Paul McCartney is back on the Billboard charts this week with a brand-new title. Well…at least it’s new to the rankings, but fans of the rocker know that his latest collection isn’t actually “new.”
The former Beatle’s One Hand Clapping debuts on five charts in the U.S. this week. The title is credited to McCartney and his band Wings, with whom he released music for several years after leaving the band that made him a superstar.
The set opens highest in America on the Top Album Sales chart, which ranks only the bestselling projects in the country. On that purchase-focused roster, McCartney and Wings start at No. 8. In its first tracking frame of availability, the title sold a little more than 12,500 copies, according to data shared by Luminate.
One Hand Clapping also manages to launch inside the top 10 on one other ranking. The title is new at No. 10 on the Vinyl Albums chart, as it was made available to purchase on the format at the same time it was uploaded to digital download stores and streaming platforms. McCartney’s latest kicks off its time on that tally at No. 10.
The same release also launches inside the top 20 on two closely-related charts. One Hand Clapping is new at No. 15 on the Top Rock Albums list this week. At the same time, it opens at No. 19 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums roster.
One Hand Clapping earns its lowest debut on the Billboard 200. That’s not entirely shocking, as it’s the most competitive ranking for albums published by Billboard, as it uses a methodology that combines streams and sales. On that list, McCartney and Wings’ new set starts at No. 74.
In its first seven-day tracking frame, One Hand Clapping moved just over 13,300 equivalent units. It’s clear that almost all of those were actual sales, based on its performance on the Top Album Sales chart. Streams did play a role in its success, though, as they added nearly 1,000 additional units to its first-week sum.
One Hand Clapping was originally recorded in the summer of 1974. It wasn’t released until just short of half a century afterward, and it’s quite clear that McCartney’s fan base was eager to hear the collection after so much time.
