With 69.42% of reports in, this looks to be a good week for the top of the charts. Industry pundits are predicting that the top 3 albums will sell more than 100K for the first time this year. Already, two albums are above the 100K mark.
Leading the pack is Lana Del Rey. Lana had been a favourite of the hipsters, but a disastrous performance on SNL applied the brakes when she became a bit of a laughing stock. Nevertheless, her album debuted at number 2 (77K) on the BB200 and was the fifth best selling album of 2012 (1.07M). With a lot of hard work and better performances, Lana is back with her second album. This one is starting at the top of the chart with a predicted 180-190K in sales.
A ways behind her is the new singing sensation from the UK (he seems to be everywhere these days). Sam Smith’s “Lonely Hour” is his debut album and it was released earlier this year in the UK where it was number 1. His current single “Stay With Me” is all over the charts. He is expected to do 150-160K. He appeared on SNL in March of this year.
Linkin Park is yet another act that’s been on SNL (back in 2011). Their “Hunting Party” is predicted to sell 100-110K. Good enough for third. Their previous album “Living Things” debuted at number 1 back in 2012.
Miranda Lambert is fourth this week and she has never been a musical guest on SNL (despite a campaign by fans back in 2012 to get Blake as host and her as musical guest – not many country acts get the SNL nod). “Frozen” is going to be in the top 10 until winter comes back again, but Elsa has never sung on SNL (I bet they’ve used parts of the movie in skits. How can they not have had a least one “Let it Go!”). Willie is currently 6th, but predicted to move up to 4th (Mr. Nelson has both been a guest and a musical performer on SNL).
Idol Judge Jennifer Lopez is debuting in a disappointing 7th with only 70-75K in sales (but can take solace in having been a host, musical guest and had a cameo role on SNL). Now 50 features people who have been on SNL (plus original recipe American Idol and new Mom Kelly Clarkson as well as Canadian Idol’s Carly Rae Jepsen). “The Fault in Our Stars” has past and future SNL musical guests on its album at 9th. Brantley Gilbert will likely never appear on SNL (unless he behaves very badly and gets featured on the weekend round-up), but he is at 10th.
Phillip Phillips represents the reality singing show competitors this week (few remember Miranda Lambert on Nashville Star and most would be stunned to discover that she was a reality sing show contestant) clinging to the bottom of the chart at 50th. Time for a new single?
Blake and Pharrell represent the Voice at 26th and 28th respectively. Obviously, Pharrell has been on SNL
CHART DATE: 06/23/2014
LAST UPDATE: 06/23/2014 14:16:11
NOW IN: 69.42%
LW TW artist / album label sales index
— 1 LANA DEL REY ULTRAVIOLENCE 113,098
— 2 SAM SMITH IN THE LONELY HOUR 109,595
— 3 LINKIN PARK HUNTING PARTY 84,083
2 4 MIRANDA LAMBERT PLATINUM 24,326
3 5 FROZEN SOUNDTRACK 24,072
— 6 WILLIE NELSON BAND OF BROTHERS 21,400
— 7 JENNIFER LOPEZ A.K.A. 20,633
6 8 NOW 50 VARIOUS ARTISTS 17,838
5 9 THE FAULT IN OUR STARS SOUNDTRACK 17,305
4 10 BRANTLEY GILBERT JUST AS I AM 17,191
…
22 26 BLAKE SHELTON BASED ON A TRUE STORY 4,541
…
30 28 PHARRELL WILLIAMS G I R L 3,950
…
37 50 PHILLIP PHILLIPS BEHIND THE LIGHT 1,249
*No link to LDR’s SNL performance since all video evidence (even crappy TV video taping) seems to have been removed from the internet.
