Babymetal’s Metal Galaxy Conquers the Billboard Rock Charts

If you care about arbitrary metrics, then we have a big one for you! According to Billboard, MetalSucks favorites Babymetal became the first Asian act to top the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart this past week. With 28,000 units sold (27,000 of which were actual sales and not whatever weird calculation they use for streams), the J-pop metal duo scored their highest debut to date with Metal Galaxy. 2016’s Metal Resistance only made it to number 6. It also topped the Hard Rock Charts (Serj Tankian previously represented Asian artists at number one there) and came in at 13 on the big daddy Billboard 200. Pretty impressive for an act often dismissed as a novelty!

Of course, the Rock Albums charts have only been around for thirteen years, and album sales have been on a steady decline. Also, who cares about Billboard? It’s an antiquated system that pits vastly different records against each other based only on numbers. I mean, the other artists in the Top 10 Rock Albums include The Beatles, Queen, Elton John, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Also The Devil Wears Prada! Still, it’s pretty cool that Babymetal have earned enough popularity in the US to (temporarily) beat out perennial boomer faves. Tell us how you’re going to celebrate this momentous occasion in the comments below!

Metal Galaxy is out now. You can order it here. Babymetal have tour dates coming up in both Asia and Europe. Get tickets here.

[via Metal Injection]