Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
This will in all likelihood be the final edition of Metal By Numbers for 2020. I want to thank you all for reading, putting up with my little soapbox rants, and for yelling at me when I missed an album. Be on the lookout for my top albums from 2020 coming sometime this week, as well as lists from the rest of the contributors. And while everyone is eager for this year to be over, and I don’t blame you, please keep this in mind: things will not automatically change January 1st 2021. They will not change January 2nd 2021 either. The change comes from you when you’re ready and willing to deliver it. There are things we can’t control, situations we must still weather, but when it comes to your own little corner of the world, do not wait to try and make your life or someone else’s a little better. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, and Happy New Year.
Notable Debuts:
Deafheaven, 10 Years Gone (Sargent House)Debut #56
2,500 sold
This is Deafheaven’s second live album.
Hollywood Undead, New Empire, Vol. 2 (BMG)Debut #59
2,400 sold
This charted lower and sold half of what its predecessor did back in February of this year.
Blackmore’s Night, Here’s a holiday EP from Ritchie Blackmore and company.
Blue Öyster Cult, Live at Rock of Ages Festival 2016 (Frontiers)Debut #163
930 sold
In case you didn’t get enough releases from Blue Öyster Cult this year, here’s another live album.
Soilwork, A Whisp Of The Atlantic (Nuclear Blast)Debut #196
760 sold
This EP follows the band’s eleventh album released early 2019.
Vanden Plas, The Ghost Xperiment: Illumination (Frontiers)500 sold
This is a followup to The Ghost Xperiment: Awakening from last year.
Gama Bomb, 
Unruly Child, Our Glass House (Frontiers)250 sold
This is the band’s eight album.
Persuader, Necromancy (Frontiers)190 sold
This is the band’s fifth album.
Green Druid, At The Maw of Ruin(Earache)180 sold
This is the band’s second album.
Gone Is Gone, If Everything Happens For A Reason…Then Nothing Really Matters At All(Clouds Hill)180 sold
This is the supergroups second album.
Blackfield, This the sixth album from Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen.
Notable Sales:
AC/DC, This holds its #5 position despite a 12% drop.
Smashing Pumpkins, CYR (Sumerian)#43 (from 13)
3,075 sold
Somehow missed this from last week. It debuted at #13 with 10,350 sold and dropped 70% this week.
Iron Maiden, Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City(Parlophone Records/BMG)#69 (from 54)
2,200 sold
A 29% drop.
Metallica & The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, This sold the same as last week and has officially sold over 100,000 copies.
Beastie Boys, 
Thou & Emma Ruth Rundle, 1,450 sold
Year-end buzz boosts this album by 445%, charting higher than when it first debuted.
Deftones, 
Five Finger Death Punch, A Decade Of Destruction, Volume 2 (Prospect Park)#125 (from 134)
1,200 sold
A 6% drop.
Pearl Jam, 
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Live In San Francisco ’16 (ATO)#133 (re-entry)
1,100 sold
A 50% boost back up after dropping off last week.
Ozzy Osbourne, A 20% boost.
Dream Theater, Distant Memories – Live In London (Century Media)#136 (from 53)
1,100 sold
A 65% drop in week two.
Hatebreed, A second week drop of 80%.
Queen + Adam Lambert, 
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, K.G. (Flightless)#190 (re-entry)
800 sold
A big 355 boost back up.
Five Finger Death Punch, F8(Better Noise)#191 (re-entry)
780 sold
A 22% boost onto the charts once again.
Poppy,
Sodom, Genesis XIX (eOne)
610 sold
A 9% drop.
Hum, 
The Hu, 
Nothing, 
Fates Warning, 
Armored Saint, 
Dark Tranquillity, Moment (Century Media)290 sold
A 28% drop in week two.
Zakk Sabbath, Vertigo (Magnetic Eye)210 sold
A 34% boost.
Unleash The Archers, 
King 810, 
Scour, 
Plini, 
