Imagine Dragons & Lecrae Albums Headed for Top 10 on Billboard 200

by Keith Caulfield, L.A.  |   September 08, 2012 9:55 EDT

After hitting the top 40 on the Billboard 200 last month with its EP "Continued Silence," rock band Imagine Dragons is on its way to the top five of the Billboard 200 with its first full length set, "Night Visions."

Industry sources suggest that the album may sell between 60,000 to 70,000 copies by week's end on Sept. 9. The new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 12.

Imagine Dragons Chat With Billboard

"Night Visions" is led by the hit single "It's Time," which reached No. 4 on the Alternative Songs chart in June. The tune has gained some high-profile placements in the trailer for the film "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and will be covered in the first episode of the new season of "Glee" (Sept. 13).

Meanwhile, Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae is on his way to a career-high week. His sixth studio album, "Gravity," looks like it will become his first top 10 set. Those in the know think it might move around 60,000 to 70,000 -- easily his best sales week yet. The artist has never sold more than 28,000 of any album in a single week (according to Nielsen SoundScan), nor gone any higher than No. 15 on the Billboard (with "Rehab: The Overdose" in 2011).

As for next week's No. 1 slot, Matchbox Twenty should easily claim its first chart-topper with "North." Sources are saying the effort will sell near 110,000.

Matchbox Twenty Q&A: 'We Had This No-Fear Rule'

On Nielsen SoundScan's Building chart (below), Matchbox Twenty is No. 1 while Imagine Dragons and Lecrae are Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week as reported by six major merchants.

As for the rest of the Building chart's top 10: Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" is No. 4, the "Now 43" album rests at No. 5 and Maroon 5's "Overexposed" is No. 6. Trey Songz's "Chapter V," fun.'s "Some Nights" and the Lumineers' self-titled album are in the Nos. 7-9 slots. Rounding out the top 10 is Two Door Cinema Club's new "Beacon."

Nielsen SoundScan Building ChartThe Building Chart reflects the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week (which ends Sunday) 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% of all U.S. album sales.

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Bubbling Under: Imagine Dragons On Fire

Each Friday, Chart Beat presents "Bubbling Under," a weekly look at new and noteworthy acts making their way toward Billboard chart success.

Up this week: Imagine Dragons, Wolf Gang, Kristen Kelly and Kevin McCall.

In just three months, Las Vegas rock band Imagine Dragons has gone from making its first appearance on a Billboard chart to reaching the top 10 on Alternative Songs (No. 10 this week) and Triple A (No. 8) with debut KIDinaKORNER/Interscope single "It's Time." On the Billboard 200, the band's Continued Silence EP debuts at No. 165. Following the release of the single's video, the band was spotlighted as MTV's PUSH artist of the week beginning April 16. The group plays the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Del., July 21. "There is something deeply personal and yet incredibly exciting about sharing new songs with a live audience for the first time," lead vocalist Dan Reynolds says. "We can't wait to have that communal experience."

U.K. rock artist Wolf Gang (given name Max McElligott) is on the verge of his Billboard chart debut, as his swirling, MGMT-esque single "The King and All His Men" (Elektra/Atlantic) is approaching the Alternative Songs chart. Among the outlets supporting the track are WFNX Boston, KNRK Portland, Ore., and KNND Seattle. The news gets even better for Wolf Gang: He'll open for Coldplay for 12 dates on the band's U.S. tour in June and July.

Kristen Kelly bullets at No. 47 on Country Songs with her major-label debut single, "Ex-Old Man" (Arista Nashville). The Lorena, Texas, native previously released two independent albums with duo-turned-group the Modern Day Drifters. Kelly's new album boasts format star power, as veteran Tony Brown and songwriter/artist Paul Overstreet are set to serve as co-producers. The set is expected this fall.

Kevin McCall, the name associated with Chris Brown's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs hits "Deuces" and "Strip" as a featured artist, is flirting with the chart's border with "Naked," his debut single as a lead. McCall is signed to RCA and Chris Brown Entertainment, the latter singer's management brand. "Naked," which features Big Sean, debuts on the survey's Bubbling Under chart at No. 7, rising by a chunky 83% in audience, according to Nielsen BDS.

Reporting by Keith Caulfield, Wade Jessen, Karinah Santiago and Gary Trust of the Billboard charts department

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