QOTSA’s new album is on track to debut at #1 this weekend

Ah Wednesday, the day that splits the work-week, and finds us making outlandish predictions as to what will top the charts this coming weekend, based on mid-week sales, projections for the following few days, and pure alchemy.

First, some unseemly boasting. We totally picked Gang Of Youths last week, totally picked Paul Kelly’s first ever #1 the week before, and now — based on this recent Nostradmaus-style success (but mainly on mid-week sales) — we are predicting Queens of the Stone Age’s new album Villains as this weekend’s #1.

This would be the third rock album in a row to hit #1, suggesting that even 55 years since The Beatles’ Decca audition, guitar bands still aren’t on their way out. Also showcasing this trend is the other guitar-heavy album likely to debut in the top five this week: A Deeper Understanding by The War On Drugs.

In addition, The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. soundtrack — featuring ELO, Cheap Trick, George Harrison, and more classic rock acts —  looks like it will crawl back into the top 5, with Vol 1. of that soundtrack franchise jumping back into the top 10.

This week’s top six is fairly guitar-heavy, too.

The charts come out at 6pm on Saturday.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.