Billboard points out that this week’s chart topper, with 83,000 copies sold, is “the lowest sum for a No. 1-debuting album in Nielsen SoundScan’s 18-year history. Previously, the low-water mark was held by Johnny Cash’s American V: A Hundred Highways (American) in the summer of 2006, when it started with 88,000.” I expect we’ll see that record continue to get broken over the next few years…
1. Chrisette Michele – “Epiphany” – 83,000 (debut)
2. “Hannah Montana: the Movie” soundtrack – 82,000 (down 5%; Cume: 826,000)
3. Ciara – “Fantasy Ride” – 81,000 (debut)
4. Rascal Flatts – “Unstoppable” – 58,000 (up 10%; Cume: 637,000)
5. Bob Dylan – “Together Through Life” – 51,000 (down 59%; Cume: 177,000)
6. Lady GaGa – “The Fame” – 41,000 (up 4%)
7. Taylor Swift – “Fearless” – 41,000 (up 42%; Cume: 3,190,000)
8. Rick Ross – “Deeper Than Rap” – 35,000 (down 32%)
9. Ben Harper and Relentless7 – “White Lies for Dark Times” – 34,000 (debut)
10. “Twilight” soundtrack – 32,000 (down 8%)
Debuts further down:
26. Elliot Yamin – “Fight for Love” – 20,000
40. Conor Oberst and his Mystic Valley Band – “Outer South ” – 14,000
41. Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) – “Roadsinger” – 14,000
160. Peaches – “I Feel Cream” – 3,000
does the billboard chart even matter anymore? im curious to see if artists start going to the singles route again, just electronically, and release a few songs at a time