Weird Al Yankovic has never had a No. 1 album — until possibly now.
Weird Al Yankovic‘s eight music videos in eight days promotional tactic may pay dividends: the parody genius is in the hunt to score his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart.
Yankovic’s chief competitor is Jason Mraz’s “Yes!” Regardless of who wins, it will be the victor’s first time atop of the charts.
See video: ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Bitches About ‘First World Problems’ in Newest ‘Mandatory Fun’ Song
“Mandatory Fun,” released on July 15, is forecasted to sell more than 80,000 copies in its debut week, Billboard reports. That would be Yankovic’s best opening week since Nielsen SoundScan starting tracking sales in 1991. Mraz’s album is expected to sell 75,000 to 80,000 for the week ending Sunday.
As of right now, however, Mraz is in first, according to SoundScan’s Building chart. The early ranker counts sales for the first four days of a sales week as reported by six major merchants: iTunes, Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Starbucks, Target and Anderson Merchandisers. Billboard estimates that they make up about 85 percent of all U.S. album sales.
See video: ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Spoofs Robin Thicke, Online Illiteracy With ‘Word Crimes’
Mraz’s last album, 2012’s “Love Is a Four Letter Word,” reached second place on the Top 200. It was his third Top 10 album.
Yankovic’s had two Top 10 hits, first charting in May 1983 with his self-titled album, which contained his first Billboard Hot 100 hit, “Ricky.” Yankovic’s highest-charting album to-date is his most recent one, 2011’s “Alpocalypse,” which debuted and peaked at No. 9.
See video: Weird Al Parodies Stupid Sports Anthems With ‘Sports Song’
Projected to be third and fourth on next week’s Billboard 200 are Rise Against’s “The Black Market” and the new “Kidz Bop 26” album. They’re expected to bow to 60,000 and 50,000 sales, respectively.
