Bruno Mars has returned to the top of the Billboard 200 after more than a decade. His new album The Romantic debuts at No. 1 on this week’s chart, marking the Grammy-winning singer’s first chart-topping release in nearly 13 years.
The Romantic opened with 186,000 equivalent album units in the United States during its first week. The achievement gives Mars his second No. 1 album overall and his first since Unorthodox Jukebox reached the top spot in March 2013.
Notably, The Romantic becomes the first album by Mars to debut directly at No. 1. His previous chart leader, Unorthodox Jukebox, initially entered the chart below the summit before eventually climbing to the top nearly three months after release.
The new album also extends Mars’ track record on the Billboard 200, earning him five top-10 albums across his career. His chart history includes Doo-Wops & Hooligans (No. 2 in 2010), 24K Magic (No. 2 in 2016), and the collaborative project An Evening With Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak, which peaked at No. 2 in 2021.
As reported by Billboard, Mars’ return to the top carries additional chart significance. His nearly 13-year gap between No. 1 albums represents the longest break for a living solo male artist to reclaim the top position since Paul McCartney reached No. 1 in 2018 with Egypt Station, more than three decades after his previous chart-topping record Tug of War in 1982.
Elsewhere on this week’s Billboard 200, Gorillaz secure their sixth top-10 album as The Mountain debuts at No. 7 with 53,000 equivalent album units.
BLACKPINK also enter the top tier, as their latest project Deadline debuts at No. 8 with 52,000 equivalent album units. The group’s new release becomes their third top-10 album on the Billboard 200.
Rounding out the top 10 is Mitski, whose album Nothing’s About to Happen to Me enters at No. 10 with roughly 43,000 equivalent album units.
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