Does each sale of Lotusflow3r at target count for 1 unit or 3?

tc012009 said:

each set only counts as one unit but for RIAA certification it counts as 3 units so it will be gold record in 1 week

[color=#44444:5d933fc79e][color=#44444:02d8d6dd09][color=red]YOUR WEAKEND TOP 10 (OR 15) CHART PREVIEW: The race for the top remains very close, but we’re giving Keith Urban a slight lead over Prince for #1 going into the weekend. Once again, at least half of the Top 10 will be debuts. Based on midweek sales, here's how things are shaping up:
** Keith Urban (Capitol Nashville) 170-180k
** Prince (NPG) 160-170k
** Diana Krall (Verve) 95-105k
Now 30 (UMe) 90-100k
Twilight (Chop Shop/Atlantic) 75-80k
Hannah Montana: The Movie (Walt Disney) 75-80k
** UGk (Jive/JLG) 70-75k
** Flo Rida (Atlantic) 45-50k
Lady GaGa (Interscope) 45-50k
Keri Hilson (Interscope) 35-40k
Taylor Swift (Big Machine) 35-40k
** Rodney Atkins (Curb) 30-35k
Kelly Clarkson (RCA/RMG) 30-35k
U2 (Interscope) 30-35k
** Chris Botti (Columbia) 30-35k
** Denotes debut
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Capitol Nashville Country Star Tops Prince for #1 Next Week

April 1, 2009

All kidding aside, Capitol Nashville country star Keith “Don’t Call Me Mr. Kidman” Urban’s Defying Gravity does just that, with the New Zealand cowboy chalking up between 160-175k in first-week sales, good enough for #1 on next Tuesday’s HITS Album chart.

The total is compiled from one-day reports from those retailers whose stores are still open out there in this recession-racked land of ours.

NPG’s main man for all seasons Prince is up next, with his three-CD $11.98 Target exclusive (alongside online sales at his newly launched website) resulting in a total between 130-140k, good for #2.

Diana Krall’s reportedly very intimate new Verve Music Group effort, Quiet Nights, is next with 95-105k, which seems a fair reward for revealing what goes on behind closed doors with hubbie Elvis Costello.

Jive/JLG rappers UGK follow with UGK for Life, the first effort since the death of Bun B’s fellow founding member Pimp C in Hollywood back in December 2007. The album looks headed for the 65-75k range.

Atlantic’s Flo Rida is next with his sophomore album, R.O.O.T.S., which includes the hit single, “Right Round,” which memorably samples the Dead or Alive song, on target for 40-50k, a testament to the power of an iTunes smash to cannibalize album sales.

Curb’s Rodney Atkins (35-40k) and Columbia’s Bow Wow (30-35k) are up next, followed by Columbia’s Chris Botti (25-30k), J/RMG’s Gavin DeGraw, Verity/JLG’s Donnie McClurkin and Victory’s Silverstein (20-25k), Rhino’s Queensryche (15-20k), Interscope’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs (15-18k in its first week of physical release) and Almost/Columbia’s Peter Bjorn & John (12-15k).

The market was up 10% vs. last week, down 12% vs. same week last year and still down 14% year to date. You may now return to crying over your hopelessly decimated NCAA brackets.
[Edited 4/2/09 5:32am]

http://www.billboard.com/...8005.story

Update: Prince, Keith Urban Vie For No. 1


[color=#44444:9f6c3057cf]
April 02, 2009 07:58 AM ET

Keith Caulfield, L.A.
New albums from Keith Urban and Prince are on track to debut high on the Billboard 200 chart next week, with each artist's latest release aiming for a start in the neighborhood of 150,000 copies and a shot at No. 1.

Industry prognosticators suggest Urban's "Defying Gravity" (Capitol Nashville) may shift somewhere in the range of 150,000-160,000 in its first week, while Prince's Target-exclusive "LotusFlow3r" (NPG) could sell between 140,000-150,000.

If Urban debuts at No. 1, he'll earn his first chart-topper on the Billboard 200. He's hit No. 3 twice previously with 2004's "Be Here" and 2006's "Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing." If Prince reigns atop the list, it'll be his fifth No. 1.

Prince and Urban respectively lead Nielsen SoundScan's Building Chart, which was released today (April 1). We'll have a better gauge on how next week's official Billboard 200 chart will shake out on April 3, when SoundScan releases its next Building Chart.

Billboard estimates the seven merchants who report to Nielsen SoundScan's Building chart -- Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, iTunes, Starbucks, Borders, Target and Anderson Merchandisers -- comprise about 60% of all U.S. album sales.

Other albums looking good for a top 10 debut on next week's Billboard 200 chart include UGK's "UGK For Life" (UGK/Jive/JLG), Diana Krall's "Quiet Nights" (Verve) and Flo Rida's "R.O.O.T.S." (Poe Boy/Atlantic).

Nielsen SoundScan's sales tracking week, as reflected in the official Billboard 200 chart, runs from Monday through Sunday of each week. The newest Billboard 200 chart, released today -- where the "Now 30" compilation debuted at No. 1 with 146,000 -- reflected the week that ended on March 29.[/color]
[Edited 4/2/09 5:38am]
[Edited 4/3/09 9:39am]
[Edited 4/3/09 9:40am]

[b][Edited 4/3/09 9:54am]

asg said:

I wonder if the RIAA wont step in because its priced as one CD. The Eagles were certified for 3 million not Six despite selling 3 million copies, and they had 2 discs priced as one, so i think Prince will not be counted as 3 units, because then any artist could throw 10 cds in a box price it at 11 dollars and then claim to have a gold album by selling 50,000.