Weakend Chart Preview

Linkin Park should debut on top next week with a total that will come close to and may exceed the first week of its last album, A Thousand Suns, which opened with 241k in Sept. 2010. This will also give WEA its first #1 album of 2012. Hot on the heels, but not quite within striking distance at midweek, is Maroon 5, which will also best the 142k first week of its last album, Hands All Over, also from Sept. 2010. Here's how it looks at midweek:

*Linkin Park (Warner Bros.) 230-250k
*Maroon 5 (A&M/Octone) 200-220k
Justin Believe (Island/IDJ) 130-140k|
*MMG Presents, Vol. 2 (Maybach Music Group) 80-90k
Kenny Chesney (Blue Chair/Columbia Nashville) 65-70k
*R. Kelly (RCA) 63-68k
Adele (XL/Columbia) 40-45k
One Direction (Syco/Columbia) 37-42k
Usher (RCA) 35-40k
Rock of Ages (WaterTower) 30-35k
Fiona Apple (Epic) 24-27k
*Offspring (Columbia) 21-24k
Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville/EMI) 20-23k
Let It Shine (Walt Disney) 17-20k
Now 42 (Capitol/EMI) 17-20k
Smashing Pumpkins (Martha's Music/ELS) 17-20k
*Pentatonix (Madison Gate) 17-20k
Alan Jackson (Capitol Nashville/EMI) 17-20k

*Debuts (6/28p)