LW TW artist / album label power index % change
-- 1 T.I. GRAND HUSTLE/ATLANTIC 531,797 --
KING
-- 2 TIM MCGRAW CURB 232,253 --
GREATEST HITS VOL.2
2 3 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL WALT DISNEY RECORDS 163,876 +7%
SOUNDTRACK
-- 4 GHOSTFACE KILLAH DEF JAM/IDJMG 115,742 --
FISHSCALE
-- 5 ROB ZOMBIE GEFFEN 110,308 --
EDUCATED HORSES
-- 6 SHAKIRA EPIC 80,093 --
ORAL FIXATION VOLUME 2
3 7 JAMES BLUNT CUSTARD/ATLANTIC/ATL G 78,590 -30%
BACK TO BEDLAM
1 8 PRINCE UNIVERSAL 74,771 -59%
3121 -- 9 ATREYU VICTORY 71,393 --
A DEATH-GRIP ON YESTERDAY
10 10 ALAN JACKSON ACR/ARISTA NASHVILLE 56,366 +10%
PRECIOUS MEMORIES
4 11 BARRY MANILOW ARISTA/RMG 55,245 -25%
THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE...
-- 12 YEAH,YEAH,YEAHS INTERSCOPE 53,754 --
SHOW YOUR BONES
5 13 NE-YO DEF JAM/IDJMG 49,009 -29%
IN MY OWN WORDS
8 14 JOHNNY CASH ISLAND/IDJMG 45,392 -16%
I WALK THE LINE: THE LEGEND...
11 15 CARRIE UNDERWOOD ARISTA/RMG 42,065 -14%
SOME HEARTS
13 16 JACK JOHNSON & FRIENDS...CURIOUS BRUSHFIRE/UNIVERSAL 40,003 -8%
SOUNDTRACK
14 17 MATISYAHU OR/EPIC 38,049 -11%
YOUTH
18 18 NICKELBACK ROADRUNNER/IDJMG 36,955 -8%
ALL THE RIGHT REASONS
15 19 WALK THE LINE WIND-UP 35,059 -18%
SOUNDTRACK
20 20 ANDREA BOCELLI DECCA 34,375 -12%
AMORE
27 21 KELLY CLARKSON RCA/RMG 34,368 +9%
BREAKAWAY
23 22 THE BLACK EYED PEAS A&M/INTERSCOPE 33,961 +1%
MONKEY BUSINESS
7 23 BEN HARPER VIRGIN 33,841 -40%
BOTH SIDES OF THE GUN
30 24 PANIC! AT THE DISCO FUELED BY RAMEN 33,386 +9%
A FEVER YOU CAN'T SWEAT OUT
16 25 JUVENILE ATLANTIC/ATL G 33,364 -19%
REALITY CHECK
25 26 SEAN PAUL VP/ATLANTIC/ATL G 32,221 -2%
TRINITY
12 27 MARY J. BLIGE GEFFEN 32,114 -29%
THE BREAKTHROUGH
24 28 JOSH TURNER MCA NASHVILLE 31,660 -4%
YOUR MAN
22 29 FALL OUT BOY ISLAND/IDJMG 30,420 -15%
FROM UNDER THE CORK TREE
21 30 E-40 WARNER BROS. 30,327 -19%
MY GHETTO REPORT CARD
26 31 PUSSYCAT DOLLS A&M/INTERSCOPE 30,189 -5%
PCD
19 32 EMINEM SHADY/AFTERMATH/INT 29,830 -26%
CURTAIN CALL
29 33 KEYSHIA COLE A&M/INTERSCOPE 29,129 -5%
WAY IT IS
38 34 MICHAEL BUBLE REPRISE 28,864 +13%
IT'S TIME
9 35 TEDDY GEIGER COLUMBIA/CRG 27,983 -48%
UNDERAGE THINKING
32 36 ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS DREAMWORKS 27,585 0%
MOVE ALONG
34 37 RASCAL FLATTS LYRIC STREET 26,727 0%
FEELS LIKE TODAY
33 38 KEITH URBAN CAPITOL NASHVILLE 25,718 -4%
BE HERE
37 39 CHAMILLIONAIRE UNIVERSAL 25,715 +1%
THE SOUND OF REVENGE
-- 40 RAMMSTEIN REPUBLIC/UNIVERSAL 24,961 --
ROSENROT
6 41 B.G. KOCH 24,251 -61%
THE HEART OF THA STREETZ VOL.2
40 42 NATASHA BEDINGFIELD EPIC 23,854 0%
UNWRITTEN
28 43 HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS VICTORY 23,371 -24%
IF ONLY YOU WERE LONELY
41 44 CHRIS BROWN JIVE/ZLG 23,236 -2%
CHRIS BROWN
-- 45 THE FRAY EPIC 21,449 --
HOW TO SAVE A LIFE
43 46 DEM FRANCHIZE BOYZ SO SO DEF/VIRGIN 20,601 -10%
ON TOP OF OUR GAME
42 47 JOHNNY CASH LEGACY 20,132 -14%
16 BIGGEST HITS
45 48 JAMIE FOXX J RECORDS/RMG 19,226 -12%
UNPREDICTABLE
17 49 KENNY ROGERS CAPITOL NASHVILLE 17,773 -56%
WATER & BRIDGES
46 50 T-PAIN JIVE/ZLG 17,310 -18% [/color]
[Edited 4/4/06 13:52pm]

Thanks for posting this!

PurpleKnight said:

too bad radio isn't playing his music like they are playing to death some of the top 10 songs

PurpleKnight said:

I always monitor the charts every week first week drop off is usually 60-70%
for most albums so it isnt much of a shock to me

plus he hasnt done any promotion so far no tv apperances at all!!
[Edited 4/4/06 14:06pm]

PurpleKnight said:

I imagine that once it is added to iTunes, the decline will slow. Still, a quarter million isn't too shabby for the first 2 weeks. I'm sure Prince is pleased.

PurpleKnight said:

We still have more single releases to go (one hopes). It's both a little early and a little late to say it won't be "any kind" of a commercial hit. It already has gotten a ton of critical attention and a #1 debut, and we haven't even gotten to the tour hype yet. 3121 has a way to go yet in 2006.

asg said:

that's always the killer with him... why isn't he out there?

Moonbeam said:

Jim Farber of the New York Daily News actually had a related theme in his column today (he didn't like 3121, btw)

No 'loading zone may be Net loss







Today, music industry types may want to haul out their dust-covered Champagne glasses to toast some rare good news. Though official sales figures won't be released until tomorrow, SoundScan is expected to report that the new CD from Atlanta rapper T.I. moved roughly 500,000 copies since it came out last Tuesday, giving it the biggest opening week of the year.
Crucial to this humongous opening - at least in theory - is that Atlantic Records hasn't allowed fans to download T.I.'s scorching single, "What You Know," through the normal, legal method. Only subscribers to Sprint phones have access to it, greatly limiting availability.

The idea here is that restricting access helps build interest. Clearly, people already love the song. Last week, T.I.'s hit became the "greatest gainer" in national radio play, jumping nearly 20 spots on Billboard's Hot 100 Song chart. On the R&B list, it has gotten all the way to No. 5.

Atlantic's shutout of download sites like iTunes mimics an increasing, and highly controversial, industry trend. Right now, six of the Top 10 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 Song list aren't downloadable at all. Label executives defend this decision as their best weapon to keep single sales from cannibalizing album sales. They also consider the move key to securing those splashy opening-week numbers for their CDs.

As a trend, it recalls the late '90s, when singles virtually disappeared from the shelves, a move meant to steer listeners toward pricier, full-length albums.

To further defend the action, the industry points to cases like emerging R&B singer Ne-Yo. Fans couldn't download his smash song "So Sick," which ruled radio for the first three months of this year. When the CD finally came out last month, it wound up enjoying a 300,000-plus debut (the year's second biggest start).

Still, this digital disappearing act sends a demeaning message - that the artist isn't substantial enough to merit buying a full CD unless you're forced to. That's hardly the case with Ne-Yo. But you could forgive the strategy, for example, with a group like Dem Franchise Boyz (whose latest single is also a no-show on download). The Boyz are clearly novelty artists with little to offer beyond the hits.

On the other side, there's powerful proof that the industry's manipulative tactics aren't merited. James Blunt's "Beautiful" was the No. 1 most downloaded track in the country for weeks early this year. All that exposure seemed to only help fuel album sales. In the last month, the CD soared all the way into Billboard's Top 5, where it remains. Mary J. Blige has likewise made her single digitally available, with seemingly no harm to her latest CD tally.

But there's also a larger issue here. By cutting off legal downloads, aren't record companies giving people an engraved invitation to go for the contraband kind? And isn't that what sent the industry into a downward spiral to begin with?

Execs may want think about that before they clink those champagne glasses too loudly.

Originally published on April 4, 2006

It is a fucking shame that BLACK SWEAT is not a hit at radio That song is so much better than so many songs. It is the best pop song he has released since Cream.

Any1 agree?

What is radio's problem anyway?

This is all too bad, it was a week of six new album entries so prince really remained strong, only topped by james blunt. hopefully he kicks up the promotion soon to keep it in the top ten. Worldwide sales are now 400,000!

FunkyBrotha said:

Does anyone know the qualifications for gold/platinum certifications?
It used to be gold was 500,000 and platinum was 1,000,000..but I believe they reduced it to platinum being 500,000????

platinum in the u.s. is one million shipped, platinum in most other countries is 300,000 although in some countries like canada and australia its 100,000 (i think)

All this is good fun, anyone here remember the days of dismissing Prince cracking the top 5? I mean, I don't recall waiting for "The Rainbow Children" to drop out or stay in the top 10.

skywalker said:

good point

asg said:

Exactly.

skip said:

Co-sign.

Anyone know how Musicology did in its 2nd week?

Spanky said:[quote SNIP shame that BLACK SWEAT is not a hit at radio That song is so much better than so many songs. It is the best pop song he has released since Cream.

Any1 agree?

quote]

that it shoulda bveen a hit..yes. "So Far So Pleased" is probably THE most overlooked song but "Sweat" is good a single as you'd expect

Wall said:

Musicology week 2:

Chart position # 3 (171,000 scanned)
Retail Sales :99,000
Concert "Sales" : 72,000

The 99,000 is the number you want to compare 3121's week 2 sales to




.
[Edited 4/4/06 15:30pm]

No TV appearances, no new singles. What happened this time? Man, I'll never understand Prince. Puts out an album full of pop singles material and then doesn't promote it right. It's always something though. He's constantly shooting himself in the foot. Oh well, maybe next time...

JugHead said:

Prince wouldn't be Prince if he wasn't doing something wrong when it comes to promotion.

JugHead said:

You know what I think it really is? Prince's definition if success is different than the norm, maybe even different than our definition. Dude has said that, to him, his albums are successful as soon as they are completed-maybe to him, it's true. Who knows?

what much is Prince making off each CD?

dualboot said:

because he's difficult, that's why.

prince seems to sabotage his own efforts yet he never wants to accept responsibility for his part in anything other than the positive. he blamed warner for all his 90s problems. he blamed clive davis for his problems with rave un2 the joy fantastic. he blames clear channel and other industry conglomerates for his lack of airplay. well, with all due respect, where does prince fit into all this?

prince is a celebrity dinosaur. what i mean by that is he has failed to adapt to today's audience. today's music audience likes their celebrities accessible. these audiences don't want celebrities to speak in mazes. audiences don't want a celebrity to brag about parties they themselves will never be invited to. that sort of attitude was cool in the 80s but it just doesn't fly with today's audience.

prince lives in his own world. that's great and i hope it continues to keep him happy. for the rest of us, however, we would like to see our pop stars on tv making the rounds...you know, being pop stars and all. none of this makes his music any less amazing or wonderous but it does put one off of becoming a "fan." in the end, maybe that's what he wants. people who respect the art but who aren't wrapped up in the artist.

sallysassalot said:

I don't know... think about whether that's what you really want out of Prince. I have some bad memories of the Emancipation era because he was way too out there, and everything he said or did was so ...promotional. It was like this shiny, happy, forced Prince talking to Bryant Gumbel and Oprah Winfrey and repeating all the same sound bites.

I liked the badass who wouldn't give anyone the time of day unless it was something big, like the Grammies or a truly exclusive interview.

183K plus 75K=258K. Not too shabby for an album completed unsupported by radio.

If Prince does pull a surprise and pops up on AI or the Tonight Show or something, the album may get to a million. More than likely, it'll probably top out at 600K-700K.

I'm disappointed but damn the man is 50 and is still trying to appeal to a youth market that has no idea who he is. Release Fury or Love to AOR (aka "old people" radio) and if P embraces his inner middle ager maybe he'll become a consistent platinum seller like Sting or Eric Clapton.

I think marketing is barking up the wrong tree somehow with this because there is an older audience that might embrace this project but they don't seem to be getting any attention.

He should announce a summer tour soon to get himself in the news and attract attention to his new album!! That said, Madonna just announced her tour and I'll be there this summer!!

Looking at the numbers, had Prince released 3121 last week, he would have only placed #3. So his timing was perfect!!

It's all good to me
The album's still rockin my world. He just needs some radio airplay