S. Samuel
Odd Future affiliate Frank Ocean's new Channel Orange iTunes exclusive is picking up momentum with first-week sales projections now up to 135,000 copies.
Despite dropping the LP exclusively through iTunes a week in advance, Ocean’s LP is set to sell a bare minimum of 110,000 copies.
Zac Brown Band debuts at #1 with its third Atlantic release, besting the first week of its previous album by over 70k. All four major distributors are represented nicely in this week’s Top 15, with Sony having five titles for the lead, WEA next with four titles and UMG and EMI each having three. Here’s how it looks headed into the weekend: *Zac Brown Band (Atlantic) 215-230k *Frank Ocean (Def Jam/IDJ) 125-135k Chris Brown (RCA) 45-50k (Weakend Chart Preview)
A few days ago, first-week projections had the album selling up to 125,000 records at most.
The week’s big story is controversial Def Jam/IDJ avant-R&B crooner Frank Ocean, a member of the L.A.-based hip-hop collective Odd Future, who will open with a very impressive 110-125k as an iTunes exclusive for his major label bow, Channel Orange. Ocean surprised everyone by Tweeting the album would be made available after his network TV debut Monday night on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon singing “Bad Religion” from the release. (HITS Daily Double)
The LP will likely gain even more sales next week once its physical version hits store shelves.
Then on Tuesday, another surprise — the Los Angeles singer’s major-label debut album “Channel Orange” would be available on iTunes a week before it was scheduled to land in stores. After a few listens, it feels as if it landed years ahead of time. At 24, Ocean shows a sure-footed confidence that took many of his forebears years to summon. But his songwriting chops shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s been following this guy’s young career. He released a lovely digital album last year, “Nostalgia, Ultra”; he’s helped pen songs for Justin Bieber, John Legend and Beyonce; he sang the most exquisite hook on Kanye West and Jay-Z‘s 2011 collaboration album “Watch the Throne”; and he’s made standout contributions as a member of the rowdy Los Angeles rap collective Odd Future. (Washington Post)
Earlier this week, New York rapper Mysonne accused Ocean of recently announcing his bi-sexuality to promote the LP.
“i think these n*ggas is cowards that looking for exposure and buzzes, so they wait til albums drop to tell you there true Sexuality,’ he tweeted July 10th. (Mysonne’s Twitter)
Check out a recent Frank Ocean interview below:
