Like a fine wine, the #1 run for Sufjan Stevens just keeps getting finer with age. Not only does his tenth studio album, Javelin (Asthmatic Kitty), enjoy a fifth straight week atop the NACC 200, but his point margin over the #2 record is his biggest yet. And in spending that fifth week on top, Stevens ties Mitski, who he succeeded at #1 five weeks ago, for the second-longest run in the penthouse of the NACC 200 in 2023, all while she’s been at #2. Stevens’ next competition for the top comes in Bombay Bicycle Club, who rises 5-3 this week. But with only two chart weeks left this year, and Stevens re-gaining in points, time is running out for anyone to get to #1 before the year ends.
No new albums reach the Top 10 this week, but one previous Top 10 album does re-gain in points and rebounds back into the top tier this week. Longtime Chicago six-piece, Wilco, rises back 14-10 this week with their 13th studio album, Cousin (dBpm). It’s a nice little consolation prize after becoming the first Wilco album not to reach #1 on the NACC 200 since it began. Still, reaching the Top 5 again was nothing to sneeze at. And getting back into the Top 10 this week is certainly a nice accomplishment as well.
Last week’s most-added album from Philadelphia’s own Kurt Vile has not only collected more Top 10 Adds than any record last week, but it also snuck onto the NACC 200 at #165. This week his EP, Back To Moon Beach (Verve), soars to #17 and, by far, is this week’s biggest climber on the chart. Vile has reached the Top 10 several times, but is seeking his first NACC 200 chart-topper and is well on his way with this week’s climb.
Highest debuts this time of year are generally not as high as other times of the year, but it’s still an honor to be able to say you have the highest debut of the week. And that distinction goes to New York duo Frog. Brothers Daniel Bateman and Steve Bateman have recorded their fifth LP, Grog (Audio Antihero/Tape Wormies) and it leaps (as frogs are want to do) onto the NACC 200 at #44 this week.
Portland, OR native Mo Troper has been releasing music since 2016. In that time he’s kept busy, pumping out seven albums (including covering the entire Revolver album from The Beatles in 2021). His latest effort, Troper Sings Brion, is a collection of 11 unreleased songs from musician Jon Brion, who Troper is a super-fan of. The album collects 41 Top 10 Adds this week, the most for anyone looking for adds with new music this week.
Speaking of The Beatles, what is being billed as their ‘final single’ experiences a downturn in points for the first time this week, but it’s not enough of a loss to make them surrender the top spot on the NACC Singles Chart. “Now And Then” enjoys a fourth week atop the chart logs another week inside the Top 20 of the NACC 200. Ties for the most-added single are not terribly common, but only once before have this many singles tied for ‘most-added’ honors. Four singles: “Iznotreal” from Meg Elsier, “Only For A Reminder” from Pile, “West End Girls” from Sleaford Mods, and “Got Me On The Run” from Slightly Stoopid feat. Pepper & Stick Figure all tie this week with singles from Halo Maud and J Mascis also reaching the NACC 200 Top 30 Adds Chart.
