In a development that we didn’t see coming–probably because we don’t have any friends in the preteen demographic–the soundtrack to the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana roared to the No. 1 spot on this week’s Billboard 200, selling 281,000 copies. In case you didn’t know, Hannah stars Miley Cyrus and her father, “Achy Breaky Heart” singer Billy Ray Cyrus. Miley plays the pop star Hannah Montana, who has a secret: her school pals just think he’s a normal kid. (Because, you know, kids never gossip about their classmates.) The soundtrack is the fourth Disney-produced record this year to debut in the top 10, which makes us wonder if that alleged trend of parents force-feeding their kids Wilco is a Nonesuch-perpetuated myth.
Biggest Debuts: In the race for No. 1 among adults, My Chemical Romance’s Welcome To The Black Parade inched out John Legend’s Once Again, with MCR moving 240,000 units to Legend’s 231,000. Jibbs’ Jibbs Featuring Jibbs, With A Performance By Jibbs bowed at No. 11, selling 47,000 copies.
Biggest Slides: Every non-debuting artist in the top 10 took a sales hit this week, but last week’s No.1, Diddy’s Maxell Man, dipped the furthest, with a 60% decline and a chart tumble to No. 7.
Nickelback Award For Inexplicable Durability: Hinder’s Extreme Behavior failed upward this week, suffering a 9% sales drop but ascending one spot on the chart to No. 6. Not to be outdone, Nickelback’s All The Right Reasons re-entered the top 10 in its 56th week on the chart, despite a 6% decline. Can we just call this one a draw?
‘Hannah Montana’ Trumps My Chem, Legend At No. 1 [Billboard]
I think Hits Daily Double might’ve predicted Hannah Montana to be at #1, but I didn’t believe it either.
I guess the pre-teen market for music piracy isn’t tapped out yet.
i’m looking at the numbers, and diddy dropped 65%. dierks bentley topped him: 67%.
re: hannah montana. reminds me of a bill hicks line about debbie gibson: “is there really that much baby sitting money floating around out there?”
Best holds, besides Hinder and Nickelback: Justin Trousersnake, who’s bucking the trend of big-debuting records and hanging in the Top 5 (tomorrow’s Hot 100 will reveal whether “My Love” is bound for #1); and – holy bolo tie, Batman! – the Killers, who are, amazingly, still in the Top 10 even after the weak-ish debut three weeks ago. Must be all those Tim Burton fans.
56 weeks?! Okay, we’ve got to put a stop to this. I vote that everyone goes to their local branch of any national music retailer, hides in the “Modern Rock” section between My Morning Jacket and Oasis, and when someone reaches for a Nickelback CD, brain them with the conveniently located Nirvana box set.
I imagine a large number of Hannah Montana purchases were parents hoping their pre-teen girls were still interested in a) the show, which is family values incarnate (one time I was at the laundromat when a HM marathon was on); b) the music…you know, instead of that “rap music” with all the swears. Or instead of My Chemical Romance, with the epic death themes, and the verging-on-cross-dressing. And sounding like Queen. And featuring Liza. And being inexplicably awesome.
Sorry, mreasy, but the Disney-music juggernaut is real. Tweens genuinely loved High School Musical, and that’s just the beginning; my wife’s 10-year-old cousin reported to us in September that it was cool but that “Cheetah Girls are cooler now.”
No, the bigger theme on the charts this year is that the only people still buying CDs are the very young (HS Musical, Kids Bop) and the very old (Dylan, Cash, Stewart, Manilow). There’s now a massive hole in the demographic spectrum – from about age 14 all the way to age 45 – of people who don’t set foot in record stores, ever.
The Daily Show is popular with 18-24 demo.
CDs are popular with children and old farts.
Who would have guessed satire would be easier to
market than CDs?
I was struggling with what precisely to do on my Twitter account. One may think about it a hybrid… I submit lots about web design, advertising and marketing and small business. In all probability will add extra personal issues in the future.