Tool's 'Fear Inoculum' debuts at #1 on the 'Billboard' 200

Image courtesy of RCA Records (via ABC News Radio)
Image courtesy of RCA Records (via ABC News Radio)

Tool 's fans are most definitely glad to see them back. 

Fear Inoculum , the band's first album in 13 years, has debuted in the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 all-genre albums chart.  Released August 30, the album moved 270,000 equivalent units its first week, according to Nielsen Music figures reported by Billboard .  Of those, 248,000 were physical album sales.

Those numbers make Fear Inoculum the biggest-selling rock album in the U.S. since Dave Matthews Band 's Come Tomorrow , which sold 292,000 equivalent units for the week ending June 23, 2018. 

However, Come Tomorrow 's numbers were bolstered by a concert ticket-album redemption promotion, whereas Tool had no such help.  Also, Fear Inoculum 's available only as a digital download or an elaborate, limited-edition CD package that also functions as an HD video screen, complete with exclusive video footage and a 36-page booklet.  When you consider the package sold for around fifty bucks, it makes Tool's CD sales numbers even more impressive.

Fear Inoculum is Tool's third number-one album, following 2006's 10,000 Days and their 2001 release, Lateralus .

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