S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West and J. Cole are expected to score big opening week sales for their respective solo albums, however, weekend estimates have their overall totals lower than initial reports.
While Kanye’s Yeezus is now projected to sell up to 385,000 copies, Cole’s Born Sinner is down to 305,000.
YOUR TOP 15: For only the second time this year, a rap album scores the crown as Kanye West debuts at #1. The only other hip-hop release to hit #1 in 2013 was A$AP Rocky, which debuted on top the week ending 1/20 with 139k. * Kanye West (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam/IDJ) 360-385k * J. Cole (Roc Nation/Columbia) 280-305k * Mac Miller (Rostrum) 95-105k *Kelly Rowland (Republic) 60-65k (HITS Daily Double: Rumor Mill)
Initial estimates had both projects selling at least 10,000 copies more than the latest reports.
YOUR ONE-DAYS: The top of next week’s chart will look a little better than in recent weeks, with Kanye West and J. Cole scoring the #2 and #4 debuts of the year. Justin Timberlake (968k) remains untouched for the biggest first week thus far in 2013. Daft Punk (339k) will move into the third spot following next week’s chart. Here are this week’s key debuts: Kanye West (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/IDJ) 375-400k J. Cole (Roc Nation/Columbia) 290-315k Mac Miller (Rostrum) 95-105k Kelly Rowland (Republic) 60-65k (HITS Daily Double)
Last week, a music sales expert said Miller and Cole’s solo efforts were destined to debut on the Nielsen SoundScan rundown but nowhere close to Ye.
June 18 sees the release of three hip-hop sets that are all on course for sizable sales debuts: Kanye West’s “Yeezus,” J. Cole’s “Born Sinner” and Mac Miller’s “Watching Movies With the Sound Off.” According to early sales forecasts from industry sources, “Yeezus” might sell 500,000 copies in its first week. Behind him will likely be “Born Sinner” with perhaps 150,000 to 200,000. “Watching Movies With the Sound Off” could sell as much as 100,000. If West and Cole both sell over 100,000 — which seems a sure thing — it will mark the first time two rap albums have debuted with more than 100,000 in the same week since November of 2010. (Billboard)
Rapper Mac Miller recently admitted his Watching Movies with the Sound Off would fall victim to Ye’s new LP.
“Outselling the competition? Nah, I do not care at all,” he told show host Sway Calloway about next week’s release for his sophomore album, Watching Movies With the Sound Off. “I’ll tell you who’s gonna have the best first week: Kanye West. It’s Kanye. If some crazy thing happens, then maybe, but it’s Kanye West, bruh. He should have the best first week, but the first week isn’t really what matters. … I think we’re past that. What I’m looking to do with my album is trying to have it last 10, 20, 30, 40 years. That’s what I want to make. I want to make something that people can listen to for a while.” (MTV)
Coincidentally, Kanye revealed his lack of interest in sales earlier this week during a listening party.
“This is the part of the show when I start complaining about sh*t, justifying sh*t, but you know how it is,” he says as he let the menacing beat of “Clique” ride. ‘Ye continued to rant about the rollout of his album and his lack of care behind promotion and radio play: “With this album we ain’t drop no single to radio. We ain’t got no NBA campaign, nothing like that. Sh*t, we ain’t even got no cover. We just made some real music. Like, back when I used to make albums and sh*t, a couple years ago, we’d go away and work on the album for months or something. We’d always have to hold the album to like August, or September or till the perfect moment and sh*t. Because it mean that ‘I think would sell more if it get more audience and sh*t.’ But honestly at this point when I listen to radio, that ain’t where I want to be no more. Honestly at this point, I could give a f*ck about selling a million records as long as I put out an album for the summer that y’all can rock to for all f*ckin’ summer… At this point I don’t really give a f*ck about outside opinion.” (Billboard)
