LOS ANGELES, Nov 27 (Reuters) - R&B singer Rihanna shot
straight to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart on Tuesday
with her seventh record "Unapologetic," scoring her first No. 1
album despite mixed reviews.
"Unapologetic," which topped iTunes charts in 43 countries
just hours after its release on Nov.19, sold 238,000 copies
according to Billboard, scoring the 24-year-old singer from
Barbados her best opening sales week to date.
The album's lead single "Diamonds" landed at the top of the
Billboard Hot 100 chart last week, giving Rihanna her 12th No. 1
single and tying her with Madonna and The Supremes for the
fourth-most chart-topping singles in Billboard history.
"Unapologetic" left some critics unsettled by the singer's
harder sound and close-to-home lyrics. One track in particular
that had everyone talking is "Nobody's Business," Rihanna's
collaboration with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, who was charged
with assaulting her three years ago.
The album has been promoted extensively by Rihanna, who
embarked on a seven day tour across seven cities around the
world, accompanied by a plane full of fans and journalists.
The full Billboard charts will be released on Wednesday.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant)