Drake”s ‘Nothing Was The Same’ Debuts at #1, Sells 658,000 Copies

The wait is over people! And if you ever had a doubt that it would happen, despite being leaked roughly two weeks before its official release date, then you should be ashamed!

Drake ‘s third studio album, Nothing Was the Same , has debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart with sales of 658,000 copies in its first week, which ended on Sunday, September 29th.

The album serves as the second largest sales week of the year (so far) only behind Justin Timberlake ‘s third studio album The 20/20 Experience , which was released in March with sales of 968,000 copies.

NWTS also gives the Canadian singer and rapper his best sales week ever. His second studio album, 2011′s Take Care , debuted at #1 with 631,000 copies in it’s first week.

While his debut studio album, 2010′s Thank Me Later , bowed at #1 with 447,000 copies. His EP, 2009′s So Far Gone , debuted and peaked at #6 with 73,000 copies in its opening frame.

The release is also the biggest week for any rap album since September of 2011, when Lil Wayne ‘s Tha Carter IV debuted at #1 with 964,000.

Watch: Drake – “Hold On We’re Going Home” Official Music Video

Drake isn’t the only artist who has reason to celebrate this week though. Coming in at #2 is Kings of Leon ‘s Mechanical Bull , with sales of 110,000 copies.

The album is the band’s third top 10 album following 2010′s Come Around Sundown , which debuted and peaked at #2 with 184,000 copies, and 2008′s Only by the Night , which debuted at #5 with 74,000.

Watch: Kings of Leon – “Supersoaker” Official Music Video

Debuting at #3 is Cher , whose career spans six decades and who earned the highest charting album of her solo career with her 26th release, Closer to the Truth , which has sold 63,000 copies.

Until this week, Cher had never passed the #4 position, though her 1965 album with then husband Sonny Bono , Look at Us peaked at #2.

Watch: Cher – “Woman’s World” Official Lyric Video

Right behind Cher is another entertainment icon, Elton John with his 18th top 10 album, The Diving Board , debuting at #47, with 47,000 copies.

Take a look at the full top 10 list below:

1. Drake – Nothing Was the Same 658,000
2. Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull 110,000
3. Cher – Closer to the Truth 63,000
4. Elton John – The Diving Board 47,000
5. Jack Johnson’s – From Here to Now to You 37,000
6. Luke Bryan’s – Crash My Party 36,000
7. Dream Theater – Dream Theater 34,000
8. Krewella – “Get Wet 27,000
9. Metallica – Metallica: Through the Never 26,000
10. Justin Moore’s – Off the Beaten Path 25,000