Billboard 200 12/26/2015 | 5 Million... so far

[Linnethia Monique]

Adele's '25' Hits 5 Million Sold in U.S.

It is just the 11th album released since 2005 to sell 5 million copies.


Adele's 25 has now sold more than 5 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music. It’s the first album to sell 5 million in a calendar year since Adele’s previous album, 21, did so in 2011.

After processing the first sales reports on Dec. 9, Nielsen Music says 25 has sold at least 510,000 copies -- so far -- in its third week on sale. Combined with the 4.49 million 25 sold in its first two weeks, the album has sold just over 5 million in pure album sales.

Industry forecasters suggest 25 could finish its third week with perhaps 650,000 copies sold. Billboard is scheduled to report 25’s official third-week sales figure on Dec. 14, after Nielsen Music has completed processing its sales reports for the week. The current sales tracking week ends at the close of business on Dec. 10.

25 is the first album to sell 5 million copies in a calendar year since Adele herself did it in 2011 with her previous album, 21. That year, 21 sold 5.82 million and was the top-selling album of the year. (25 and 21 are the only albums to sell 5 million copies in a calendar year since 2004, when Usher’s Confessions cleared 7.98 million.)

Further, in terms of total sales (not just sales registered in a calendar year), 25 is one of only 11 albums released since 2005 to sell 5 million. (And of those, five are by Adele and Taylor Swift.)

In addition to 25, the albums released since 2005 that have sold more than 5 million in the U.S. are: Swift’s 1989 (released in 2014; 5.5 million), Adele’s 21 (2011; 11.3 million), Swift’s Fearless (2008; 7 million), Josh Groban’s Noel (2007; 5.82 million), Swift’s self-titled album (2006; 5.56 million), Daughtry’s self-titled album (2006; 5.04 million), Nickelback’s All the Right Reasons (2005; 7.91 million), Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts (2005; 7.45 million), Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi (2005; 6.08 million) and 50 Cent’s The Massacre (2005; 5.36 million).

[Ravi]

Global Sales for 25:

Week 1:

USA: 3,379,000
OTH: 2,327,000
TOT: 5,706,000

Week 2:

USA: 1,112,000 (4,491,000 Cume)
OTH: 1,224,000 (3,551,000 Cume)
TOT: 2,336,000 (8,042,000 Cume)

Week 3 (estimates):

USA: 650,000 (5,140,000 Cume)
OTH: 800,000 (4,350,000 Cume)
TOT: 1,450,000 (9,490,000 Cume)

So it's already sold around 9.5 million copies in 3 weeks. Over the weekend it should sell at least another 500-600k, so it will cross the 10M mark by Sunday!

[moore746]

No way this doesn't pass 7 million in the US by 12/31--right??

[areyoureadytojump]

^There are 3 sales weeks left.

600k + 900k + 600k = 2,100,000 so probably yes!

[KeepDeanWeird]

This is what drives me crazy about Billboard - this is THE Top story on site - posted today and they can't even update numbers:

www.billboard.com/articles/events/year-in-music-2015/6805397/adeles-army-female-fans-catapulted-her-sell-4-million-albums

[areyoureadytojump]

The first sentence is:

"How did Adele sell more than 4 million albums in two weeks?"

The article is about the first 2 weeks.

But, they easily could have changed it to:

"5 million albums in three weeks"

[KeepDeanWeird]

Dec 11, 2015 15:12:30 GMT -5 areyoureadytojump said:

The first sentence is:

"How did Adele sell more than 4 million albums in two weeks?"

The article is about the first 2 weeks.

But, they easily could have changed it to:

"5 million albums in three weeks"

Exactly - especially since it was posted today AND 5MM is a huge milestone. It's little details like those that annoy me - especially since the 5MM was announced yesterday!

[brucelover]

Yep, she's going Diamond again. Unbelievable. I just hope she continues to check her ego at the door when it comes to making music and doesn't surround herself with yes people. Not doing that has been the undoing of so many great, best-selling artists, MJ included (notice the tragic decline in quality post Dangerous, when it became clear anything he released was going to bulldoze the marketplace).

[areyoureadytojump]

www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6805727/adeles-25-no-1-on-billboard-200-album-chart-third-week-coldplay-a-head-full-of-dreams

Adele's '25' Rules for Third Week at No. 1, Coldplay Debuts at No. 2 on Billboard 200
12/13/2015 by Keith Caulfield

"25" sold 5.19 million copies in the United States in its first three weeks.


On the latest Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Dec. 26), Adele’s 25 crowns the tally for a third straight week. It earned another 728,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 10, according to Nielsen Music. It was down 37 percent in total units for the week.

Of its weekly sum, 695,000 were in pure album sales. That’s a larger than expected figure, as industry forecasters were expecting it to sell around 650,000.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new Dec. 26-dated chart (where Adele is No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s websites on Tuesday, Dec. 15.

This is 25’s third week of selling in excess of 650,000 copies -- the first time an album has sold more than 650,000 in each of its first three frames since Nielsen Music began tracking sales in 1991. Four earlier albums managed to sell 650,000 in at least three different weeks, but none were in their first three frames. The last titles to notch three (or more) weeks over 650,000 were The Beatles’ 1 and Backstreet Boys’ Black & Blue, both on the chart dated Jan. 6, 2001.

With 25’s third week sales of 695,000, the album’s total sales climb to 5.19 million. It is now the largest selling album of any calendar year since 2011, when Adele’s previous album, 21, sold 5.82 million. (25 is also the only album to sell 5 million copies in a calendar year since 2011.)

25 is also one of only 11 albums released since 2005 to sell 5 million copies in total.

With three weeks left during the sales tracking year of 2015, it seems likely that 25 will surpass 6 million in sales by Dec. 31 (the final day of the final tracking week of 2015). The last album to sell 6 million in a calendar year was Usher’s Confessions in 2004, with 7.98 million.

At No. 2 on the new Billboard 200 chart is the list’s top debut, Coldplay’s A Head Full of Stars. The set earned 210,000 units (of which 195,000 were in pure album sales).

It’s the sixth straight top five-charting studio album for the British band, and their fifth consecutive title to reach the top two. The act's previous four releases all debuted at No. 1. The group most recently led the list with 2014’s Ghost Stories, which bowed with 383,000 copies sold.

Coldplay debuted on the Billboard 200 nearly exactly 15 years ago, on the list dated Dec. 30, 2000. That week, the band's debut album, Parachutes, arrived at No. 189, on its way to a No. 51 peak on March 17, 2001.

Justin Bieber’s Purpose dips one rung to No. 3 with 151,000 units (down 29 percent), while Pentatonix’s That’s Christmas to Me falls 3-4 with 139,000 (though it is up by 48 percent).

G-Eazy’s When It’s Dark Out arrives at No. 5 with 132,000 units (103,000 in pure album sales), giving the hip-hop artist his second top five album. It follows 2014’s These Things Happen (No. 3 debut and peak, from a 46,000 sales start).

The new album also launches at No. 1 on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Rap Albums charts, his second leader on both tallies, following These Things Happen.

Back on the new Billboard 200, Rick Ross’ Black Market bows at No. 6 with 69,000 units (58,000 in album sales). His previous set, 2014’s Hood Billionaire, bowed at No. 2 with 74,000 sold.

Black Market is Ross’ ninth straight major label album to reach the top 10 -- all of which have debuted in the region. The rapper's debut effort, Port of Miami, set sail at No. 1 on the list dated Aug. 26, 2006.

Troye Sivan’s debut full-length album, Blue Neighbourhood, starts at No. 7 on the new Billboard 200 with 65,000 units (55,000 in album sales). It’s his third top 10 album, and follows two earlier introductory EPs: TRXYE in 2014 and Wild in 2015, both of which debuted and peaked at No. 5.

Rounding out the top 10 are One Direction’s Made in the A.M. (4-8 with 60,000 units; down 26 percent), Chris Stapleton’s Traveller (11-9 with 51,000 units; up 31 percent) and The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness (6-10 with 49,000 units; down 17 percent).

[areyoureadytojump]

THE DECADE 2010-2019...SO FAR (WEEK 309)

This list includes many albums released before 2010 so the albums will only have sales from 2010 and on.

Rank - Estimated Sales - TITLE - Artist

01 - 11,274,000 - 21 - Adele
02 - 5,446,000 - 1989 - Taylor Swift
03 - 5,186,000 - 25 - Adele
04 - 4,704,000 - RECOVERY - Eminem
05 - 4,541,000 - SPEAK NOW - Taylor Swift
06 - 4,257,000 - RED - Taylor Swift
07 - 4,104,000 - FROZEN - Soundtrack
08 - 4,092,000 - NEED YOU NOW - Lady Antebellum
09 - 3,773,000 - CHRISTMAS - Michael Bublé
10 - 3,337,000 - MY WORLD 2.0 - Justin Bieber

[Envoirment]

Will overtake Taylor swift in the next day or so, unless she's overtaken her already! Very likely that 25 will pass the 10 million sales mark too.

[anafan]

Nice to see the sales being larger than expected this week.

[areyoureadytojump]

hiphopdx.com/news/id.36642/title.hip-hop-album-sales-g-eazy-rick-ross-kid-cudi

Hip Hop Album Sales: G-Eazy, Rick Ross & Kid Cudi
by VICTORIA HERNANDEZ on December 14th 2015

Several projects were released December 4 and it was tough competition for album sales. G-Eazy comes out as the top Rap album with Rick Ross close behind. J. Cole and Dreamville, Curren$y and Jeremih all make their first appearances on this week's Billboard Top 200 chart.

G-Eazy's Sophomore Album Soars

G-Eazy scores the #5 spot on this week's chart with When It's Dark Out. G-Eazy enlisted Bay Area legends Too $hort and E-40 as well as newcomers Kehlani and Tory Lanez for the project, which sold 131,831 album equivalent units and was streamed nearly 29 million times. G-Eazy's debut LP, These Things Happen, was the #3 project upon its release, beating out Ab-Soul's These Days.

Rick Ross's Black Market Puts Up Numbers

Rick Ross's eighth studio album lands at #6 on the chart, selling 64,515 album equivalent units and 53,717 albums. This continues Def Jam's end of the year run with Justin Bieber, Alessia Cara, Logic, Jeezy and Jadakiss all seeing chart success. Rick Ross has had multiple #1 albums including Trilla, Deeper Than Rap, God Forgives I Don't and last year's Mastermind.

Kid Cudi Returns With Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven

Kid Cudi's much-anticipated alternative album, Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, charted at #36 with 19,365 album equivalent units. The project was released with little promotion. Kid Cudi's highest-charting project to date is 2013's Indicud, which reached the #2 position.

Top 10 Billboard Top 200 Rap & R&B Albums For The Week Ending 12/10/2015

Note: The first number below is this week’s “total album equivalent units” count, an intersection of album sales, single sales, and streams implemented by Billboard's new rating system. A pure album sales figure is available in bold in parenthesis and information about each album's streaming count is available in brackets.

#5 G-Eazy - When It's Dark Out - 131,831 (103,386) [28,922,414]

#6 Rick Ross - Black Market - 64,515 (53,717) [9,603,590]

#10 The Weeknd - Beauty Behind the Madness - 49,305 (20,625) [24,667,716]

#17 Fetty Wap - Fetty Wap - 31,673 (10,050) [18,921,689]

#22 Bryson Tiller - Trapsoul - 26,108 (8,722) [21,358,272]

#25 Drake and Future - What a Time to Be Alive - 22,805 (3,823) [20,529,363]

#29 Dreamville - Revenge of the Dreamers II - 20,983 (18,721) [672,042]

#30 Curren$y - Canal St. Confidential - 20,748 (17,423) [3,141,258]

#36 Kid Cudi - Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven - 19,365 (14,210) [5,975,231]

#42 Jeremih - Late Nights: The Album - 18,613 (10,486) [7,059,945]

[Enigma.]

Oh dear god at Jeremih...

[areyoureadytojump]

hiphopdx.com/news/id.36637/title.jeremih-calls-out-def-jam-for-lackluster-late-nights-rollout

Jeremih Calls Out Def Jam For Lackluster "Late Nights" Rollout
by PAUL MEARA on December 14th 2015

It took a while for Def Jam to drop Jeremih's album after the release of the project's its first two singles.

Now, after its drop, Jeremih himself blasted the legendary label and said they don't deserve his talents.

"Y’all don’t even deserve my voice,” he tweeted of Def Jam, and then later pointed out how the high price doesn't even matter if his album isn't in stores. “There’s actually no CDs in the stores to even buy that’s my main point,” he continued after learning each Best Buy store only received less than 10 copies of the album.

Jeremih's Late Nights album was his first solo LP release in five years. It seemed to never see its release but then, out of what seemed like nowhere, did get dropped by the label.

50 Cent recently voiced his own displeasure with how his friend's album was rolled out. He too believed the LP's price point was too high and says five years was far too long in-between album releases.

View Jeremih's tweets about how he feels Def Jam ruined his latest album release below...

[forg]

Just simply amazing!

[jenglisbe]

Dec 14, 2015 16:29:13 GMT -5 areyoureadytojump said:

hiphopdx.com/news/id.36637/title.jeremih-calls-out-def-jam-for-lackluster-late-nights-rollout

Jeremih Calls Out Def Jam For Lackluster "Late Nights" Rollout
by PAUL MEARA on December 14th 2015

It took a while for Def Jam to drop Jeremih's album after the release of the project's its first two singles.

Now, after its drop, Jeremih himself blasted the legendary label and said they don't deserve his talents.

"Y’all don’t even deserve my voice,” he tweeted of Def Jam, and then later pointed out how the high price doesn't even matter if his album isn't in stores. “There’s actually no CDs in the stores to even buy that’s my main point,” he continued after learning each Best Buy store only received less than 10 copies of the album.

Jeremih's Late Nights album was his first solo LP release in five years. It seemed to never see its release but then, out of what seemed like nowhere, did get dropped by the label.

50 Cent recently voiced his own displeasure with how his friend's album was rolled out. He too believed the LP's price point was too high and says five years was far too long in-between album releases.

View Jeremih's tweets about how he feels Def Jam ruined his latest album release below...

So Jeremih handed in an album years ago that wasn't released?

And don't stores help determine how many copies of an album they get? It's not all on the label is it?

[areyoureadytojump]

keelyskorner.com/category/soundscan/

SOUNDSCAN (WEEK ENDING 12/10/15) - 12/26 Billboard's Top Current Albums

1) Adele – 25 – 695,043 (After 3 weeks – 5,186,235)
2) Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams – 194,522
3) G-Eazy – When It’s Dark Out – 103,386

Other Debuts

5) Troye Sivan – Blue Neighbourhood – 55,131
6) Rick Ross – Black Market – 53,717
16) Bruce Springsteen – Ties That Bind: The River Collection – 19,419
19) Various Artists – Revenge of the Dreamers II – 18,721
24) Babyface – Return Of The Tender Lover – 17,922
25) Currensy (Curren$y) – Canal Street Confidential – 17,423
33) Kid Cudi – Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven – 14,210
37) Onxrt – Volume 17 – 11,664
42) Jeremih – Late Nights: The Album – 10,486

[areyoureadytojump]

I forgot to post this:

Albums on the Billboard 200 that have not been certified with the RIAA:

Sales estimates are from the 12/19 chart:

Drake/Future 485k
Luke Bryan 748k
twenty one pilots 456k
Josh Groban 543k
Kendrick Lamar 740k
Casting Crowns 468k

Only albums over 450k and that have been on the chart for 4+ weeks are listed

[areyoureadytojump]

roughstock.com/news/2015/12/39464-top-country-albums-chart-december-14-2015

Top Country Albums Chart: December 14, 2015
Posted By Matt Bjorke

Chris Stapleton returns to #1.

CNTRY Artist Album Week Total Scans

1 Chris Stapleton Traveller 43,700 513,400
2 Carrie Underwood Storyteller 23,200 377,800
3 Luke Bryan Kill The Lights 18,700 766,500
4 Eric Church Mr. Misunderstood 15,800 217,800
5 Blake Shelton Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits 14,600 134,000
6 Sam Hunt Montevallo 14,500 896,700
7 Thomas Rhett Tangled Up 12,500 200,800
8 Various Artists Now! Country Christmas 11,400 36,100
9 LeAnn Rimes Today Is Christmas 9,400 23,700
10 Chris Young I'm Comin' Over 9,000 99,100
11 Elvis Presley Elvis: Ultimate Christmas 7,500 22,700
12 Don Henley Cass County 6,900 198,900
13 Little Big Town Pain Killer 6,100 403,400
14 Tim McGraw Damn Country Music 6,000 73,600
15 George Strait Cold Beer Conversation 5,700 187,000

-- Jessie James Decker This Christmas 5,600 5,600
-- Nashville Soundtrack Soundtrack Season 4 Vol 1 5,200 5,200
-- Kenny Rogers Once Again, It's Christmas 4,700 19,800
-- Zac Brown Band Jekyll+Hyde 4,600 581,700
-- Chris Janson Buy Me A Boat 3,500 42,600
-- Old Dominion Meat And Candy 3,200 37,700
-- Carrie Underwood Greatest Hits: Decade #1 3,100 419,200
-- Maddie & Tae Start Here 2,600 67,800
-- Brett Eldredge Illinois 2,400 89,600
-- Kelsea Ballerini The First Time 2,400 83,400
-- Brantley Gilbert Just As I Am 2,400 936,600
-- Hunter Hayes 21 Project 2,200 12,400
-- Jana Kramer Thirty-One 2,000 39,600
-- Alan Jackson Genuine: The Alan Jacks... 1,900 11,500
-- HOME FREE Country Evolution 1,900 21,500
-- Jason Isbell Something More Than Free 1,800 112,400
-- Joey+Rory Country Classics 1,400 20,000
-- Blake Shelton Bringing Back The Sunshine 1,300 437,100
-- Dierks Bentley Riser 1,200 370,500

[divasummer]

Dec 14, 2015 16:29:13 GMT -5 areyoureadytojump said:

hiphopdx.com/news/id.36637/title.jeremih-calls-out-def-jam-for-lackluster-late-nights-rollout

Jeremih Calls Out Def Jam For Lackluster "Late Nights" Rollout
by PAUL MEARA on December 14th 2015

It took a while for Def Jam to drop Jeremih's album after the release of the project's its first two singles.

Now, after its drop, Jeremih himself blasted the legendary label and said they don't deserve his talents.

"Y’all don’t even deserve my voice,” he tweeted of Def Jam, and then later pointed out how the high price doesn't even matter if his album isn't in stores. “There’s actually no CDs in the stores to even buy that’s my main point,” he continued after learning each Best Buy store only received less than 10 copies of the album.

Jeremih's Late Nights album was his first solo LP release in five years. It seemed to never see its release but then, out of what seemed like nowhere, did get dropped by the label.

50 Cent recently voiced his own displeasure with how his friend's album was rolled out. He too believed the LP's price point was too high and says five years was far too long in-between album releases.

View Jeremih's tweets about how he feels Def Jam ruined his latest album release below...

The roll out was messy I guess with the big hit coming out a year ago with a flop 2nd pop single coming out after.
However wasn't it Jeremiah himself that said he wasn't promoting much and put the cd on hold for a bit and that's why people didn't know when it was coming out or even who was singing his songs etc.

[areyoureadytojump]

www.yahoo.com/music/the-top-10-songs-and-albums-of-2015-193311709.html

The Top 10 Songs and Albums of 2015
by Paul Grein

US top-selling albums of 2015:

01 "25" 5,186,000
02 "1989" 1,866,000
03 If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late 1,117,000
04 x 1,108,000
05 In The Lonely Hour 982,000
06 Title 946,000
07 Purpose 915,000
08 Fifty Shades of Grey 848,000
09 Beauty Behind The Madness 767,000
10 Kill The Lights 766,000

[areyoureadytojump]

www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6813657/michael-buble-christmas-biggest-album-chart?utm_source=twitter

Billboard 200 Chart Moves: 'Christmas' Is Now Michael Buble's Biggest-Selling Album
12/17/2015 by Keith Caulfield

On the most recent Billboard 200 chart (dated Dec. 26), Adele’s 25 held firm for a third straight week at No. 1, while Coldplay’s new A Head Full of Dreams debuted in the No. 2 slot. Also starting in the top 10: G-Eazy, Rick Ross and Troye Sivan.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the week’s most popular albums based on their overall consumption. That overall unit figure combines pure album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).

Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the action on the chart:

— Michael Buble, Christmas - No. 11 — Michael Buble’s former No. 1 album dips 9-11 in its 44th week on the list, and is one of 54 Christmas titles on the list. Among them: Pentatonix’s That’s Christmas To Me (3-4), Chris Tomlin’s Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship (17-19) and MercyMe’s MercyMe, It’s Christmas! (53-38). With another 35,000 sold in the week ending Dec. 10 according to Nielsen Music, Christmas is now Buble’s biggest selling album, with 3,839,000 sold. It jumps ahead of his previous leader, It’s Time, with 3,832,000.

— Twenty One Pilots, Blurryface - No. 15 — The album climbs 27-15 — and to its highest rank since the Sept. 26-dated chart — as its single “Stressed Out” continues to grow in popularity. Blurryface earned 32,000 units for the week ending Dec. 10, according to Nielsen Music (up 42 percent) and sold 21,000 in pure album sales (up 48 percent). “Stressed Out,” meanwhile, is the band’s first entry on the Radio Songs airplay chart. It rises 42-31 in its second week on the list (36.7 million in audience in the week ending Dec. 20; up 30 percent). It also jumps 25-19 on the Pop Songs airplay chart (with a 47 percent gain in plays at the format).

— Babyface, Return of the Tender Lover - No. 39 — Babyface returns with his first solo studio album since 2005, as Return of the Tender Lover bows at No. 39 (19,000 units; 18,000 in pure album sales). It’s his 11th charting effort, and seventh title to reach the top 40. The new set’s title references Babyface’s debut album, Tender Lover, which bowed on the list dated Aug. 5, 1989, and later peaked at No. 14 on March 3, 1990.

— Stone Temple Pilots, Thank You - No. 47 — Following the death of Stone Temple Pilots’ former lead singer, Scott Weiland, on Dec. 3, the group’s greatest hits album Thank You returns to the chart at No. 47 (17,000 units; up 1,787 percent, with 7,000 albums sold; up 1,379 percent). Thank You, which was released in 2003 and peaked at No. 26 the week it debuted, has been absent from the chart since 2004.

Additionally, the band’s debut studio effort, Core, returns at No. 145 (7,000 units; up 530 percent).

— Various Artists, ONXRT: Live From the Archives, Volume 17 - No. 71 — WXRT Chicago’s long-running charity compilation series charts its sixth entry on the chart, as it arrives at No. 71 with 12,000 units (all from album sales). The set boasts live performances from such acts as Jack White, Hozier, Elle King and George Ezra, recorded for the radio station over the past year. The album, which is always produced in a limited quantity, was available at Chicago Target stores as well as on Target’s web site. Proceeds from the album benefit The Citypak Project and the Logan Square Neighborhood Association.

— Leon Bridges, Coming Home - No. 73 — The album zooms back onto the list at No. 17 following Bridges’ performance on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (Dec. 5). The set earned 12,000 units for the week (up 180 percent) and sold 9,000 albums (up 185 percent). It is the highest rank for the album since the Aug. 1 chart, when it was in its fourth week on the tally and placed at No. 53.

[brucelover]

Twenty One Pilots are poised for a very nice mainstream breakout.

[areyoureadytojump]

^Yes. Blurryface crosses 500k sold on the charts out next week.

[KeepDeanWeird]

Dec 19, 2015 14:10:28 GMT -5 areyoureadytojump said:

^Yes. Blurryface crosses 500k sold on the charts out next week.

GooglePlay has had Blurryface for 0.99 for the past two weeks. It wasn't mentioned, so I'm assuming GP was not responsible for shifting many units.