Are you one of the almost six million people who’ve bought Adele’s 21? If not, there’s no real hurry. You don’t have to rush into the decision. Adele has somehow managed to find at least 100,000 new people to buy her album every week for 32 (non-consecutive) weeks now.
At the end of last year, Billboard ran a story about the 14 albums that have notched at least 30 weeks of 100,000-plus sales since 1991:
• Alanis Morissette, “Jagged Little Pill” – 64 (1995-1997)
• Britney Spears, “…Baby One More Time” – 50 (1999-2000)
• Creed, “Human Clay” – 49 (1999-2001)
• Celine Dion, “Falling Into You” – 43 (1996-1997)
• Shania Twain, “Come on Over” – 42 (1997-2000)
• Hootie & the Blowfish, “Cracked Rear View” – 40 (1995-1996)
• Santana, “Supernatural” – 39 (1999-2000)
• Backstreet Boys, “Millennium” – 34 (1999-2000)
• Usher, “Confessions” – 33 (2004-2005)
• Spice Girls, “Spice” – 32 (1997-1998)
• Billy Ray Cyrus, “Some Gave All” – 31 (1992-1993)
• NSYNC, “No Strings Attached” – 31 (2000-2001)
• Kid Rock, “Devil Without a Cause” – 30 (1999-2000)
• Adele, “21” – 30 (to date) (2011-2012)
That was two weeks ago, and Adele sold 124,000 copies this week and 144,000 copies the week before. So she’s at 32 weeks now, which ties the Spice Girls. If she can find 100,000 new buyers for two more weeks she’ll pass Usher and have the most weeks of 100,000-plus sales since 2001. I hope she does it.
But I don’t get how she’s still managing to reach new people. By now, even Appalachian hermits and the Amish know all the words to “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You.” Is it just that most people are happy to download the singles? (“Rolling” and “Someone” sold 5.81 million and 3.75 million downloads in 2011, respectively.) There’s a new single storming up the charts again, so maybe this one will tip the remaining holdouts over the edge. Maybe this song will convince another huge batch of people that perhaps it’s time to just buy the whole damn album.
I don’t get why Adele’s success continues to blow your mind. I know you’re old enough to remember Thriller. That record was so ubiquitous when it was released that I still can’t listen to it to this day.
This is a much different world for album buying than 1983. Many new releases by major artists sell 100,000 copies total! Adele attracts 100,000 new people every week. It’s just so different from the way most albums sell these days, where they have a big opening week and then fall off the top ten altogether over the next week or two. It’s just weird in today’s climate to have sustained sales like that.
Another week, another #1, and another 104,000 copies sold. So that’s 33 weeks of selling more than 100,000 and 16 weeks at the top of the album chart.
I might actually have to go out an buy the album this week to help it get to 34 weeks, ha ha.
Bummer, only 95,000 copies this week. That’s still 17 weeks at #1 though. Not too shabby.
Yay! She sold 116,000 this week, giving her 34 weeks of 100,000-plus sales. Tied with the Backstreet Boys! Will she pass them? I bet she will.
She sold another 122,000 this week, giving her 35 weeks, passing the Backstreet Boys. Next big hurdle will be 39 weeks to tie Santana. Will she do it? I’m on the edge of my seat!
Another 237,000 with a 1-day Grammy bump. Next week will be even more. 20th Week At #1, 36 weeks of 100,000-plus sales.
In the world’s biggest Grammy bump, 21 sold another 730,000 copies last week. 21 weeks at #1, 37 weeks of 100K+ sales. Incredible. Keep in mind this was the album’s 52nd week on the chart. Happy birthday!
21 has sold 7,353,000 copies in the United States. Billboard points out that this means 2.34% of the U.S. population owns it (based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s current population estimate of 313,059,000; and if each “21” owner only has one copy).
Another week, another 297,000 copies. No big deal.
22 weeks at #1, 38 weeks of 100K+ sales, 7.7 million total.
Another week, another 247,000 copies.
That’s 23 weeks at #1, 39 weeks of 100K+ sales.
Another 195,000 this week.
Bruce beat her to #1, so that’s still 23 weeks at #1. And now she’s got 40 weeks of 100K+ sales, beating Santana and tying Hootie!
Another 148,000 this week. 41 weeks of 100K+ sales.
Another 130,000 this week.
42 weeks of 100K+ sales. Only 5 other albums have done that in the Soundscan era.
121,000 this week. 43 weeks of 100K+ sales.
153,000 this week. 44 weeks of 100K+ sales. Amazing.
Only 92,000 this week. Thinks she’s maxed out? Has everybody who purchases albums finally bought 21 now?
Mother’s Day bump: 101,000 this week. 45 weeks of 100K+ sales.
June 13: Adele’s 21 returns to No. 1 for a 24th week, selling 75,000.