Swedish hard rock titans Ghost have officially claimed their first-ever No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, as their latest studio release Skeletá storms the chart with 86,000 equivalent album units in its debut week, according to Luminate. Driven largely by traditional album sales—especially a massive vinyl push—Skeletá has set new milestones for the band and the rock genre alike.
Of the total units, a staggering 77,000 were pure album sales, including 44,000 vinyl copies—the biggest vinyl week ever for a hard rock album in the modern era. Ghost also notched their biggest streaming week to date, with 9,000 SEA units (equaling 12.45 million streams).
Released via Loma Vista Recordings, Skeletá marks Ghost’s ninth album to chart on the Billboard 200 and their fifth to break into the top 10. It follows the critically acclaimed Impera, which peaked at No. 2 in 2022. This time, they’ve gone one step further—making Skeletá not only a personal high point but also the first hard rock album to top the Billboard 200 in over four years.
Spearheaded by the hit single “Satanized”, Skeletá showcases Ghost’s most introspective and emotionally raw material to date. Unlike the outward-facing themes of previous records—such as empire collapse or plagues—this album sees mastermind Tobias Forge turn inward, crafting songs that feel like inner dialogues set to cinematic metal.
The achievement also marks a breakthrough for Ghost’s label, being the first No. 1 for Loma Vista and the first for Concord Label Group in nearly a decade. With Skeletá, Ghost has elevated both their artistry and commercial power, proving that hard rock still has plenty of life—and fire—left in it.