While we cover a solid handful of hard rock (like, y’know, Foo Fighters) along with the metal, there’s no reason for us to cover other types of rock that’s less guitar-driven. However, it should be noticed that the umbrella of “rock” has landed a solid amount of #1 albums this year. The Killers just landed their first ever #1 album, Foos did it last week, and LCD Soundsystem, Linkin Park and the aforementioned Arcade Fire have also done it. Sure, streaming is winning the war, but rock fans still buy and download albums. And while not an album, Mastodon’s Cold Dark Place had a warm, bright reception.

 

Notable Debuts: 

Circa Survive, The Amulet (Hopeless Records)
Debut #8
16,000 sold

The band’s seventh album finds them getting a bit heavier for their first album on Hopeless. Their tour with Thrice and Balance and Composure, will kick off in November. This didn’t sell as much as their 

 

 

Mastodon, Cold Dark Place (Reprise)
Debut #15
11,000 sold

The band’s second release of the year has an amazing debut for an EP, given that they’re still actively promoting Emperor of Sand. 

 

 

 

Black Country Communion, BCCIV (J&R)
Debut #24
7,000 sold

The band, featuring guitarist Joe Bonamossa along with former members of Dream Theater and Deep Purple, has a solid debut. Their last album debuted at #48.

 

 

 

Counterparts, You’re Not You Anymore (Pure Noise)
Debut #29
6,300 sold

The hardcore band’s fifth album is their second on Pure Noise/New Damage. 

 

 

 

 

 

Chelsea Wolfe, Hiss Spun (Sargent House)
Debut #38
#5,200 sold

Is this more goth than metal? Probably? Is it even metal? Arguably because Kurt Ballou produced it. She had a solid debut for her seventh album, however.

 

 

Cradle of Filth, Cryptoriana: The Seductiveness Of Decay (Nuclear Blast)
Debut #50
4,000 sold

12 albums in, how many people care about Cradle of Filth? More than the 3,500 that bought their last one.

 

 

The Bronx, V (ATO)
Debut #62
3,300 sold

If you couldn’t tell, this is the band’s fifth album. Well, not counting the equally awesome other project Mariachi el Bronx. It’s also their highest-charting album yet.

 

 

Enter Shikari, The Spark (Play It Again Sam/Ambush Reality)
Debut #89
2,200 sold

The UK band is much more popular in the UK than they are over here, but still have a pretty resepctable debut here.

 

 

 

Otherwise, Sleeping Lions (Century Media)
Debut #99
2,000 sold

This is the band’s third album for Century Media and fourth overall.

 

 

 

 

Sons Of Texas, Forged By Fortitude (Razor & Tie)
Debut #106
1,900 sold

The band’s sophomore album keeps up the Pantera vibe, which you’d expect from a band called Sons of Texas.

 

 

Metz, Strange Peace (Sub Pop)
Debut #111
1,750 sold

Unlike the baseball team, this band’s Canadian trio’s third album is around in October!

 

 

Archspire, Relentless Mutation (Season of Mist) 
Debut #117
1,650 sold

Two Canadian heavy band debuts in a row. This one’s a lot tech-deathier, however.

 

 

 

 

 

Satyricon, Deep Calleth Upon Deep (Napalm Records)
Debut #130
1,500 sold

The band’s first studio album for Napalm Records sells just about the same number as their last studio album did for Nuclear Blast.

 

 

Wayland, Rinse & Repeat (Mighty Loud)
550 sold

Featuring cameos by members of Shinedown and Jackyl’s Jesse James Dupree, this is a pretty solid radio rock band. 

 

 

 

 

With The Dead, Love From With The Dead (Rise Above)
500 sold

The cool thing about owning your own label, like former Cathedral mastermind Lee Dorrian does, is that you can release your own music. This is their second album. 

 

 

Ufomammut, 8 (Neurot)
230 sold

A mix of stoner, doom and noise rock, you get one guess to figure out how many albums they’ve put out.

 

 

 

 

Brant Bjork,Europe ’16 (Napalm Records)
200 sold

Likewise, you get one guess where former Kyuss drummer Brant Bjork’s live album was recorded. 

 

 

 

 

NOTABLE SALES: 

Foo Fighters, Concrete and Gold (RCA/Roswell)
#4 (from 1)
20,000 sold

A huge 83% drop still finds their album in the top five in week #2. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prophets of Rage, Prophets of Rage (Caroline)
#60 (from 4)
3,50o sold

An 83% drop in week #2 shows that there might not be as much of an appetite for rap rock as the media would perhaps like you to believe. 

 

 

 

 

Nothing More, The Stories We Tell Ourselves (Better Noise/Eleven Seven)
#88 (from 5)
2,200 sold

This has a really large (89%) second week drop, but after the amazing first week, that’s to be expected.

 

 

 

Greta Van Fleet, Black Smoke Rising EP (Republic)
 1,700 sold
#113 (from 115)

This is up in sales a bit from the prior week, and the band still have a #1 song  at rock radio. 

 

 

 

Wolves in the Throne Room, Thrice Woven (Artemesia Records)
Debut #148
1,300 sold

This is up 236% from it’s debut week, enough to pop it into the top 200 sold chart.

 

 

 

 

Metallica, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (Blackened)
#168 (from 7)
1,200 sold

That’s a 91% drop from where it was last week, but hey, considering it’s one of the few platinum albums on the chart, don’t feel too bad for them. 

 

 

The Contortionist, Clairvoyant (eOne)
#178 (from 31)
1,100 sold

Down 80% in week #2, this has sold about 6,300 so far. 

 

 

 

 

Belphegor, Totenritual (Nuclear Blast)
#188 (from 171) 
1,000 sold

This only drops a scant 6% in it’s second week. 

 

 

The band’s second Atlantic album holds on for yes another week, with a 2% increase in sales from last week. 

 

 

Myrkur, Mareridt (Relapse)
600 sold

A 75% drop in it’s second week suggests that she should probably get another tour in the states happening. 

 

 

 

Ensiferum, Two Paths (Metal Blade)
475 sold

This has about a 60% drop, which is respectable for second-week.

 

 

 

 

Josh Todd & the Conflict, Year of the Tiger (Century Media)
300 sold
This has a pretty sizable 82% drop.