Marilyn Manson’s ‘One Assassination Under God: Chapter 2’ becomes his first regular album to miss the top 40 on the Billboard 200. BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 09: Marilyn Manson attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
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Marilyn Manson has remained a polarizing figure since his emergence on the Billboard charts approximately three decades ago. While his early notoriety stemmed from his provocative public persona and lyrical themes, his recent reputation has been shaped by allegations of sexual assault and domestic abuse. Manson has denied all accusations; in January 2025, Los Angeles County prosecutors declined to file criminal charges, citing the statute of limitations on certain claims and a lack of sufficient evidence to prove others beyond a reasonable doubt.
These ongoing controversies may be contributing to his declining chart performance, though it is also possible that his commercial relevance is waning due to shifting cultural interests. Sustaining long-term popularity is a significant challenge for many established musical acts.
With the release of One Assassination Under God: Chapter 2—the second installment of a two-part project—Manson has reached a new commercial low on the primary U.S. album ranking.
A New Low on the Billboard 200
One Assassination Under God: Chapter 2 narrowly missed the top 40 on this week’s Billboard 200, debuting at No. 41. This marks the first time one of Manson’s standard studio albums has failed to reach the top 40 region.
Although his debut full-length, Portrait of an American Family, did not enter the Billboard 200, every subsequent studio album, EP, and compilation has successfully reached the top 40.
His previous release, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1, set a recent low two years ago by peaking at No. 32. This follows a period of higher success, such as when We Are Chaos reached No. 8.
Historical Context of Manson’s Chart Positions
Out of the 16 Manson titles to ever appear on the Billboard 200, only two have seen lower peaks than this latest release. His live album, The Last Tour on Earth, reached No. 82, while his 30-year-old release Remix & Repent debuted at No. 102.
Chart Performance Across Multiple Categories
Despite the Billboard 200 result, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 2 appeared on seven different Billboard charts this week. It nearly secured top 10 positions on two of them: it debuted at No. 11 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart, marking the first time a Manson release has missed the top 10 in that category.
Success in Specific Genre and Sales Charts
On the remaining five charts, Manson achieved new top 10 entries. The album reached its highest position at No. 2 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart. Additionally, it debuted at No. 4 on both the Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums charts, No. 8 on the Top Alternative Albums chart, and No. 10 on the Top Rock Albums chart.
Chasing Hard Rock Dominance
While One Assassination Under God: Chapter 2 may fall just short of another No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, Manson has previously topped this ranking five times. His successful run included 2009’s The High End of Low, followed by Born Villain, The Pale Emperor, Heaven Upside Down, and We Are Chaos.
His previous installment, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1, peaked at No. 2 in December 2024. His 2007 release Eat Me, Drink Me remains his only other notable outlier, peaking at No. 12 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart.
Single “Exit Wound” Gains Momentum
The lead single from the new project, “Exit Wound,” was released in June. It is currently making progress on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, where it rose two spots from No. 26 to a new peak of No. 24 after nearly two months on the chart.