John Mellencamp's new album, Sad Clowns and Hillbillies, has had some strong chart debuts.
It cracked the Billboard 200 at number-11 after moving 35,000 copies its first week out. It was his biggest chart week for any album since 2008's Life, Death, Love and Freedom, which moved 56,000 units.
The album had an even better debut on the Billboard Top Americana Albums chart, landing at number-one. On Billboard's Rock Album chart it's at number-three, while on the Top Album Sales chart it's number-five.
Sad Clowns and Hillbillies is Mellencamp's 23rd studio album and it features prominently Carlene Carter -- the daughter of June Carter Cash and stepdaughter of Johnny Cash.