'Twilight' Bumps AC/DC From Atop Billboard 200

November 12, 2008 , 11:10 AM ET
Katie Hasty, N.Y.

The soundtrack to "Twilight" starts atop The Billboard 200 this week, becoming the third No. 1 soundtrack this year after "Juno" and "Mamma Mia!"

The Chop Shop/Atlantic set moved 165,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, 29% of which (48,000) were digital downloads, the second biggest digital week for a soundtrack since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking album download sales in 2004. "High School Musical 2 bowed with 62,000 downloads in August 2007.

"Twilight," released in advance of the movie's U.S. theatrical premiere on Nov. 21, boasts tracks from Linkin Park, Muse and Paramore. It's based on the popular vampire-themed book series from author Stephenie Meyer.

Last week's No. 1, AC/DC's "Black Ice" (Columbia), drops to No. 2 with 160,000 on a sales decrease of 41%. The soundtrack to Disney's "High School Musical 3" stays tight at No. 3 for a second week with a 32% slip to 110,000.

Moving 81,000, Hinder's sophomore Universal album "Take It to the Limit" bows at No. 4, besting the No. 6 peak of the band's 2005 debut, "Extreme Behavior." However, that effort ended up spending a whopping 96 weeks on the chart on its way to 2.7 million in sales.

Pink's LaFace/Zomba set "Funhouse" falls 2-5 with 73,000 (-60%), while John Legend's Columbia set "Evolver" is down 4-6 with 72,000 (-46%). Despite a 10% sales slip, T.I.'s Grand Hustle/Atlantic album "Paper Trail" keeps the No. 7 spot warm for a second week with 69,000.

Italian vocalist Andrea Bocelli arrives at No. 8 with "Incanto" (Decca), shifting 62,000. His last studio effort, "Amore," began at No. 3 with 113,000 in 2006.

Brad Paisley's mostly instrumental Arista Nashville album "Play" starts at No. 9 with 54,000. On Top Country Albums, it arrives at No. 1, Paisley's fourth chart-topper there. Rascal Flatts' "Greatest Hits Volume 1" (Lyric Street) rounds out the top tier on the 200, slipping 6-10 with 39,000 (-56%).

Other debuts this week include Sarah Brightman's "A Winter Symphony" (Manhattan/EMI) at No. 38 with 14,000 and the Starbucks holiday compilation "Winter Wonderland" at No. 42 with 12,000.

Album sales this week came in at 7.02 million units, up 1% from last issue's charts and down 29% from same week last year.