Blake Shelton Reaches A New Career Low Point

Blake Shelton’s new album For Recreational Use Only, debuts across multiple Billboard charts this week in the United States. While the country icon remains one of the genre’s biggest figureheads, his latest project is off to a relatively weak start. In fact, its launch point is a shockingly low one for a superstar, who has reached the highest of highs several times before.

Blake Shelton’s New Career Low

For Recreational Use Only begins its run on the Billboard 200 at No. 46. As it joins the list of the most-consumed albums in the country, it immediately marks a career low for Shelton — at least when considering his traditional studio efforts. It barely beats his previous low point, set by his self-titled debut full-length Blake Shelton. That effort, which introduced him to the world and helped turn him into the star he is today, peaked at No. 45 when it arrived in 2001.

Many of Shelton’s past releases have entered the top 10 on the Billboard 200. He’s sent a dozen projects into that region, and two of them have climbed all the way to No. 1.

For Recreational Use Only Debuts

According to Luminate, For Recreational Use Only shifted just over 17,000 equivalent units in its first full seven-day tracking period. Of that total, 10,500 were pure purchases. While that sales sum is one of the largest of the week, it wasn’t enough to prevent the country singer-songwriter from hitting a new low on the Billboard 200.

Blake Shelton Hits the Top 10

Shelton’s latest collection performs significantly better on two other Billboard rankings than on the all-consumption roster. It opens at No. 6 on the Top Album Sales chart thanks to its five-digit pure sales count. The title also launches at No. 8 on the Top Country Albums list. While that position also marks a new low for the star, it’s still the highest-ranking debut on that tally this week.

For Recreational Use Only Vs. Body Language

For Recreational Use Only experiences a noticeable drop when it comes to opening placement compared to Shelton’s last album. He released Body Language in May 2021, and it peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200. This new project differs in that it wasn’t released by a major label. Still, a No. 45 entry is undeniably disappointing.