BEYONCE GOES BEYOND, ALBUM LOOKS TO SOAR PAST 600K

New Columbia Record a Slam Dunk at #1, Audioslave #2

September 6, 2006

Steve Barnett’s Team Columbia are hitting their groove in the nick of time.
With new Sony Music chief Rob Stringer in the building (and unlike some colleagues, not taking credit for the surge), the suddenly mean machine on Madison is kicking into gear, following up this week’s chart-topping Bob Dylan album with what looks like another huge album on deck in Beyonce’s B’Day, which is on target to soar past 600k and could approach 650k, based on first-day sales reports from our crack retail reporters around this great country of ours.

All that and a $1 million 1959 Rolls Royce from bf Jay-Z makes for a pretty nifty birthday, if you ask us.

The week’s other big album, Audioslave’s Revelations (Epic/Interscope) appears pretty good in a down market for rock, with a first-week total estimated between 130-140k. Sanctuary Music Group’s metal perennials Iron Maiden is up next with 60k, give or take a screaming guitar solo and a medieval torture device.

Meanwhile, back to reality. As we head into the prime selling season, the industry was down between 1-2% last week, down more than 10% from same week last year and now down more than 5.5% to year-to-date.

Big deal

Nearly all of today's artists sell big numbers in their first week,but then they fade away a few weeks later.This music is like fast food...completely disposable.Kids buy this crap then quickly move on to the next big thing.Justin's CD will also sell a shitload of copies in it's first week,but it will soon be forgotten too.This is what happens when labels keep releasing all this over-produced,manufactured,disposable bullshit that won't even be remembered a year from now.

Really? HOly shit becuase I thought everyone was done with her...."Deja Vu" didn't excatly burn up the charts (singed them, maybe). It was starting to look like Audioslave was going to do better.

SoulAlive said:

I haven't seen numbers that big in the first week for a while....not even close! Christina's sold about half of that....and that was of a double disc! It seems like going gold is good these days....to do it in the first week is pretty amazing!

still no where near mary j's album from last year...

b'day b'gone!!!

The record is awful.
I had a "Glitter" deja vu... *lol* even though Glitter is great, I thought B'day was going 2 flop.

Good for her. I think I'll go buy it today and add to her sells.

I bought the album Tuesday.

It is wild and fun and energetic.

The bass kicks from beginning to end.

I listen to it straight through, several times a day without skipping.

Her voice IS AMAZING. She has gained so much vocal control since her Say My Name days. Plus, she's showing so much more personality.

The songs' themes and lyrics are very empowering for women and sensual.

Love it. Love it!!!!

There is nothing out that can beat it or that I'd rather listen to.

"Ring The Alarm" is #2 on Itunes!!! Justin's "Sexyback" is still #1.

My fave cut on Beyonce's CD is "Irreplaceable". Love it!

Get that #1 girl!

sosgemini said:

That was also around the holidays!

Don't try to take away from Beyonce's shining moment!

I got my copy for free.
Thank you Mr.Internet.

I actually do not believe those numbers. Sony is VERY powerful and has the power to fudge numbers to try to boost sales. Payola anyone?

VelvetJ said:

As it's been said, JayZ was not going to let this project flop. There has been talks of pre-orders and the label, or Jay himself, buying up copies. I don't know what to believe but I wouldn't be surprised of anything these days.

SoulAlive said:

Preach the truth SoulAlive.

SoulAlive said:

Not really...Over the past year or so album sales have been way down....Artists selling over 600, 000 the first week (or even over 400, 000 for that matter) has become a rarity this year. Because she did that on the last album it's not a big deal that Beyonce's going to pull in those type of numbers...The big deal is Beyonce is doing it with a backlash brewing and with album sales dramatically down...
[Edited 9/9/06 23:33pm]

Nick715 said:

Irreplaceable is my current favorite too (having replaced Upgrad U which replaced 'Alarm' as my favorite which replaced Deja Vu.)

Anyway: To the left, to the left, everything you own in the box to the left! Ha ha!!!


"Standing in the front yard, telling me how I'm such a fool, talkin' bout how I'm never gonna find another man like you. You've got me twisted. Yu must not know 'bout me. You must not know 'bout me. I could have another you in a minute. Matter of fact, he'll be here in a minute. . You must not know 'bout me. I will have another you by tomorrow. So, don't you ever get to thinkin' you're irreplaceable."

Stupid bint.

SynthiaRose said:

I had a sneaky suspicion that this CD would sell. Walmart had a special edition for $13 which came with a DVD of all her BET performances and stuff. And she did what someone as overexposed as she is had to do, she came with a different style. She's more aggresive and convincing enough to make people suspect she and Jigga were having probs. Basicially, "B-Day" is the CD that a lot of people wanted out of "Dangerously In Love." Plus, I think she has a lot of closet fans....a love/hate thing.

I didn't used to lcare for her, but I love this CD! Her voice is really lovely on the slow cuts and sassier on the fast ones. Something freed her up it seems.

Best cuts:
Get Me Bodied-- She sounds good and country to me on this one for some reason. I love it.

Suga Momma. Funky, old school flavor. She's good at these types of songs. It's like a better verison of "Work It Out."

Irreplaceable. Pretty and cold at the same time.lol

Freakum Dress. Love how it builds and builds. Just a fun record.

Kitty Kat. Love it.

Upgrade U. A straight out jam. She sounds so confident here.

Listen. I don't care for goopy ballads, but her voice is beautiful on this one.
[Edited 9/7/06 22:30pm]

cheyenne said:

LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!! Every song on it is worth the price of the album. Beyonce went beyond what I expected of her. The songs are raw and cooking. She is singing HARD on every song. It's as if she is trying to prove to the naysayers that she can sing and boy this lady CAN sing. Not only can she dance, her voice never sounded better than it does on this album. She has done it AGAIN! Beyonce has become the ultimate entertainer-dancer, SINGER and actress. This album is definently worth the money. I am enjoying Beyonce's album as much as I am Teena Marie's.

Yes, the whole album is good. I hear 5 or 6 singles on this!

The album has no layers, it's the same beat for 40 mins, the sam vocal, melody repeated, excpet for a few tracks, there is no variation in tempo. It's basically an album of beats for rappers that Beyonce is screaming over.

JackieBlue said:

I don't follow sales numbers that closely but this seems a little high to me also.

Oh please! ^ Haters!

People need to stop bragging on Beyonce... and they shouldnt say she is going to sell 600,000 plus albums... because when she doesnt they are going to look stupid...
im sorry but her songs havent made a Big Impact on the radio or charts... if you ask a random person off the street to sing beyonce's two latest songs... they probably wont even know the name of the songs....

And her videos arent even that good...

IM not hating on beyonce... i think she is pretty... but thats it...

bey is at about 200K at the moment... far cry from 600K

^ Wrong!!!

She's at about 560,000. Soundscan figures will be available tom'w.

Nick715 said:

wrong.. the official number is 541.000

banks said:

That's still a lot.

^Exactly. Haters be gone.

Check this album. I can't stop playing this CD. Beyonce is over the top!