The Weeknd nets biggest sales week of the year with After Hours’ No. 1 debut

The Weeknd's latest album, After Hours, has debuted at No. 1, according to Billboard. Pulling in 444,000 equivalent album units and a staggering 275,000 in pure sales, the feat also marks the year's biggest first-week sales for an album and the Weeknd's fourth No. 1 release; a feat it would have accomplished based on streaming numbers alone.

This also saw the biggest first-week sales for The Weeknd across his releases, beating out the 412,000 units that Beauty Behind the Madness pulled in back in 2015. After Hours sales were likely driven by the live show ticket sale redemption for The Weeknd's upcoming After Hours tour that accompanied the purchase of the album. The tour is set to kick off in June but with shows, festivals, and other events throughout the Spring and Summer facing cancellations and rescheduling in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there's a strong possibility this may change.

Boasting production from Metro Boomin, Frank Dukes, Max Martin and more, its first single "Heartless" topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts back in December