For the past week or so, the Internet has been predicting that Rihanna's new album, Rated R, will flop.
Perhaps it has.
According to HITS Daily Double, a Web site that compiles album sales data, Rated R debuted at No. 5 on the charts after selling 180,198 units. (Conversely, Susan's Boyle's debut album, "I Dreamed a Dream", was No. 1; It sold a whopping 669,843 units!)
While we liked the album, many of her fans didn't. The record company didn't have faith in the album, either. Immediately after the album was released last Monday, it was on sale for a mere $3.99. Then the price dropped to 99 cents (yes, for the entire album!) last weekend; They were basically giving the album away.
So, after all those price breaks, is selling 180,198 units a flop? Or is it still respectable, given the current economic climate?
Update: Nielsen SoundScan's numbers and placing are a slightly different. On their charts, "Rated R" came in at No. 4 with 181,000 units sold. "Good Girl Gone Bad", Rihanna's previous album, started with 162,000 at No. 2 in 2007. Billboard has Susan's album coming in with 701,000 units sold -- the best debut by any album this year!
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4 comments:
The price didn't just "drop". There was a promotional coupon for three dollars off, which was applicable to all of the new albums. Also, it was $3.99, but the other new releases were offered at the same price, too.
Those numbers are depressing, just like the album. I wonder how Chris will do next week. Both of them should have just held off until the new year. Not every artist can capitalize off holiday sales. Alicia Keys will have her first flopper too, nobody is feeling her right now.
I think it is a flop even in this economy because Susan Boyle sold a lot more and she got less promotion but she had an audience that was willing to buy her music.
Rihanna just.isn't.that.good. She had hot producers behind the last effort. Apparently, they're gone. Looks like her stylist quit too.
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