Blake Shelton’s first studio album in four years, For Recreational Use Only, debuts in the top 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales (No. 6), Top Country Albums (No. 8) and Independent Albums (No. 8) charts (all dated May 24). It’s his first studio set since Body Language, which was released in May of 2021.
The new project is also his first with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville (via Ten Point Productions/Wheelhouse Records), after a career with Warner Music Nashville. Shelton signed to BBR/BMG Nashville in September 2024.
On Top Country Albums, the set lands Shelton his 18th top 10 – all of which have come since 2001. Notably, this century (2000-present), only six total acts have tallied at least 18 top 10s: Shelton and Tim McGraw have 18 each, while Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait are all tied with 20 each.
Over on Top Album Sales, For Recreational Use Only marks Shelton’s 18th top 10-charting set (it launches with 10,500 copies sold in the United States in the week ending May 15, according to Luminate).
Elsewhere in the top 10 of the all-genre Top Album Sales chart, five more titles debut in the region, including the No. 1 debut from Sleep Token’s Even in Arcadia.
Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album (TEA) units and streaming equivalent album (SEA) units.
As earlier noted, Sleep Token’s Even in Arcadia debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales. The set, the band’s first leader, launches with 73,500 copies sold – the group’s best sales week ever. Kali Uchis’ Sincerely, debuts at No. 2 with 38,000 copies sold – marking the third top 10 for the singer. P1Harmony collect its fourth top 10 as DUH! debuts at No. 3 with 22,000 sold. The Weeknd’s chart-topping Hurry Up Tomorrow rallies 35-4 with 15,000 sold (up 540%) after new vinyl and CD editions of the album were released. Forrest Frank rounds out the top 10, and secures his second top 10 (and first top five set) as Child of God II debuts at No. 5 with 12,000 sold.
PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U reenters the chart at No. 7 with 9,000 sold (up 8,558%) after its vinyl release, Kendrick Lamar’s former leader GNX falls 7-8 (7,000; up 5%), Ghost’s chart-topping Skeletá slips 5-9 (6,500; down 37%) and Arcade Fire’s Pink Elephant bows at No. 10 with 6,000 sold (notching the band its sixth top 10).
