Justin Timberlake‘s “The 20/20 Experience” was the bestselling album of 2013 according to Nielsen SoundScan, and Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” topped the singles sales chart.
“The 20/20 Experience,” which was released on March 19, 2013, sold 2.43 million copies by year’s end. That figure only counts sales of the first album – Timberlake released the less successful “The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2” in September and later re-released both albums as a two-disc package.
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While “20/20” was the only album in 2013 to sell more than 2 million copies, it was the lowest top-selling album in the 22-year history of SoundScan tracking. The previous low was in 2008, when Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter III” topped sales charts with only 2.87 million albums sold.
Billboard notes that these are also the only two albums to top the sales chart with fewer than 3 million copies sold.
On the singles side, Robin Thicke’s controversial “Blurred Lines,” featuring Pharrell and T.I. sold 6.5 million copies. That figure puts the song at the top of the charts historically – only 26 songs have topped 6 million annual sales since SoundScan started keeping records in 1991.
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The 2013 sales tracking year began on Dec. 31, 2012 ended on Dec. 29, 2013.
The full top charts:
ALBUM
1. “The 20/20 Experience” – Justin Timberlake – 2.43 million
2. “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” – Eminem – 1.73
3. “Crash My Party – Luke Bryan – 1.52
4. “Night Visions” – Imagine Dragons – 1.4
5. “Unorthodox Jukebox” – Bruno Mars – <1.4
6. “Here’s to the Good Times” – Florida Georgia Line – 1.35
7. “Nothing Was the Same” – Drake – 1.34
8. “Beyonce” – Beyonce – 1.3
9. “Based On a True Story” – Blake Shelton – 1.11
10. “Magna Carta…Holy Grail” – Jay Z – 1.1
SINGLE
1. “Blurred Lines” – Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I. – 6.5 million
2. “Thrift Shop” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – 6.15
3. “Radioactive” – Imagine Dragons – 5.5
4. “Cruise” – Florida Georgia Line – 4.69
5. “Royals” – Lorde – 4.42
6. “Roar” – Katy Perry – 4.41
7. “Just Give Me a Reason” – P!nk feat. Nate Ruess – 4.32
8. “Can’t Hold Us” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – 4.26
9. “When I Was Your Man” – Bruno Mars – 3.93
10. “Stay” – Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko – 3.85