"Right" Makes Might: Nickelback at No. 1

10/12/2005 3:34 PM, E! Online
David Jenison

It's good to be right, but it's even better to be right at number one.

Nickelback's new album, All the Right Reasons, just became the band's first ever chart-topper. Powered by the number one rock radio single "Photograph," All The Right Reasons took the top spot on the Billboard 200, selling nearly 325,000 copies for the week ended Sunday, according to the latest Nielsen SoundScan figures. The new single is also the number one download at iTunes for three weeks running.

Though this marks their first number one album, the Canadian rockers sold several million copies of their previous discs. In fact, the band recently received plaques for Silver Side Up (six-times platinum, for 6 million copies shipped), The Long Road (three-times platinum) and The Videos--DVD (platinum).

Nickelback led five Top 10 bows this week, as Twista, Sara Evans, Fiona Apple and Franz Ferdinand all checked in with big numbers.

Chi-town rapper Twista, who made a huge comeback last year with Kamikaze, scored the week's next best bow as The Day After sold nearly 129,000 copies at number two. Twista, the Carl Lewis of the microphone (he holds the Guinness World Record as the fastest rapper), is currently tongue-twisting the airwaves with "Girl Tonite," featuring Trey Songz.

Country star Evans, an alumna of People Most Beautiful list, sparkled her way to number three with Real Fine Place selling 126,000 copies. The Missouri-born songbird previously broke big with her albums Restless and Born to Fly, with the latter earning a CMA Album of the Year nomination in 2001.

With her first new album in six years, temperamental singer Apple landed the highest chart debut of her career. Extraordinary Machine, the subject of a much hyped "Free Fiona" campaign after an early version leaked on the Internet last year, sold 94,000 copies to open at seven.

Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand also scored a career best with You Could Have It So Much Better selling 81,000 discs at eight. The band, which broke through with last year's eponymous release, is currently atop the charts in its native U.K.

With three new albums taking the top three spots, last week's chart-topper, Gretchen Wilson's All Jacked Up, was jacked down to number four. The other holdovers were Sheryl Crow's Wildflower at five, Kanye West's Late Registration at six and the Black Eyed Peas' Monkey Business at nine.

Meanwhile, in its 10th week, Faith Hill's Fireflies rocketed up 30 spots to reenter the Top 10 at 10. The sexy singer, who recently hit number one at country radio with "Mississippi Girl," got a boost from appearances last week on Oprah and Good Morning America. Hill is also slated to perform at next month's Country Music Awards in New York.

Narrowly missing the Top 10 was Trina's Glamorest Life, selling 77,000 copies at 11. Gospel great Kirk Franklin opened strong at 13 with Hero, nosing out Melissa Etheridge's The Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled at 14. Shinedown's Us & Them and Chris Cagle's Anywhere But Here also finished neck and neck, with a mere 145 copies separating them as they opened at 23 and 24, respectively.

Other noteworthy debuts included O.A.R.'s Stories of a Stranger at 39, the Deftones' B-Sides & Rarities at 42, Cross Canadian Ragweed's Garage at 44, Liz Phair's Somebody's Miracle at 46, Atmosphere's You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having at 66, Simple Plan's Live from the Hard Rock at 119 and the Best of Snoop Dogg smoking things up at 121.

Here's a recap of last week's Top 10 albums:

1. All the Right Reasons, Nickelback
2. The Day After, Twista
3. Real Fine Place, Sara Evans
4. All Jacked Up, Gretchen Wilson
5. Wildflower, Sheryl Crow
6. Late Registration, Kanye West
7. Extraordinary Machine, Fiona Apple
8. You Could Have It So Much Better, Franz Ferdinand
9. Monkey Business, Black Eyed Peas
10. Fireflies, Faith Hill