the first independently distributed debut album by an act to hit No. 1 since 1995.

The last (and only previous one) was Tha Dogg Pound's "Dogg Food." It started in the penthouse on the Nov. 18, 1995, chart with 278,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Dogg" was released on Death Row/Interscope, but independently distributed via Priority. "Blue Slide" is a Rostrum Records release, distributed by INgrooves via Fontana Distribution (Universal Music Group Distribution's indie arm).

"Blue Slide" is the second indie-distributed No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this year, following Cake's "Showroom of Compassion." The latter arrived atop the tally on the Jan. 29 list. Last year, we saw three indie leaders: Vampire Weekend's "Contra," the charity compilation "Hope for Haiti Now" and Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs."

Behind Miller is a surging Michael Buble, whose "Christmas" album rises 8-2 with 123,000 and a 38% sales gain. It's a new peak for the set, which started at No. 3 two weeks ago. While it's unlikely Buble will hit No. 1 next week (as Drake's "Take Care" should arrive atop the list), expect "Christmas" to perform strongly through the holiday season.

The new "Now 40" hits compilation bows at No. 3 this week with 119,000 while the "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" soundtrack enters at No. 4 with 105,000. The latter should see a gain next week, following the movie's premiere in theaters on Nov. 18.

The last "Twilight" soundtrack, "Eclipse," entered the tally on June 26, 2010, at No. 2 with 146,000. The previous "Now" album -- "Now 39" -- debuted and peaked at No. 3 in August with a 110,000 start. All 40 of the traditional "Now" albums have reached the top 10, stretching back to the very first in the series, released in October 1998, which peaked at No. 10. (Some of the acts featured on the first "Now" album included Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Radiohead, Aqua, Hanson and All Saints.)

Rounding out the debuts in the top 10 this week are Aventura's Romeo Santos and Il Divo, who bow "Formula, Vol. 1" and "Wicked Game" at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively.

For Santos, his 62,000 launch marks the biggest sales week of any Latin album since way back on June 23, 2007, when Daddy Yankee's "El Cartel: The Big Boss," sold 82,000 in its first week, according to Nielsen Soundscan. "Formula" also naturally takes a bow at No. 1 on our Latin Albums chart.

Il Divo's "Wicked Game" (61,000) is the fifth top 10 set for the vocal quartet and follows 2008's "The Promise" (No. 5 with 162,000). The new album is named after its cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game," which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991.

Meanwhile, Adele's "21" holds at No. 5 (104,000; down 3%), Justin Bieber's "Under the Mistletoe" falls 1-6 (97,000; down 54%), Susan Boyle's "Someone to Watch Over Me" drops 4-7 (72,000; down 46%) and Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" slips 7-8 (70,000; down 32%).

Over on the Digital Songs chart, Rihanna's "We Found Love" (featuring Calvin Harris) holds at No. 1, though it's down a bit in sales: 227,000 (down 4%). LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It" also is stationary at No. 2, shifting 195,000 (down 4%).

As expected, Taylor Swift collects the three highest debuts on the chart -- and two of them arrive in the top 10. "If This Was a Movie" (No. 3 with 162,000), "Ours" (No. 5 with 148,000) and "Superman" (No. 13 with 91,000) all launch within the top 20. The tunes were released digitally for the first time last week, and were only previously available on the deluxe CD of her "Speak Now" album at Target.

David Guetta's "Without You" (featuring Usher) charges 6-4 with 162,000 (up 32%), Adele's "Someone Like You" falls 3-6 (143,000; down 1%), and Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" drops 4-7, despite a gain, with 139,000 (up 5%). Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain" rises 10-8 (130,000; up 34%), Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" (featuring Christina Aguilera) descends 7-9 (120,000; up less than 1%), and Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" moves 5-10 (117,000; down 5%).

Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Nov. 13) totaled 6.4 million units, up 4% compared with the sum last week (6.2 million) and up 2% compared with the comparable sales week of 2010 (6.3 million). Year-to-date album sales stand at 261.9 million, up 3% compared with the same total at this point last year (253.7 million).

Digital track sales this past week totaled 22.7 million downloads, up 9% compared with last week (20.9 million) and up 7% stacked next to the comparable week of 2010 (21.3 million). Year-to-date track sales are at 1.1 billion, up 10% compared with the same total at this point last year (978.2 million).

Next week's Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2010 when: Susan Boyle's "The Gift" held for a second week at No. 1, selling 335,000 (up 5%), while Nos. 2-8 and 10 were all debuts.