Jack Johnson’s Sleep Through The Static became the first No. 1 album with a six-figure sales total in a while this week, selling 375,000 copies during its first week in stores. The strong debut led a slightly better week for record sales, which were helped along by a bigger-than-previous-weeks slate of new releases and people heading to their computers to actually purchase music legally after the Grammy telecast.
Biggest Debuts: Three of the top four albums were debuts; behind Johnson was Sheryl Crow’s Detours (92,000 sold), and at No. 4 was the new album by Lenny Kravitz (73,000). k.d. lang’s Watershed entered the chart at No. 8, selling 41,000 copies; the soundtrack to Step Up 2: The Streets, which features the awful “Low” by Flo Rida, came in at No. 13, selling 31,000 copies; and Kenny G’s Starbucks-distributed Rhythm and Romance entered right behind it at No. 14, also selling 31,000 copies.
Notable Jumps: The few hours after the Grammy telecast were the final hours of the SoundScan week, and the Grammy effect could already be seen with certain artists: Alicia Keys’ As I Am saw a 31% gain (No. 3, 80,000 sales); Feist’s The Reminder jumped up 22% (No. 88, 8,600); Foo Fighters’ Echoes Silence Patience And Grace went up 35% (No. 65, 13,000). But no other Grammy performer’s jump was as big as the one enjoyed by the Across The Universe soundtrack, which jumped from No. 150 to No. 38 on a 284% sales gain (18,000 sales).
Also, it’s probably worth noting that Herbie Hancock’s Album of the Year winner River: The Joni Letters entered the charts at No. 158 and sold 5,000 copies–which makes up one-twelfth of its sales total to date.
Dropping Off: After debuting at No. 3 last week, the Mars Volta’s Bedlam In Goliath sank 70% and fell to No. 51 (16,000 sold); last week’s No. 4, Bullet for My Valentine’s Scream, Aim, Fire, dropped 56% and fell to No. 29 (23,000); Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut took a 38% hit and fell from No. 17 to No. 43 (17,000).
Nickelback Award For Inexplicable Durability: Daughtry’s sales went up 20% this week, allowing the album to inch back into the top 20. It’s sold 3.8 million copies so far, and I guess it has a way to go before it reaches All the Right Reasons sales levels…
The top 20, with sales totals in parentheses:
1. Jack Johnson, Sleep Through The Static (375,000)
2. Sheryl Crow, Detours (92,000)
3. Alicia Keys, As I Am (80,000)
4. Lenny Kravitz, It Is Time For A Love Revolution (73,000)
5. 2008 Grammy Nominees (52,000)
6. Juno soundtrack (47,000)
7. Mary J. Blige, Growing Pains (45,000)
8. k.d. lang, Watershed (41,000)
9. Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus (40,000)
10. Taylor Swift (39,000)
11. Keyshia Cole, Just Like You (35,000)
12. Chris Brown, Exclusive (32,000)
13. Step Up 2: The Streets (31,000)
14. Kenny G, Rhythm & Romance (31,000)
15. Sara Bareilles, Little Voice (30,000)
16. Garth Brooks, Ultimate Hits (30,000)
17. Now 26 (30,000)
18. Daughtry (27,000)
19. Alvin & The Chipmunks soundtrack (27,000)
20. Sugarland, Enjoy the Ride (26,000)
Of course, I’d say the recent DVD release of Across the Universe was the more likely reason for its increase….
Good thing they didn’t go with Evan Rachel Wood for the ATU number.
Looking forward to next week’s numbers. Back To Black has been out-charting River all week at the iTMS.
But that’s not really a surprise, of course. Amy’s outsold Herbie by a factor of, what, 30 in the US alone so far?
Oh, and there’s also that whole thing about how Back To Black was the best freakin’ album of the year!!!
Just sayin’…
@DrWorm: DING! Yeah, that’s a bigger factor. Even if you factor in West Coast Grammy-watching, no way did the Grammy number inspire more than 5-10% of those purchases.
Next week will be Grammy-effect week. This week is Grammy-anticipation week, largely; oh, and the belated Superbowl effect - I’ll talk more about that in my column. (Hint: somebody Won’t Back Down.)
@DHMBIB: not best. maybe like 20th? or lower. but no, not best.
@Chris Molanphy: Carly (strike)Hennesy(/strike) Smithson?
@Maura Johnston: Sorry, forgot about Wilco.
@Chris Molanphy: Oh - got it! Jordin Sparks, right?
@Chris Molanphy: @DHMBIB: @DHMBIB: No, Moron. It’s obviously Paula Abdul.
So glad that STEP UP 2 THE STREETS is finally out in stores! There is this one song, I don’t know, maybe you’ve heard it, it’s called LOW by Flo-rida and Tpain (he’s so cool!!). It’s simply the most amazing song ever ever ever but like, I can’t seem to hear it anywhere, I call the radio stations and beg and beg them to play it…to no avail.
Now finally, there is an album I can purchase for $13.99 (plus tax) so that I can hear my favorite new song on constant repeat. I feel like it could genuinely be a big hit song, if only the radio stations would play it some more.
Gosh, I should work in the record business!
I really want to see Step Up 2 The Streets.
Also, the other day I was in a big city and had to pee, so I went to Starbucks, the official Place To Go When You’re In A Big City And Have To Pee, and I noticed that they were selling both the Sheryl Crow and kd lang CDs there. I even thought about buying Watershed.
I think I might be starting to change my mind about Starbucks–at least they’re giving people a chance to buy CDs, unlike any other huge chain I can think of.
Why has that Jack Johnson album cover not been nommed yet for “Worst Album Cover of the Year”?
Also, to be non-snarkery about all of this…
When will Grammy recognize Miley Cyrus? Why wasn’t she recognized in the BNA category this year?