From: Billboard
Taylor Swift's unstoppable new album, 1989, may sell 1.25 million copies in its first week, so suggest industry forecasters. The album could even approach 1.3 million, if the weekend is especially kind to the release.
The album is the singer/songwriter's fifth studio effort and was released on Oct. 27 through Big Machine Records.
1989 is on course to earn the largest sales week for any album since 2002, when Eminem's The Eminem Show sold 1.322 million in its first full week on sale, according to Nielsen SoundScan. 1989's arrival would surpass the bow of Swift's last album, Red, which moved 1.208 million. (It was also the last album to sell a million copies in a week.)
Swift's 1989 should easily debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, giving the entertainer her fourth chart-topper. The new Billboard 200’s top 10 will be revealed on Nov. 5.
1989's sales forecast has climbed almost on a daily basis. It went from 800,000-900,000 a week ago, to over 900,000, to 1 million, then 1.2 million, and now 1.25 million. Whew!
On SoundScan's Building chart (below), Swift is No. 1, followed by the new Now 52 compilation. The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking -- reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week as reported by six major merchants.
The Now 52 album might sell around 90,000 to 95,000 copies in its debut frame.
As for the rest of the Building chart’s top 10, Sam Hunt's Montevallo is No. 3, followed by Jason Aldean's Old Boots, New Dirt at No. 4 and Florida Georgia Line's Anything Goes at No. 5. Hunt's album will likely be the second-highest new entry on the chart by an artist for the week, with over 60,000 sold.
Black Veil Brides' new self-titled album is No. 6, with Trip Lee's also new Rise at No. 7, and Barbra Streisand's Partners at No. 8. Black Veil Brides and Lee might sell 30,000 and 20,000, respectively. Slipknot's current Billboard 200 No. 1, .5: The Gray Chapter, is No. 9, and Sam Smith's In the Lonely Hour is No. 10.
| NIELSEN SOUNDSCAN BUILDING CHART | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | LW BB 200 | Artist | Title |
| 1 | NEW | Taylor Swift | 1989 |
| 2 | NEW | Various Artists | Now 52 |
| 3 | NEW | Sam Hunt | Motevallo |
| 4 | 6 | Jason Aldean | Old Boots, New Dirt |
| 5 | 5 | Florida Georgia Line | Anything Goes |
| 6 | NEW | Black Veil Brides | Black Veil Brides |
| 7 | NEW | Trip Lee | Rise |
| 8 | 8 | Barbra Streisand | Partners |
| 9 | 1 | Slipknot | .5: The Gray Chapter |
| 10 | 11 | Sam Smith | In the Lonely Hour |
| The Building Chart reflects the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan's tracking week (which ends Sunday) as reported by six major merchants: iTunes, Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Starbucks, Target and Anderson Merchandisers. Billboard estimates that they make up about 85% of all U.S. album sales. | |||
