Godsmack ruled the U.S. charts this week, selling 211,000 copies of their fourth studio album, "IV," according to Nielsen SoundScan. This makes for the Boston new metal outfit's fourth Top Five album and second chart-topper, according to RollingStone.com.
Blocked from the top spot were Long Island emo rockers Taking Back Sunday, whose third effort and major-label debut, "Louder Now," moved 158,000 CDs. But this is still the band's highest chart position to date: Their 2004 breakthrough, "Where You Want to Be," peaked at Number Three.
Meanwhile,
Bruce Springsteen suffered sharply lower first-week sales for his new disc. His moving collection of Pete Seeger-inspired folk ballads, "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions," placed at Number Three (149,000).
Next week expect the self-titled Pearl Jam album -- the politically conscious rock band's first record in four years -- to bow high.
As for Godsmack, the group begins its world tour on June 10 in Canada and will spend much of the summer in Europe before returning to the U.S. for fall dates.
