HITS 8/15-16: Jay-Z and Kanye 500k+

[Honeymoon]

HITS doesn't put out their one-day predictions until Wednesday afternoon but Billboard is already putting some interesting projections out there (I think I saw HITS predict 400-450k in their Rumor Mill)

BILLBOARD:

While we don't know for sure who will be No. 1 on this week's Billboard 200 album chart, we're already looking ahead to next week's list.

Jay-Z & Kanye West's new collaboration album, "Watch the Throne," released today (Aug. 8) exclusively through Apple's iTunes Store, is on track to sell at least 400,000 to 500,000 copies in its first week in the U.S., according to industry prognosticators. That would instantly become the second-largest sales week of the year, behind Lady Gaga's 1.1 million opener for "Born This Way."

"Watch the Throne," which miraculously didn't leak to the Web as so many eagerly-awaited albums have over the years, is exclusive to iTunes until Friday, Aug. 12. That's when all other retailers -- physical and digital -- will start selling "Watch." Of course, most brick-and-mortar retailers could opt to ignore the official street date and begin selling the CD as soon as they receive it, which may be as early as Wednesday.

Best Buy has the exclusive deluxe physical CD edition of the set from Aug. 12-22, which sports the same four additional songs as on iTunes' deluxe version.

Predicting "Throne's" first week is tricky because of its unique release rollout. Traditionally, albums drop to all retailers on Tuesdays. However, "Throne" secured a Monday street date, but only through iTunes. So, its first four days of release will consist mostly of sales via Apple (with physical street-date violation sales mixed in), while the remaining three days of its first week will be a blend of physical and digital.

Jay-Z and Kanye West: A Bromance Timeline

Thus, because of the weird nature of "Throne's" release, stay tuned through the week for further news on its first-week sales pace.

Nielsen SoundScan's sales tracking week runs from Monday through Sunday. We'll have "Throne's" official first-week sales figure on Wednesday, Aug. 17.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

I was going to say that 400-500 might be a low guess but then I figure that since it won't hit stores in its physical form until Friday, that might be a good guess. Therefore, I'll add that its second week sales will be pretty high as well.

[areyoureadytojump]

www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/rumormill.cgi

THE THRONE WATCH:

Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/Roc Nation release Watch the Throne hit iTunes last night for a four-day exclusive, and predictably, the deluxe edition of the album and the regular are running 1-2 on the site. The physical version hits retail on Friday, with Best Buy the exclusive physical outlet for the deluxe edition, which includes four extra bonus tracks. In addition, it was the first major hip-hop release in memory to hit the market without a leak, perhaps due to its digital-only release up front.

Early returns suggest that the album's first-week total on next Tuesday's chart will be right in line with the initial estimate of 400-450k. The N.Y. Post’s Dan Aquilante has already weighed in with his opinion, calling it “stellar work from two stars,” touting the opening song, “No Church in the Wild,” “Lift Off’ (which features Beyonce) and “New Day,” in which the two ponder how they’ll raise their sons. Kanye even addresses his infamous Hurricane Katrina remark with the lyric about making his kid “a Republican, so they know he likes white people,” while Jay adds, “My dad left me, and I promised never to repeat him.” (8/8a)

[Fat Ass Kelly Price]

I have a feeling this will trend high.

[Sir Benji]

There is way too much hype. I definitely see this pulling in numbers over 500K

[Verisimilitude]

I predict 650K when all is said and done.

[tonytaylor]

Wow, could they keep Adele off #1 for 3 weeks, I wonder?

[Agent Yoncé]

I kinda like how they're releasing the album. It's like they're making people go to iTunes just to download their album right now.

[Lockheart]

I was predicting 800K but respectable number. I think it will outdo prediction

[chopped89]

Haha, motherfuckers know hot to sell a product.
It doesn't deserve that much but it's so high because the album didn't leak....Even snippets came out in shitty quality.

I respect the way they do business. Wake up Interscope!

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

Go Jay and Ye!

[franklin]

Wow, I didn't realize this didn't leak until I read that article, pretty impressive. Just goes to show that if the right steps are taken, material leaking is not inevitable.

[Choco]

That would be good numbers, but I think they'll do more.

[Enigma.]

I think it's too early to tell yet as people must have rushed in to Itunes to download it asap... We'll be wiser tomorrow. However, my prediction of 300-350k might be a bit low here.

[spongebob]

bad era for music...but still good numbers!!! get it Jaywest :)

[Lockheart]

So, if ever, let's say this album goes 3xp. Do both Kanye and JayZ get the 3xp certification - or will it be an artist called Jay Z and Kanye? Am I making sense? I mean, it's just one album, and two artist.

[HolidayGuy]

^Jay-Z/R. Kelly's Best of Both Worlds remains uncertified, correct? The duo's second album- Unfinished Business- hit No. 1 (one of those No. 1s with the shortest chart stay), and counts as a No. 1 for both, so the Jay-Z/Kanye album should be no different. I would think the credits will include their names and not "The Throne," but we'll see.

[Deleted]

Well apparently they are The Throne now, so "The Throne" would get the certification.

If they were just going by their names, the certification would be for the album, and it will be noted on the plaque and on anything listing the record that the album is credited to both Kanye and Jay. They can order separate plaques for themselves though.

[#LisaRinna]

The album is credited with their names on iTunes. Not 'The Throne' (which I will not use for my last.fm tags lol)

[Deleted]

^Oh, okay, because last.fm had me messed up with that auto-correct! LOL. I was reading some thread on another site and the entire comments section was 150+ posts arguing about how to credit the album. At some point Jay referred to them as The Throne so that didn't help matters at all. Everyone's so confused.

My dilemma isn't what to name it but whose artist folder I want to put the album in. I refuse to create a new folder just for "Jay-Z & Kanye West."

[#LisaRinna]

Aug 9, 2011 9:07:39 GMT -5 @cynthiarose said:

^Oh, okay, because last.fm had me messed up with that auto-correct! LOL. I was reading some thread on another site and the entire comments section was 150+ posts arguing about how to credit the album. At some point Jay referred to them as The Throne so that didn't help matters at all. Everyone's so confused.

iTunes has the 'Otis' single credited as Jay-Z & Kanye West, but then the album is Kanye West & Jay-Z. #MESS
I'll go in alphabetical order and put Jay first. Oh and to me it's still Jay-Z, not "JAY Z"

[areyoureadytojump]

Out today:

Luke Bryan
Now 39
Glee 3D Concert Sdtk
Ace Hood
Gucci Mane
Trivium

[slw84]

Thats great...I think it will hit around 600k but i see double platinum at best...unless they are going.to.really promote it. Jayz can add his name to.the.few.artist.to.have a #1 album in three decades. Even eminem hasn't yet achieved that.

[Honeymoon]

Solid week, I wonder how high Luke Bryan, NOW! and Glee 3D can go. Hopefully all over 80k

[Deleted]

seems like a pretty strong debut week, will this be the end of Adele's top 3 streak?

[Enigma.]

'Watch the Throne' Now Projected to Top 500,000 in First Week

by Keith Caulfield, L.A.

With a full day's worth of sales under its belt, Jay-Z & Kanye West's new "Watch the Throne" album is projected to sell over 500,000 copies in its first week in the U.S., according to industry sources. That's above initial estimates yesterday, where prognosticators placed the set's debut week sales somewhere in the range of 400,000 - 500,000 copies.

The dynamic duo's album was released exclusively via Apple's iTunes Store yesterday, Aug. 8.

The album is on track to become the second-largest sales week of the year, behind Lady Gaga's 1.1 million opener for "Born This Way."

"Watch" will easily top the Billboard 200 chart next week (which will be revealed on Aug. 17), unless something completely unexpected happens. The album will mark the 12th No. 1 album for Jay-Z and the fifth for West. Jay has previously topped the list with two other collaborative albums: "MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups Presents: Collision Course" with Linkin Park, and "Unfinished Business" with R. Kelly.

"Watch the Throne," which incredibly didn't leak to the Web as so many eagerly-awaited albums have over the years, is exclusive to iTunes until Friday, Aug. 12. That's when all other retailers -- physical and digital -- will start selling "Watch." Of course, most brick-and-mortar retailers could opt to ignore the official street date and begin selling the CD as soon as they receive it, which may be as early as Wednesday.

Best Buy has the exclusive deluxe physical CD edition of the set from Aug. 12-22, which sports the same four additional songs as on iTunes' deluxe version. These exclusives have angered many retailers who were excluded from the promotions.

Predicting "Throne's" first week is tricky because of its unique release rollout. Traditionally, albums drop to all retailers on Tuesdays. However, "Throne" secured a Monday street date -- but only through iTunes. So, its first four days of release will consist mostly of sales via Apple (with physical street-date violation sales mixed in), while the remaining three days of its first week will be a blend of physical and digital.

Thus, because of the unusual nature of "Throne's" release, stay tuned through the week for further news on its first-week sales pace.

www.billboard.com/news/watch-the-throne-now-projected-to-top-500-1005309182.story#/news/watch-the-throne-now-projected-to-top-500-1005309182.story

[Enigma.]

I still think they're overestimating it based on one day.

[Enigma.]

Although this constant spamming by Billboard (=buzz) might help it a bit.

[lc3]

Aug 9, 2011 12:24:26 GMT -5 Enigma. said:

Although this constant spamming by Billboard (=buzz) might help it a bit.

What percentage of music buyers give a rats ass what Billboard says? I'm guessing it's so minuscule that it has no bearing on the outcome. The general consumer hasn't come across a single word Billboard has published about this project.

However the buzz on the streets is tangible. It's an extremely anticipated project from two of musics biggest stars. It's been trending non-stop and individual tracks have been trending as well. It's going to do very well and I expect, like almost everyone in this thread, they will outperform the estimates.

[jgizzle89]

i'm guessing 600k