Yesterday was Memorial Day, so HDD will report all the numbers today. Their “weakend” prediction last week has the top 4 albums being debuts with Daft Punk easily winning the week by moving 300-325K units. Daft Punk started out as a French House duo in the 1990s and continue their blend of uniqueness to today. This is their fourth studio album.
Well behind them is The National – another indie-rock band I have never heard of before. “Trouble Will Find Me” is their sixth studio album and appears to be their highest ranking debut (their last album debuted at 3rd in the US). They have had a lot of success in Europe. Darius Rucker, formerly of Hootie and the Blowfish, has totally re-imagined himself as Country artist and become a staple in that format. He is predicted to land in 3rd with 60-65K with Thirty Second to Mars not far behind.
The Great Gatsby Soundtrack has legs like a 20s flapper and continues to sell impressively for a soundtrack. George Strait is 6th while French Montana is debuting in 7th. I have no clue who French Montana is – I’m thinking Country/Cajun fusion? And I would be wrong. He is a rapper from Morocco. Which might explain the French (I’ve seen Casablanca – I know the French were all over Morocco), but I’m stumped at the Montana bit since his family emigrated to the Bronx. Vampire Weekend, my new band of the week last week and number one on the album chart, has slid down to 8th. Justin is 9th and Lady A is 10th.
We’ll have to wait for estimates to start coming in to see the singing reality contestants’ albums, but Now 46 features One D and Olly Murs. The album is in 11th with 30-35K in sales.
*Daft Punk (Columbia) 300-325k
*The National (4AD) 70-75k
*Darius Rucker (Capitol Nashville) 60-65k
*Thirty Seconds To Mars (Virgin) 60-65k
Great Gatsby Soundtrack (Interscope) 55-60k
George Strait (MCA Nashville) 45-50k
*French Montana (Bad Boy/Interscope) 45-50k
Vampire Weekend (XL) 45-50k
Justin Timberlake (RCA) 40-45k
Lady Antebellum (Capitol Nashville) 35-40k
Now 46 (UMe) 30-35k
Demi Lovato (Hollywood) 30-35k
Michael Buble (Reprise) 28-32k
Imagine Dragons (Interscope) 24-27k
P!nk (RCA) 24-27k
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (Macklemore) 24-27k
