He joins a select club of acts with both country and dance chart successes.
DJ-producer-songwriter Diplo makes his first appearance on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart, as Chapter I: Snake Oil arrives at No. 7 on the list dated June 13.
In its first week, ending June 4, the LP (billed as by Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley; his birth name is Thomas Wesley Pentz) earned 14,000 equivalent album units, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
The 12-song set features acts with notable country chart histories, including Zac Brown, Thomas Rhett and Morgan Wallen, among other pop-leaning guests including Jonas Brothers and Julia Michaels.
Diplo has previously banked four top 10s on the Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart, including the three-week No. 1 Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü, which spent nearly two years on the tally in 2015-17.
Diplo, thus, joins an exclusive club of artists to inhabit the top 10 on both Top Country Albums (which began in January 1964) and Top Dance/Electronic Albums (which dates to June 2001). Shooter Jennings boasts one top 10 on each: Family Man reached No. 10 on the former in 2012 and Countach… (For Giorgio) hit No. 7 on the latter in 2016. Countach by Jennings, the son of country legend Waylon Jennings, includes an appearance by Marilyn Manson, as well as a remake of Limahl’s top 20 1985 Billboard Hot 100 hit “The Neverending Story.”
Plus, Miley Cyrus has appeared atop both lists, although in neither case under her own name: Her Disney alter ego Hannah Montana led Top Dance/Electronic Albums for seven weeks in 2008 with Hannah Montana 2: Non-Stop Dance Party, while Hannah Montana: The Movie ruled Top Country Albums for nine weeks in 2009. The latter is set is billed as a soundtrack and sports 13 songs by Cyrus/Montana, including her No. 4 Hot 100 hit “The Climb.”
Even the longest-reigning No. 1 in the history of the Hot Country Songs chart is by acts that have each graced the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs top 10: Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant to Be” ruled Hot Country Songs for 50 weeks in 2017-18. Rexha has tallied four top 10 collaborations on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and FGL has notched one: Hailee Steinfeld and Alesso’s “Let Me Go,” featuring FGL and Watt, rose to No. 2 in 2018.
The prolific Diplo has also infused charts as part of Major Lazer, which has scored six Top Dance/Electronic Albums top 10s, including two No. 1s; LSD (with Labrinth and Sia); and Silk City (with Mark Ronson).
