Empire Soundtrack Debuts at #1

#1 show on the Big 4 networks for weeks, and now its soundtrack is the No. 1 album in the country. The hip-hop soap Empire soundtrack cover debuts in the top spot on the Billboard 200 this week, and it's no rare feat — especially for a network drama series.

The Empire soundtrack was released March 10 through Columbia Records and bows with 130,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending March 15, according to Nielsen Music. It's the first TV soundtrack to debut at No. 1 since 2010, when three different Glee albums arrived atop the list. (Both Empire andGlee air on Fox TV.)

The show's original music represents the efforts of music supervisor, renowned record producer Timbaland, and producer/songwriter Jim Beanz. Original Soundtrack from Season 1 of Empire, as the album is known, includes such songs as What Is Love, Drip Drop, Whatever Makes You Happy and Conqueror.

Madonna's Rebel Heart, also issued on March 10, starts in the No. 2 slot with 121,000 units. The Live Nation/Interscope Records release is Madonna's 21st top 10 album.

The rest of the new Billboard 200 chart's top 10 will be revealed on Wednesday, March 18.

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