Photo by Danny Clinch

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After contending in a close race for No. 1 against Michael Jackson's posthumous album, Xscape, The Black Keys have triumphed.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, the Keys' new album, Turn Blue, sold 164,000 copies and claims this week's No. 1 slot without the aid of a hologram performance. Meanwhile, Xscape sold 157,000 copies and starts at No. 2.

This marks the rock outfit's first No. 1 album and their third top 10 debut.

Before the much-hyped "performance" at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards, it was expected that the televised spectacle might be enough to push Jackson's LP into the top spot.