As Dave Grohl noted in an October 2010 interview with BBC, “2011, you’re not gonna be able to get us out of your hair.” He couldn’t have been more right. Ever since announcing their seventh LP earlier this year, the band has carried out a publicity campaign that has been nothing less than perfect. Drum up initial interest by dropping an epic 10-second snippet? Check. Follow that up with 16 more seconds? Check. Announce a series of secret shows where you play the new album front to back even though everyone will film it all and put it on YouTube some three months before release? Check. Announce a slew of festival headlining appearances? Check. Release the most amazing music video ever? Check. Release a documentary to accompany the new album? Check. Release a second album for Record Store Day? Check. Drop another great video? Check. Play a surprise set at SXSW? Check. Leak your own album early? Check. And make it sound really good? Check. Cover all your potential bases by playing SNL, The Daily Show, and Letterman? Check, check, and check.

So it’s no wonder that the band just scored its first-ever #1 album — Wasting Light pushed 235,000 copies in its first week. Adele’s 21 was a close second at 91,000 copies.