Metal By Numbers 4/5: Steel Panther set the bar

Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed about writing this column for nearly five years (wait, that long?) is seeing sales patterns of bands growing in popularity, tracking the numbers for their new top 20 debut on the Billboard 200 when I remember them being on the Top New Artists chart only a scant few years ago. So seeing a band like Steel Panther arrive in the top 15 is a pretty neat thing. It’s also funny that they debuted just below the soundtrack to Sing, a children’s movie with cute animals singing pop songs, though I assume none of them are about pussies and partying. Also, to reader who requested the status of the Ghost album Meliora, I unfortunately do not have any numbers for that album but you can bet that should it get a sales boost you’ll find it on here!

Notable Debuts:

Steel Panther, Lower the Bar (Kobalt Music)
Debut #12

10,350 sold

Your favorite glam metal band had their best debut yet with album number four.

Pallbearer, Heartless (Profound Lore)
Debut #40
4,050 sold

Pallbearer’s third album lands them their best debut yet in the top 50.

Night Ranger, Don’t Let Up (Frontiers)
Debut #49
3,450 sold

Night Ranger’s latest sold about the same amount as its predecessor, but it charted higher.

Art of Anarchy, The Madness (Century Media)
Debut #61
2,950 sold

The band release their second album and the first to feature Creed’s Scott Stapp on vocals.

Davey Suicide, Made From Fire (Anti-System)

Debut #66

2,850 sold

This is the band’s third LP.

Northlane, Mesmer (UNFD)
Debut #118
1,800 sold

The band’s surprise fourth LP doesn’t have quite as good of a debut as its predecessor, which suggests that maybe surprise releases aren’t the way to go.

Me And That Man, Songs of Love and Death (Cooking Vinyl)
Debut #187
1,125 sold

This is the debut album from Behemoth frontman Nergal and John Porter’s new country/folk/blues project.

Eclipse, Momentum (Frontiers)
850 sold

This is the Swedish band’s sixth LP.

Memoriam, For the Fallen (Nuclear Blast)
480 sold

This is the band’s first LP and features ex-members of Bolt Thrower.

Notable Sales:

Metallica, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (Blackened)
#1 (from 8)
48,125 sold

Metallica take the number one spot yet again after a huge 120% boost. In fact, they sold more physical copies than anything else on the chart this week. Take that, Beauty and the Beast soundtrack!

I Prevail, Lifelines (Fearless)
#132 (from 136)
1,625 sold