But the album's 266,000 sales figure was the band's smallest album launch since 1996's "Crash," which sold 254,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures.

For only the second time in history, the top six albums on the Billboard 200 chart are debuts, the music publication said.

Country music quartet Little Big Town's new arrival, "Tornado," took the second place slot after selling 113,000 copies. It was the group's best ever sales week.

Bob Dylan's latest studio album, "Tempest," landed in the No. 3 spot. It sold 110,000 copies. In fourth position, The Avett Brothers' "The Carpenter" sold 98,000 copies.

Rock act the xx's second album, "Coexist," landed in the No. 5 spot, while ZZ Top's "La Futura" came in at No. 6 - the legendary rock band's highest debuting album ever.

On the digital songs chart, country-pop crossover artist Taylor Swift held on to the top spot for the fifth straight week with her single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together."

U.S. album sales so far in 2012 stand at 207.29 million units, down 5 percent from the same time last year.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

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