Will Madonna or 'Empire' Top the Billboard 200?

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Will Madonna or Empire Top the Billboard 200?
Rebel Heart and the Empire soundtrack battle it out for the top of the music charts.
 Neal BrovermanUPDATED
          
Nov 17, 2015
Neal Broverman
Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.
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Madonna is competing with one of TV's most popular shows to have another notch in her belt.
The Queen of Pop's 13th album, Rebel Heart, is battling the soundtrack for Empire for the top spot on the Billboard 200. And it looked like Madonna was coming out ahead... until Wednesday. Billboard reports that Empire actually bested Madonna, with estimated sales of 130,000 for the former and 120,000 for the latter. Rebel Heart is Madonna's first album to not debut at number one since 1998's Ray of Light, when the Titantic soundtrack took the top spot. 
Madonna is pushing her album by appearing on Ellen every day this week. On Monday, she performed "Living for Love" with a little assist from DeGeneres. Click here to watch.

        
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Will Madonna or Empire Top the Billboard 200?

Rebel Heart and the Empire soundtrack battle it out for the top of the music charts.

The Latest

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The Republican-led legislation places the state increasingly out of step with the rest of New England on trans rights.

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The longtime California Republican congressman is packing it up.

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Will Madonna or Empire Top the Billboard 200?

Rebel Heart and the Empire soundtrack battle it out for the top of the music charts.

FROM OUR SPONSORS

The Latest

Rep. John McGuire’s proposed Riley Gaines Act would allow athletes to sue colleges that permit transgender women to compete in women’s sports.

The Republican-led legislation places the state increasingly out of step with the rest of New England on trans rights.

The longtime California Republican congressman is packing it up.

A queer Black writer reflects on Rev. Jesse Jackson’s evolving relationship with LGBTQ+ people — and what it meant for those of us raised in the Black church.

LGBTQ+ stories deserve to betold.

More For You

Most Popular

Conservative lawmakers are attempting to take away protections that some local governments have put in place to prevent discrimination against their LGBTQ+ citizens.

Opinion: Proximity to (and even building) misogynistic machinery will not protect you, writes contributor Josh Ackley.

On Truth Social, the president appeared to leave the door open to kids getting gender-affirming care with "express written approval of the parents."

Ludovic Mbock’s Maryland family is worried that he will be sent to a country where homosexuality is illegal.

These celebrities brought the sex appeal in their steamy videos this year.

The gay icon brought the LGBTQ+ awards show to its feet.