Will Metallica's 'Magnetic' Top Coldplay's 'Viva'?

News

Metallica / Photo by Anton Corbijn
Metallica / Photo by Anton Corbijn

Headbangers worldwide have spoken, and Metallica is their king: According to a Billboard.com report, the metal torchbearer's new record Death Magnetic -- released Friday in an industry-defying worldwide effort -- is projected to top the Billboard 200 chart with over 500,000 copies sold... and that's in just over half the regularly allotted week-long sales period.

If sales continue, Death Magnetic's first full-week numbers could trump Coldplay's No. 1 hit, Viva La Vida, which was released on a Tuesday and sold 720,000 copies in its first week. James Hetfield and crew's 2003 effort, St. Anger, which was also released on a Friday, sold 419,000 copies during its abridged, 4-day period.