Jussie Smollett is a chart-topper…
The 31-year-old Brazilian actor/singer and the stars of Fox‘s Empire have reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as the breakout hit series’ soundtrack debuts atop the list.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).
The Empire soundtrack was released March 10 through Columbia Records and bows at the top spot with 130,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending March 15, according to Nielsen Music.
It’s the first television soundtrack to debut at No. 1 since 2010, when three different Glee albums arrived atop the list.
Empire features contributions from its newcomer cast, like Smollett, as well as hitmakers like Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Estelle, Rita Ora, Juicy J and Courtney Love (all of which have guest-starred on the show).
Empire earned 17,000 units from track equivalent albums (thanks to the strong performance of the set’s multiple Billboard Hot 100 hit singles like “You’re So Beautiful” and “Conqueror“), while it tallied another 3,000 units from streaming equivalent albums.
Also helping matters: During release week, Smollett performed on TV’s The Ellen DeGeneres Show (March 9) and on Fox’s American Idol three days later (joined by fellow cast member Yazz).
