TORONTO — Shawn Mendes has become the youngest artist since fellow Canadian Justin Bieber to have an album in the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 200.
Handwritten, the debut album from Mendes, sold 119,000 units between April 14 and 19, according to Nielsen Music.
Bieber was 16 years and 2 months old when his My World 2.0 was at the top of the chart in May 2010. Mendes is 16 years and 8 months old.
According to Universal Music, Handwritten is also the top-selling album in Canada.
“I’m so excited to hear that the album is #1 in Canada,” the Pickering, Ont. singer said in a release. “Thank you so much to my amazing fans at home that made this all possible from the beginning!”
Mendes’ album includes the singles “Something Big,” “Life of the Party” and “Stitches.”
The singer came under fire last week for a marketing campaign that encouraged fans to buy multiple copies of the album.
Mendes will open for superstar Taylor Swift in Vancouver on Aug. 1 and in Toronto on Oct. 2 and 3. He is also set to do his own concerts in Regina on Aug. 2, Edmonton on Aug. 4 and Calgary on Aug. 5.
Mendes was signed to a record deal after being discovered on Vine, where he currently has 3.8 million followers.
Handwritten bumped the Furious 7 soundtrack to No. 2, followed by Reba McEntire’s Love Somebody, Tyler The Creator’s Cherry Bomb and Halestorm’s Into the Wild Life.
Another Ontario artist, rapper Drake, holds the No. 10 spot on the Billboard 200 with If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.
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