Aren't the sales in part due to everyone receiving an album along with a concert ticket? If so, this plays a part in why it did so well in the US and debuted at #5 in the UK where tickets had not gone on sale yet. I know I've seen some people who received 6 albums in the mail (all with the case cracked) due to buying 6 concert tickets. I
They keep employing these tactics to camouflage their declining album sales, just like selling the album to Apple and giving it away "for free", then declaring it "the most downloaded album ever!"
The #1 in the U.S. is smoke and mirrors.