Eminem Ignites Albums Chart with Biggest Debut of the Year

Eminem not only experienced a personal Recovery, but he’s given the music industry a boost as well. The rapper explodes into the No. 1 spot on the albums chart this week with his seventh studio effort.

Em’s Recovery moved 741,000 copies on the Billboard 200 in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. This is largest sales week for a single album since AC/DC’s Black Ice debuted with 784,000 in October 2008, reports Billboard.

Recovery outperformed last year’s Relapse, which opened at No. 1 with 608,000, and becomes Eminem’s sixth straight No. 1 debut. He claims the runner-up position to Jay-Z among hip-hop acts with the most No. 1 albums.

It won’t be long before Em’s collaboration with Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie,” hits No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Alex Da Kid production sold 338,000 downloads to debut at No. 1 on the Digital Songs chart. His first single “Not Afraid” narrowly surpassed that figure with 379,000 in May.