Lady Gaga 'Artpop' debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200, Eminem's 'MMLP2' goes platinum in huge US album sales week

Lady Gaga may have been sweating her album sales for this week, but the Mother Monster need not have worried. Her new album Artpop debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this week, beating Eminem's latest effort The Marshall Mathers LP 2.

According to Billboard, Gaga's third studio album sold 258,000 copies in its first week, an impressive showing in today's modern pop album sales. Her 258K is in line with opening sales numbers for Katy Perry's Prism (286,000) and Miley Cyrus' Bangerz (270,000).

Though it's surprising one of the biggest names in music wasn't able to beat her contemporaries in album sales, one must consider that both Perry and Cyrus had singles reach No. 1 before the release of their albums ("Roar" and "Wrecking Ball"), while Gaga's lead Artpop single "Applause" peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Though last week it was unsure whether or not she would best Eminem's latest release -- which sold 792,000 copies last week, she managed to pull it off. MMLP2 still moved an impressive 210,000 units this week, which would easily be enough for the No. 1 spot in many weeks of 2013. In total, that marks over one million copies of MMLP2 sold in the record's first two weeks, meaning it has gone platinum.

Beside those two monstrous sales, it was a big sales week. The pop music compilation Now 48, which includes smash summer singles from Perry, Robin Thicke, Justin Timberlake and more, debuted at No. 3 with 114,000 albums sold.

Other notable debuts on the top of the Billboard 200 include the Beatles On Air: Live at the BBC Volume 2, which sold 37,000 copies and marks the legendary rock band's 31st top 10 album at No 7. Behind the Fab Four is newcomer Jhené Aiko, whose debut album Sail Out sold 34,000 units.

The charts also feature some familiar music. Nos. 4 through 6 include the Duck Dynasty cast's Duck the Halls (66,000 copies), Perry's Prism (46,000 copies) and Kelly Clarkson's Christmas album Wrapped in Red (42,000 copies).

Drake's Nothing Was The Same and Lorde's Pure Heroine also continue to be chart mainstays. Drizzy's latest effort moved 33,000 copies and sunk to No. 9, while the "Royals" singer rounds out the top 10 with 32,000 copies.