Billboard 200 Albums (March 7-14, 2012)

Adele's "21" album clocks a 23rd week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling 247,000 copies this week (down 17%) according to Nielsen SoundScan. It's the longest-running No. 1 since Prince & the Revolution's "Purple Rain" soundtrack scored 24 weeks at No. 1 in 1984 and 1985.
"21's" year-to-date sales now stand at 2.07 million (by far 2012's top album). Well behind in second place among the best-sellers this year is Whitney Houston's "Whitney: The Greatest Hits," with 527,000 sold.
The last time an album sold over 2 million copies this early in a year was in 2003, when 50 Cent's just-released "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'" blew through 2.6 million by March 2.
As "21" was released more than a year ago, its 2012 sales are all the more impressive. Reaching back further in the archives, the last time a months-old album rang up 2 million this fast was in 2001, when Shaggy's "Hotshot" album moved 2.12 million (through March 4).
"Hotshot" was first released in August of 2000, and in early 2001, Shaggy was riding high on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with two No. 1s: "It Wasn't Me" and "Angel."
Getting back to this week's Billboard 200, however, Adele leads a relatively quiet chart, as there is only one debut in the top 10. "WZRD," the collaborative album from Kid Cudi and producer Dot da Genius, bows at No. 3 with 66,000. It trails Houston's "Greatest Hits" at No. 2 with 112,000 (down 36%).
The "Now 41" compilation is up a slot to No. 4 (46,000; down 15%), "The Bodyguard" soundtrack also rises a rung to No. 5 (43,000; down 9%) and Tyga's "Careless World" slips two to No. 6 (37,000; down 39%). Adele's "19" holds at No. 7 (just under 37,000; down 6%), Drake's "Take Care" climbs 13-8 (29,000; up 13%) and Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" zips 14-9 (25,000; up 9%). Houston's "Whitney Houston" rounds out the top 10, falling one to No. 10 (25,000; down 15%).
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1. ADELE,"21" - 247,000 (-17%)
2. Whitney Houston, "Greatest Hits" 112,000 (-36%)
3. WZRD, "WZRD" - 66,00 (NEW)
4. Now 41, "Compilation" - 46,000 (-15%)
5. Whitney Houston, "The Bodyguard" - 43,000 (-9%)
6. Tyga,"Careless World" - 37,000 (-39%)
7. ADELE, "19" - 37,000 (-6%)
8. Drake, "Take Care" - 29,000 (+13%)
9. Rihanna, "Talk That Talk" - 25,000 (+9%)
10. Whitney Houston, "Whitney Houston" - 25,000 (-15%)