What a week for veteran artists. The Beach Boys debut at number 3, the highest that they have ever placed an album in its first week, with That’s Why God Made the Radio.
It’s their best overall position since 1974’s Endless Summer, which went to number 1, and the best position for a studio album since 1965’s Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!!). The album also sets the record for longest time between first and last top ten albums by a group with 49 years and 1 week between Surfin’ U.S.A. and Radio surpassing the Beatles who held the old record at 47 years, 7 months and 1 week.
At number 4 is the debut of Neil Young and Crazy Horse ‘Americana’ The album is Young’s highest chart position in thirty years, since Harvest topped the charts in 1972. The album also tops the Rock Albums chart.
Joe Walsh’s Analog Man premiers at number 12, giving him his highest chart position since 1978’s But Seriously, Folks… The album also starts at 4 on the Rock Albums.
At 57 is Patti Smith’s latest, Banga, bettering her last album, Twelve, by three positions and at 106 is the new preview EP from ZZ Top, Texicali. Finally, in the lower part of the chart is the debut of The Journey by Andrea Crouch at 146 and, at 200, Big Station by Alejandro Escovedo.