Beyonce's fourth solo studio album, "4," bounds in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling 310,000 copies.

"4's" sales launch is lowest of her four releases: 2008's "I Am ... Sasha Fierce" entered with 482,000; 2006's "B'Day" bowed with 541,000 and 2003's "Dangerously In Love" started with 317,000.

Of course, "4" is thus far lacking a smash hit single, which could help explain the album's softer entry. Its lead track, "Run the World (Girls)," peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 -- the first time the first single from a Beyonce studio set has missed the top 10.

Still, "4's" bow is pretty big for 2011. It marks the third-largest sales week of the year, after the No. 1 bows of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (1.1 million) and Adele's "21" (351,000).

Mark my words though...give it a month and like lady gaga she wouldn't be in the top 10!

Other debuts in the top 10 include:

rapper Big Sean's debut album "Finally Famous" (No. 3 with 87,000), Selena Gomez & the Scene's third set "When the Sun Goes Down" (No. 4 with 78,000), David Cook's sophomore effort "This Loud Morning" (No. 7 with 46,000) and Scotty McCreery's Wal-Mart exclusive five-song (and $5) EP "American Idol Season 10 Highlights" (No. 10 with 40,000).

Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending July 3) totaled 6.34 million units, up 7% compared to the sum last week (5.92 million) and up 14% compared to the comparable sales week of 2010 (5.54 million). Year to date album sales stand at 155.46 million, up 1% compared to the same total at this point last year (153.96 million). It is the sixth week in a row where year-to-date album volume is greater than the same time in the prior year.


Mark my words, this increase will not continue long! It will go down! It is only a matter of time!