Grammys Boost Album Sales: Top Chart Moves, Debuts, and Notable Moments
The Grammys had a clear impact on this week’s album chart, reshuffling positions and sending sales spikes to several artists. Adele remains the dominant force at the top of the chart despite a dramatic live-moment that drew headlines. Her album continues to sell strongly and holds the number one slot.
Live performances at the awards show translated into significant gains for multiple artists. Chris Stapleton benefited from his live exposure, leaping from eighth to second on the chart as listeners responded to his rising popularity. Justin Bieber saw a surge in buyers despite mixed critical reactions to his performance—he appeared on both best and worst lists in reviews, but nonetheless increased sales and moved into the top five. Taylor Swift also enjoyed a post-Grammy lift, accelerating into the top ten at number seven.
The Weeknd and Sam Hunt recorded notable jumps as well. The Weeknd’s party-ready set helped push his album into the top ten at number nine, while Sam Hunt moved impressively from 29th to 10th, showing how awards-week visibility can renew interest across genres. Kendrick Lamar, whose album nearly fell out of the top 50 the previous week, climbed back up to number 11 following widespread critical praise for his Grammy appearance.
Top Debut: Joey + Rory
The week’s highest new entry belongs to Joey + Rory, a country husband-and-wife duo who released their album independently on their own label. The couple first appeared on the CMT duet competition show “Can You Duet” in 2008, finishing third; Rory has also written a number one hit for another artist. This new album is projected to top the Christian music chart while landing at number two on the Country chart, a meaningful achievement for an independent release.
The release carries added poignancy: Joey is facing terminal cancer and is currently in hospice care, and the couple are parents to a two-year-old daughter. The album’s success has resonated with fans and listeners, who have rallied around the duo during a difficult time.
Other Notable Entries and Movements
Several other artists benefited from awards-season attention or related compilation exposure. Carrie Underwood received a Grammy boost that helped her album Storyteller rise to number 22, and she also appears on the Grammy compilation album, which sits at number six this week. Tori Kelly’s well-received Grammy performance brought her back into the top 50 at number 35. One Direction holds steady at number 42, and last year’s American Idol winner Nick Fradiani appears on the Now 56 compilation, which charted at number 43.
Social Media Moment: Pizza Hut UK and Kanye West
In a lighter pop-culture moment, Pizza Hut UK poked fun at Kanye West on Twitter regarding his reported financial troubles. The brand’s tweets suggested he try baking rather than seeking money, playfully offering a job start time in jest. The exchange became a small social media story around the same time the charts were reacting to awards-week activity.
This Week’s Sales Chart (HDD Sales Chart, 89% Reporting)
Rank Previous Artist / Title / Label / Sales 1 2 ADELE - 25 (XL / COLUMBIA) 85,481 2 8 CHRIS STAPLETON - TRAVELLER (MERCURY) 32,622 3 5 NOW 57 - VARIOUS ARTISTS (NOW/LEGACY) 31,905 4 9 JUSTIN BIEBER - PURPOSE (DEF JAM) 26,518 5 — JOEY + RORY - HYMNS (FARMHOUSE) 23,874 6 14 2016 GRAMMY NOMINEES (VARIOUS / REPUBLIC) 23,713 [Carrie Underwood] 7 18 TAYLOR SWIFT - 1989 (BIG MACHINE) 20,070 8 7 RIHANNA - ANTI (WESTBURY ROAD/ROC NATION) 18,782 9 15 THE WEEKND - BEAUTY BEHIND THE MADNESS 17,730 10 29 SAM HUNT - MONTEVALLO (MCA NASHVILLE) 15,942 11 47 KENDRICK LAMAR - TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY 15,895 ... 22 — Daughtry - IT’S NOT OVER? THE HITS SO FAR 9,190 27 36 CARRIE UNDERWOOD - STORYTELLER 7,037 35 — TORI KELLY - UNBREAKABLE SMILE 4,743 42 38 ONE DIRECTION - MADE IN THE A.M. 4,030 43 43 NOW 56 - VARIOUS ARTISTS 4,015 [Nick Fradiani] 50 — ED SHEERAN - X (ASYLUM UK) 3,546
Overall, the Grammys served as a reminder that televised events and high-profile performances can quickly affect consumer behavior and streaming habits. Established stars like Adele and Taylor Swift remain reliable sellers, while award-week attention and heartfelt stories helped independent and legacy artists make notable chart gains. The mix of critical response, live performance energy, and social media chatter all contributed to a dynamic week on the album chart.