5 Seconds of Summer nearly catches ‘Frozen’ on Billboard 200 chart

As it has so many times over the last few months, the hit soundtrack to Disney’s “Frozen” topped the Billboard 200 album chart Wednesday, reflecting sales of 149,000 copies in the week ending April 6, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

But another title came close to melting “Frozen’s” hold on the No. 1 spot: a four-song EP by the Australian boy band 5 Seconds of Summer. “She Looks So Perfect” sold 143,000 copies, the result in part of a boost that 5 Seconds of Summer received last year when it opened for One Direction on the latter’s world tour.

With a shared management firm, as Billboard’s Keith Caulfield points out, the groups are to hit the road together again this year for a tour of stadiums including the Rose Bowl, where they’ll stop for three shows Sept. 11-13.

GRAPHIC: Faces to watch 2014 | Entertainment

Before that, though, 5 Seconds of Summer, freshly signed to Capitol Records, will launch its own U.S. trek Friday in San Francisco; it’s scheduled to play L.A.’s Wiltern on Saturday.

As for “Frozen,” that album is now on the cusp of tying the record for the most weeks at No. 1 by the soundtrack of an animated feature. It’s spent nine nonconsecutive weeks there, only one fewer than “The Lion King” notched in 1994 and 1995. In all, “Frozen” has sold 1.9 million copies since hitting stores in November.

Behind 5 Seconds of Summer, the hard-rock band Chevelle entered the chart at No. 3 with its latest, “La Gárgola,” followed by singer-songwriter Christina Perri, whose “Head or Heart” made it to No. 4.

Other new albums on the Billboard 200 this week include country duo Dan + Shay’s “Where It All Began” at No. 6 and “A Dotted Line” by the reunited bluegrass trio Nickel Creek at No. 7.

ALSO:

Kanye West, Tom Petty, the Killers top Outside Lands lineup

Listen: Ed Sheeran teams with Pharrell Williams for new ‘Sing’

Watch: Nas performs ‘One Love’ with Q-Tip, Roots on ‘Tonight Show’
Twitter: @mikaelwood