Blink-182 Score Third No. 1 Album with ‘One More Time…’
Blink-182 has made their triumphant return to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart.
Their new album, One More Time…, moved 125,000 units during its first week of release, giving them the No. 1 album in the United States. Billboard notes of those 125,000 units, 101,000 units came from traditional album sales. The remaining units came from streaming.
This is also a big win for rock fans, because One More Time… is also the first rock album to top the Billboard 200 album chart in 2023. The chart has been dominated by country, pop and hip-hop. Other artists that have topped the Billboard 200 are SZA, Tomorrow X Together, Karol G, Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift, Stray Kids, Lil Uzi Vert, NewJeans, Travis Scott, Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Wave, Drake and Bad Bunny.
Of course, this is the trio’s first album together since reuniting with guitarist/singer Tom DeLonge after being apart for seven years. It was also their first release with DeLonge since their 2012 EP Dogs Eating Dogs. Before One More Time…, blink’s previous No. 1 albums were 2001’s Take Off Your Pants and Jacket and 2016’s California. The latter album was the first blink album to feature Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba.
An Album Born from Healing
The reunion of blink-182 has been one of the bright spots in the rock world in 2023. It turns out this all happened during a very dark and scary time for Mark Hoppus.
The trio took part in an extended interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. Hoppus said he and Tom DeLonge started talking again when he was diagnosed with cancer. He went public with his diagnosis in June 2021.
Hoppus said, ” … There was a lot of bad blood and there was a lot of stuff in the press and feelings and all this stuff. Then honestly, I got sick … but Tom was always like, ‘We’re going to get you through this.'”
Hoppus announced he was in remission in September 2021. However, he shared with Lowe that chemotherapy did a real number on him. He said he had to work with a vocal coach to “rebuild” his throat so he could sing again.