The Weeknd’s Surprise EP Becomes His Third No. 1 in a Row

The Weeknd opened at No. 1 on the latest Billboard album chart with a surprise EP, in a week that also had high-charting debuts from Rich the Kid and Kacey Musgraves.

“My Dear Melancholy” (XO/Republic), a six-song EP announced just days before its release March 30, becomes the Weeknd’s third No. 1 in a row, after “Starboy” in 2016 and “Beauty Behind the Madness” in 2015. “My Dear Melancholy” had the equivalent of 169,000 sales in the United States last week, which included 141 million streams and 68,000 copies sold as a complete album, according to Nielsen.

Rich the Kid, an Atlanta rapper, opened at No. 2 with “The World Is Yours,” and Musgraves, a country singer, started at No. 4 with her critically acclaimed new album “Golden Hour.”

Also this week, XXXTentacion is in third place with “?,” and the soundtrack to “The Greatest Showman” is No. 5. Last week’s No. 1, Jack White’s “Boarding House Reach,” fell to No. 62.