USATODAY Aug 2 edition there is a small article in the LIFE sections and the headline is "Poor album sales for Prince."

Here is the information from USAToday.com (same story but different headline)

'Now' wins again on sales chart
Ways you can tell it's a mediocre sales week: a) when an album repeats at No. 1; b) when the album is a hits anthology that underperformed in its first week; c) when the No. 2 album is a soundtrack in its third week on the chart. Now 25 holds the No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart, selling 149,000 copies, a 33% drop from its debut tally of 222,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It's followed by the Hairspray soundtrack, which has achieved the unusual feat of increasing its sales for each of the three weeks it's been in the marketplace, improving from 72,000 to 101,000 this past week for a total of 210,000.

Prince's Planet Earth is the top new album, entering the chart at No. 3 with 96,000, slightly more than half the total last year's 3121 started with.

The rest of the top 10 is made up of albums by Miley Cyrus, T.I., Fergie, Sum 41 (Underclass Hero debuts at No. 7 with 45,000 copies sold), Linkin Park, Amy Winehouse and, making their top 10 debut, Plain White T's, whose Every Second Counts jumps from No. 21 for the band's biggest sales week yet (39,000).

Much more info follows.

> The annotated top 10:

1-1 last week Now 25 (149,000; 372,000 total): Down 33%, but now and then one of these repeats at No. 1.

2-4 Hairspray (101,000; 210,000 total): Up 41%. Give me High School Musical any day.

3-NEW Prince/Planet Earth (96,000): A little underwhelming, but then it is an odd album (though a good chunk of it is really likable).

4-2 Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana (92,000; 847,000 total): Drops 18%; still holding pretty strong.

5-3 T.I. (64,000; total 802,000): Top 5 for three weeks, a notable achievement. Dropped 31% this week.

http://blogs.usatoday.com...tml?csp=34

[ feels bad ]
Aw, I brought Hairspray .. and still havent bought Planet Earth.
Forgive Me, Prince.

well its a fair debut for a fair album

3121 debuted with twice the sales cause it was a much better album IMO

Negritaluvyu said:

Why????

skywalker said:

Um, you do, You would be gloating if this album was #1, just like you were gloating when 3121 went to #1. You wold have used a #1 spot to validate Prince's legend status just like you did now. I admire your tireless effort to confront Prince detractors and maintain a positive outlook, but it's getting to point where I think you will like anything P puts out.

WisdomNLove said:

But next week when PE drops off the top ten and thoes 2 "compilations" are still topping the charts, what are you going to say?

Well, considering the fact that the man hardly put any effort in promoting the dang thing...what do you expect? If you would have blinked, you would have missed any effort as far as that was concerned. This is my perception of the situation. I think he put all of his focus on the "give away" tatic and the series of concerts in London! Oh well! Anyway, I brought my copy of P.E....and I actually like it too!

Seriously...did any of us expect this album to be a big seller? I certainly didn't.

This is bit off topic, but does any chart account for both albums sold in stores as well as albums download on the interent?


As far as these sales go, I think it's impressive number. Really? How many albums do 49 years old sell? The media and some fans tend to think Prince is a big seller. He's not! He's really a one hit wonder in that arena his one hit being Purple Rain. What Prince IS when it comes to sales in consistent! He's always put on solid numbers for the different stages of his career.
[Edited 8/3/07 0:29am]

Who gives a flying fuck ? Honestly !

Giving away 3,000,000 copies doesn't help album sales either.

P2daP said:

Online album sales count toward the charts.

How does being in the top three signify poor album sales?

prime said:

First of all this is a GREAT album. The first one I can hear straight thru over and over and sing along and shit.

Second, he wasn't gunning for the charts so who gives a shit? If he wanted a hit album (which #3 is nothing to sulk about), he would have been on all the talk shows, promoted the shit out of it, not given it away in the UK, etc.

He put out a bad mutha fuckin' rocking ass, funky record that can stand up to anything he's done over the last 20 years. And dare I say, if this record was released in 1985, would have been an instant classic...

I'm sure it dont matter about charts anymore BUT when U consider that Parade & SOTT only went to 3 on the billboard 200 & 1999 only made it to 29 or sumfink stupid then it aint done that bad i guess!!

I know the above sold shit loads more & b4 any1 says anything i know the charts have changed immensly in those 25 yrs!!

Just saying no reason y it should have been any higher!!

Album sales aside, how much off the albums that Prince make? It's not the 56 cents to 1 dollar that most artist make is it?

I'm curious to know how much he actually makes from each sale.

WellInever said:

Should this happen its only following the trend of music industry album sales for individual artist sales
[Edited 8/29/07 6:56am]

Negritaluvyu said:

R u waiting 4 a free copy???

Prince is trying so desperately to get away from charts and records stores etc. but people just will not let that old crap go, pay attention, HE DOESN"T CARE ABOUT THAT!

wlcm2thdwn said:

Y did his wesite post his picture and a caption saying "3121 debutes at #1"? Be real a little bit...He does care about charts (it might not keep him up at night) but he does want to see his name in light. If his albums don't do well who is going to give him the next contract? He likes to be nominated for grammy's...he hasn't been there in years and now that he wins and gets a few nom's he is sitting front row.

Keep it real...he isn't going to be crying on TV about the charts but behind closed doors he wants to be there. Remember the open letter on his website? "Clive Davis promised to me a hit,” I am not releasing the remix of Rave until the he delivers on his promise.”

HE DOES CARE trust me. Like I said he isn't driven but success is driven by sales and the chart is driven by sales. He is cocky and he likes to talk and it is hard to talk with nooooo hits (or a crappy album).
oh yeah - I didn't say PE was crappy - relax.

How do you know all of this? Did he tell you this personally? It's really not that deep.He put 3121 went #1 on his sight because it did. And if he wants to put Planet Earth went #3 on his sight then he can do that to. It seems that no matter what he does the same people always have something to say. If he was #1 with 200k records sold then you would say that the industry is sinking and he had no competition on the charts. Same old bullshit from the same old people.

Hate the media!!!!!

Bull said:

Dang… every time we express our opinions the same old people have to respond with the same old BS.

U are kind of contradicting yourself a little don’t u think? Usually people don’t post, share, or display things (messages, trophies etc) they don’t care about. I’m not hatin’ on the brotha I am just giving my opinion.

Oh yeah – He has stated in the past (2000 Rave) that he wanted a #1 album.

Anything else?

Chill ... it's all good

Peace

lilgish said:

So? I like Prince. I can find something to enjoy in everything he has released. I am not saying he releases work without flaws, but I tend to embrace what I like. Who cares? What? You can't do that at a Prince fansite?

Because all the Prince fans usually buy the album either on the day of it's release or within two weeks of release. Therefore, that's when he has his sales. After his fans have bought the album, the sales drop.

Actually, that's the way it should be. I'd rather the rest of today's music buyers not buy Prince's albums because they have the bad taste to like shit hop and they'll be wanting Prince to sell out to their bullshit taste in music.

Prince has enough fans to keep him comfortable. He needs to throw the finger to the rest of the folks out there buying music these days because he doesn't need them anyway.

skywalker said:

Yes, you can, and I personally like to read your thoughts. Your recent posts seem to be less objective is all. I think you are one of the best posters on here.

And seeing Andy just posted above me, I love it when you two go at over Rick James.
[Edited 8/3/07 16:08pm]

Prime, Well based on your logic whats the point of him having a web sight? Whats the point of him letting us know that he has a new CD coming out? You want him to say what you want him to say, you want him to do what you want him to do. This has nothing to do with me attacking your opinion. You have every right to have one. It's just that what you said doesn't make much sence to me.Based on your logic he should do nothing but play music and let no one know about it.