Louis Tomlinson’s second solo album Faith in the Future debuts at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales (dated Nov. 26), scoring the pop star his highest-charting set yet on the list, and best sales week (37,500 sold in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 17, according to Luminate).

Faith in the Future also bows at No. 2 on Top Current Album Sales, Independent Albums and Vinyl Albums, No. 3 on Tastemaker Albums and No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Top Current Album Sales lists the week’s best-selling current (not catalog, or older albums) albums by traditional album sales. Independent Albums reflects the week’s most popular albums, by units, released by independent record labels.  Vinyl Albums tallies the top-selling vinyl albums of the week. Tastemaker Albums ranks the week’s best-selling albums at independent and small chain record stores.

Of Faith in the Future’s 37,500 sold, physical sales comprise 31,500 (with 16,500 on vinyl; 14,000 on CD and 1,000 on cassette) and digital album download sales comprise 6,000.

Faith’s first-week sales figure was bolstered by its availability across multiple collectible physical variants of the album. It was issued in 10 vinyl variants (including exclusive editions for Amazon and Barnes & Noble; as well as two indie retail-exclusive versions, one of which was signed), four CD variants (including a deluxe Zine/CD package, a Target-exclusive edition with two bonus tracks and a lenticular cover, and a signed Newbury Comics-exclusive CD) and three cassette tapes.

The set was preceded by the single “Bigger Than Me,” which became Tomlinson’s fourth solo hit on the Pop Airplay chart (outside his tenure in One Direction).

At No. 1 on Top Album Sales is Taylor Swift’s Midnights, which spends a fourth straight week atop the list (60,000 sold; down 36%).

Bruce Springsteen’s new covers set Only the Strong Survive enters at No. 3 on Top Album Sales with 37,000 sold. It’s the 17th top 10 for Springsteen since the list launched in 1991. The Beatles’ Revolver falls 3-4 with 10,000 sold (down 31%).

Nas’ King’s Disease III bows at No. 5 with a little more than 8,000 sold (his 16th top 10) and GloRilla’s Anyways, Life’s Great… starts at No. 6 with 8,000.

Louis Armstrong’s holiday compilation Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule rings in at No. 7 with 7,500 copies sold. It’s the legend’s first top 10 on the 31-year-old chart. The new 11-track set is promoted as Armstrong’s “first-ever Christmas album,” though the late artist (who died in 1971) has previously released a number of holiday compilations alongside other acts that feature most of the album’s tracks (such as Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella & Louis Christmas). Notably, Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule includes a previously unreleased recording from Armstrong, “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (also known as “The Night Before Christmas”), recorded shortly before his death. It is his first newly released track in over 20 years.

Louis Wishes You a Cool Yule also debuts in the top 10 on Top Current Album Sales, Jazz Albums, Traditional Jazz Albums, Top Holiday Albums and Vinyl Albums. It also bows at No. 122 on the Billboard 200. (Jazz Albums, Traditional Jazz Albums and Top Holiday Albums rank the week’s most popular overall jazz, traditional jazz, and holiday albums, respectively, by equivalent album units.)

Rounding out the top 10 on the new Top Album Sales chart is Harry Styles’ former No. 1 Harry’s House (rising 11-8 with just over 7,000 sold; up 17%), Prince’s The Hits 2 (16-9 with 7,000; up 59%) and the Stranger Things: Season 4 soundtrack (4-10 with nearly 7,000 sold; down 51%).

In the week ending Nov. 17, there were 1.937 million albums sold in the U.S. (up 10.8% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.564 million (up 14.7%) and digital albums comprised 374,000 (down 3.1%).

There were 648,000 CD albums sold in the week ending Nov. 17 (up 2.7% week-over-week) and 903,000 vinyl albums sold (up 25.6%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 30.301 million (down 8.2% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 34.198 million (up 3.1%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 82.901 million (down 7.3% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 64.976 million (down 2.4%) and digital album sales total 17.955 million (down 21.6%).

Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda extend their perfect top 10 streak on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart as De Hoy En Adelante, Que Te Vaya Bien debuts at No. 8 on the Nov. 26-dated list. It’s the 10th consecutive top 10 for the act — the entirety of its chart entries.

The 12-track set was released Nov. 11 via Fonovisa/UMLE. After its first tracking week ending Nov. 17, De Hoy En Adelante generated 2,000 equivalent album units, according to Luminate. Most of the album’s opening sum derives from streaming equivalent album units. That equates to 3.04 million on-demand official U.S. streams generated for the songs on the album.

On the Regional Mexican Albums chart, each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

De Hoy En Adelante marks the return of the band to Regional Mexican Albums after a five-year hiatus, following the three-week champ Ni Diablo Ni Santo in June 2017. The new set comprises 11 songs plus a norteño cover of Mexican folk-alternative singer-songwriter Ed Maverick’s “Fuente de Ortiz” originally released in 2018.

De Hoy En Adelante adds a 10th straight top 10 to Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda’s career account on Regional Mexican Albums, including five No. 1s. Here’s the complete list including the new arrival:

Peak, Title, Ddate, Weeks at No. 1
No. 7, Ni Lo Intentes, Sept. 17, 2011,
No. 5, Márchate Y Olvídame, Dec. 17, 2011,
No. 1, En Vivo, Sept. 22, 2012, (2 Weeks)
No. 1, Tu Amigo Nada Mas, March 30, 2013, (1 Week)
No. 2, Soy Lo Que Quiero: Indispensable, Feb. 15, 2014,
No. 1, El Aferrado, April 11, 2015, (7 Weeks)
No. 2, Lecciones Para El Corazón, Oct. 3, 2015,
No. 1, Mis Ídolos, Hoy Mis Amigos!!!, April 30, 2016, (2 Weeks)
No. 1, Ni Diablo Ni Santo, June 17, 2017, (3 Weeks)
No. 8, De Hoy En Adelante, Que Te Vaya Bien, Nov. 26, 2022,

Elsewhere, De Hoy En Adelante starts at No. 38 on the all-Latin genre Top Latin Albums chart.

The album yields a No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay: “Que Te Vaya Bien” lifts 4-1 in its seventh week. It earns the band its eighth leader there.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

MasterClass is known for its highly rated online courses taught by some of the most talented creatives out there, including plenty of musicians with pricing usually starting at $15/month (billed annually) for an individual membership.

With the holidays right around the corner, MasterClass brought back its popular two-for-one deal for Black Friday, which gets you two unlimited MasterClass annual memberships for the price of one. The “buy one, get one” deal offers new members a subscription to gift to someone else. You have the option of purchasing two individual memberships for $15, two duo memberships for $20, or two family memberships for $23.

Keep reading for a roundup of incredible courses available on MasterClass, and sign up here or click the link below to join.

John Legend – Songwriting

In his class, Legend teaches members how to “capture experiences, convey feelings and inspire a movement through music.” With his hit songs “All of Me,” “Again” and “Dope” as case studies, the 12-time Grammy winner shares how he uses mumble tracks to write melodies and how he structures songs to tell a story. In the class, Legend also provides a behind-the-scenes look into how he and Common co-wrote the Oscar-winning song “Glory” from the Selma soundtrack.

“Songs are core to who we are and are such an important part of humanity,” the EGOT winner said in a statement after announcing his online courses over the summer. “My class will give you the tools to find your voice, figure out who you are and establish yourself with longevity so you can make a real impact through music.”

Mariah Carey – Using the Voice as an Instrument

From one Legend to another! Mariah Carey’s MasterClass teaches students how to use their voice as an instrument. In nine video lessons (1 hour and 44 minutes each), the Songbird shares how she uses her legendary voice to craft timeless songs, collaborate with other artists and produce. Students will also get to discover how some of her biggest hits were created.

“I’m super excited to share what I’ve been working on: my first-ever class on the voice as an instrument,” Carey wrote in an Instagram post announcing her MasterClass.

Questlove – DJing and Musical Curation

“To be honest with you, not drumming in the world’s funkiest group, not the book writing, not being on late night television — my first love is records,” the beloved Roots drummer — who’s won six Grammys and an Oscar — says in a two-minute trailer. “I’ve been listening and analyzing records since the age of five. I’ve never shared the method to my madness, or my secrets or creative process in DJing until right now.”

Alicia Keys – Songwriting and Producing

The 15-time Grammy Award winner knows a thing or two on how to capture hearts with song, and in her 19-lesson MasterClass, Keys breaks down some of her best-known hits like “Fallin’” to share how she “writes lyrics, crafts melodies, and explores sonics so you can discover the music you were born to make.”

Tom Morello – Electric Guitar

The two-time Grammy-winning artist behind Rage Against the Machine‘s wild guitar riffs is teaching everything from theory, gear, influences, recording and, of course, how to rock a solo in his first online class.

“I didn’t trust teachers, I didn’t trust politicians, I didn’t trust people on the evening news. I trusted music,” the rocker shares in the trailer. “The language of my life is written in rock ‘n roll, and punk rock and hip-hop.”

Hans Zimmer – Film Scoring

“In music, you’re basically having a conversation,” says the legendary composer behind more than 150 films, including Inception, The Lion King, and The Dark Knight.

For his 31-lesson course, the self-taught two-time Academy Award winner and four-time Grammy winner shares how he “creates sounds from nothing, composes compelling character themes, and scores a movie before ever seeing it.”

Reba McEntire – Country Music

For her MasterClass, the Oklahoma native — with three Grammys to her name — breaks down performance techniques, does case studies on her hits, shares how to build a career in country music and even delivers an emotional performance at the Grand Ole Opry.

Christina Aguilera – Singing

Who better to teach how to nail a vocal run than powerhouse five-time Grammy winner Xtina? Her 23-lesson class breaks down warm-up exercises, breath control, vibrato, her signature growls, expanding range, finding your voice, performance techniques and more.

“Technique is only a quarter of it,” she explains in the trailer. “Passion and drive is, like, 100% of it.”

Deadmau5 – Electronic Music Production

Deadmau5 — a six-time Grammy nominee — takes his mask off for his 23-lesson EDM course, which teaches theory, tips for building a home studio and “how he approaches melodies, mixing and mastering to make unique sounds you can’t find in a cookie cutter sample pack.”

Herbie Hancock – Jazz

In 25 lessons, the legendary jazz artist is teaching his secrets to mastering the compelling genre, including improvisation, learning by listening, piano basics, harmonies, musical emotion and more. Hancock — who has won 14 Grammys and one Oscar — is also offering original piano transcriptions, including five exclusive solo performances.

St. Vincent – Creativity and Songwriting

“If you have ears and ideas, you can make anything happen,” three-time Grammy winner St. Vincent teases in the trailer for her 16-lesson songwriting class, in which she breaks down every step in writing her song “Savior,” plus tips on how to “record music, write songs, improve your guitar skills, and embrace your vulnerability.”

Rauw Alejandro claims his fourth straight top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as Saturno debuts at No. 2 on the Nov. 26-dated ranking.

Saturno, released Nov. 11 via Sony Music Latin, starts with 19,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 17, according to Luminate. Most of the set’s opening sum comprises streaming activity, which equates to 25.63 million on-demand official streams of the album’s songs, while 500 units derive from album sales and track-equivalent album units.

On the multimetric Top Latin Albums chart, each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

The 18-track Saturno is a left turn for Rauw, as the set comprises rhythmic, dance and R&B-peppered tunes, as compared to its Latin trap predecessor, Trap Cake, Vol. 2. The latter reached No. 6 on Top Latin Albums.

In addition to his No. 2 on the Top Latin Albums chart, Saturno also debuts at No. 25 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Previously, Vice Versa took him to a No. 17 high there. Elsewhere, Saturno concurrently launches at No. 2 on Latin Rhythm Albums.

The new album was preceded by two songs on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart, starting with “Punto 40,” with Baby Rasta, which peaks at No. 11 on the current ranking as the Greatest Gainer/Streaming track of the week. “Lokera,” with Lyanno and Brray, meanwhile, holds at its No. 12 peak for a second week.

As Saturno arrives, four of the songs of the album debut on the airplay-, streaming data-, and digital sales-blended tally. Plus, “Dime Quién???” re-enters at a No. 36 high.

Here’s the full rundown of Rauw Alejandro’s appearances on Hot Latin Songs this week:

No. 11, “Punto 40,” with Baby Rasta
No. 12, “Lokera,” with Lyanno and Brray
No. 15, “Lejos del Cielo” (debut)
No. 36, “Dime Quién???”
No. 38, “Dejau’,” with DJ Playero
No. 40, “Gatas,” with Chris Palace
No. 44, “Que Rico Chi**gamos”

Further, one of the new seven recruits grants Rauw a sixth visit to the overall Billboard Hot 100 list: “Lokera” at No. 99.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

If you didn’t get a chance to shop tech discounts during Amazon’s Prime Day Early Access sale, now’s the time to score huge savings on must-have products including Apple AirPods, which are 50% off during Amazon’s early Black Friday sale.

Apple’s best-selling AirPods are on sale for just $79 — their lowest price in a month.

When it comes to earbuds for music, there’s no denying the popularity of AirPods. Apple’s famous all-white earbuds are as much a status symbol as they are an essential go-to for recording artists, podcasters and music producers alike. But we recommend them for everyday use as well, whether you’re listening to music on your daily commute or need a pair of wireless earbuds for your next FaceTime call or Zoom.

While AirPods used to cost a pretty penny, they’re now available for under $200. Apple products never go on sale on the company’s own site, but Amazon has marked down AirPods to as low as $79, but deals like this won’t last, so you’ll have to move fast to get AirPods at a deep discount (click here for more Black Friday Apple deals). The AirPods Pro are currently $199.99. Regularly $249, the AirPods deal gets you a 20% discount on the beloved Apple earbuds. Apple’s 2nd Generation AirPods are on sale for $79 at Amazon while, 3rd generation AirPods are $142.49 at Amazon and $179 at Best Buy, Crutchfield and Macy’s. 

Apple AirPods Max, which are usually $549, are discounted to $449 at Amazon. You can also purchase AirPods Max at Walmart and Best Buy, although prices may vary depending on the retailer.

 

The AirPods Pro are one of the newer wireless earbuds in the AirPods family, and musicians are snapping them up thanks to the superb audio quality (think: clear, crisp sound), and the buds’ Active Noise Cancellation feature, which blocks out exterior noise for a quieter, more focused listening session.

Traveling for the holidays? The AirPods Pro are also great for travel and running and working out, with a sweat-resistant coating worth considering. (They’re not entirely waterproof like some earbuds, so you wouldn’t want to go swimming in them). Interchangeable silicone tips allow you to find the perfect seal for your ears, and everything fits into a tiny charging case, which gets you up to 24 hours of battery life before you need to plug in.

Apple is known for their high-tech and high-design products, and the AirPods Pro are not only a fan favorite, but an industry fave as well. Need further proof? According to a recent report, AirPods Pro sales exceeded 90 million units during the 2021 holiday season.

Get the Apple AirPods Pro deal for $199.99 and 3rd generation AirPods for $142.49. Another deal: The regular AirPods are even cheaper, discounted right now to just $79 at Amazon and Walmart and $89.99 at Target. You can also find them at Best Buy for $99.99. Note that the regular AirPods won’t have the Active Noise Cancellation technology, but all the other features are there. See full sale details here.