Bruce Springsteen becomes 1st artist to have a top 5 album in last 6 decades

By Matt Friedlander

Bruce Springsteen has made Billboard chart history, thanks to his latest studio album, "Letter to You," which debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

The Boss now is the first artist to have top-five albums on the tally in each of the last six decades -- the 1970s, '80s, '90s, 2000s, '10s and '20s.

"Letter to You" earned 96,000 equivalent album units during its first week of release, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, 92,000 of which were from album sales.

This marks the most a Springsteen album has sold in a week since his 2014 record "High Hopes" sold 99,000 copies during its first week out in February of that year.

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"Letter to You" also premiered at No. 1 on Billboard's Vinyl Albums chart after selling 18,000 copies in the format and becomes Springsteen's 21st album overall to reach the top five of the Billboard 200. His first was 1975's "Born to Run," which peaked at No. 3.

Meanwhile, across the pond, "Letter to You' premiered at No. 1 on the U.K.'s Official Albums chart, becoming Springsteen's 12th album to top that tally.

With this achievement, The Boss also becomes the first solo artist to have a No. 1 album in the U.K. in five consecutive decades -- the '80s, '90s, '00s, '10s and '20s. Four other artists -- Paul McCartney, John Lennon, David Gilmour and Paul Weller -- also accomplished the feat, but not exclusively with their solo releases.

With 12 chart-toppers, Springsteen is now tied with Madonna for the second-most No. 1 albums in the U.K. Only Elvis Presley and Robbie Williams have more, with 13.