Last week, rock band Brand New celebrated a major victory, as their fifth (and perhaps final) record Science Fiction topped the Billboard 200, giving the once-underground act their first chart-owner. The album itself was unexpected and came with little warning, so the fact that it reached No. 1 was truly a triumph, and longtime fans of the group were ecstatic.
Now, just a week later, things are looking pretty rough for Science Fiction, and the acclaimed full-length has now earned itself a rather dubious spot in the annals of the U.S. albums charts.
Science Fiction now holds the distinction as the album with the farthest fall from the peak position on the Billboard 200. The rock LP plummeted from No. 1 to No. 97 in just its second week, which isn’t just a new worst second-frame showing, it outpaces the former owner of this record by an enormous margin.
Before this week, the album that was on top when it comes to this specific achievement (if one can even call it that) was This House Is Not For Sale by fellow rockers Bon Jovi. That record, the group’s thirteenth, led the Billboard 200 for one frame back in December of 2016, and immediately afterward it seemed to disappear. In its second showing, the title faltered to No. 43, which stood as the record until now.
With a descent of 96 positions, compared to Bon Jovi’s 42 slots, Science Fiction’s charting position is essentially twice as bad as This House Is Not For Sale when looking at just their second weeks, and there’s no telling how much longer the recent chart-topper can hold on. Without a single being pushed to rock stations and the quartet’s fan base seemingly satisfied with their purchases and streams, the recent release could disappear off the ranking entirely in a week or two, which is unheard of for a piece of music once popular enough to top the listing.
This week’s albums ranking is a reminder that especially in today’s musical economy, just because something debuts high and enjoys an impressive opening frame, that doesn’t mean it’s the smash success it may first appear to be.
