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Crazed Jonas Brothers fans took a break from harassing the Washington Post that was just long enough for them to pick up copies of the boys’ new album, A Little Bit Longer, in droves; Billboard is reporting that some 201,000 copies of the CD were scanned on Tuesday at stores that report sales to its Building chart, making it pretty much a lock to be next week’s No. 1. (Those outlets: Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Circuit City, iTunes, Starbucks, Borders, Target, Anderson Merchandisers and Handleman Co.) The Disney-owned Hollywood Records is estimating that the album will sell between 675,000 and 725,000 copies thanks to what they’re calling a nontraditional marketing campaign, i.e., allowing the boys to play their new songs before the album came out. Call me crazy, but isn’t “constantly stoking demand among teenage girls” is about as traditional as marketing campaigns get?
Anyway, in an attempt to get the discussion back in the less nonsensical realm, Billboard notes that if the stars–and teenage girls’ budgets–align correctly, the brothers will reach a milestone not yet seen in this century:
The Jonas Brothers may pull off another chart feat next week, too. With “Longer” an all-but-lock for No. 1, there’s a good chance the sibling trio’s sophomore set, “Jonas Brothers,” now ranked No. 11, could return to the top 10. If they place two albums in the top 10 next week, it’ll be the first time a group has done so since ‘N Sync on the chart dated Jan. 2, 1999.
Ahem. I think that answers the question I posed above.
Jonas Brothers On Track For First No. 1 Album [Billboard]
Hee hee hee. Hype/backlash is so strange in the land of the Disney stars.
The album is still only half as good as Metacritic says it is, which makes it three times as good as I thought it would be.
I’d never even heard of artists/labels deliberately not letting new material be played in concert until the album is released as some kind of marketing scheme until that Disturbed story a few months ago.
@Nunya B: Hmmm…So, 70 divided by 2, divided by 3? You thought it was a 12?
Seriously though, like you, I’m both impressed and unimpressed at the same time. I think I need to hear it a few more times before I venture an opinion deeper than that.
Still, it will be one of the year’s biggest sellers, along with Miley, the HSM3 kids, and Lil’ Wayne, and likely some from-left-field Holiday album. But none of them will sell as many records as will the JoBro/Miley/HSM3/Weezy/produced-by Timbaland/Stargate/Martin/Perry/Dre Festivus record.
@Rob Murphy: I thought it’d be a 12; it’s more of a 35.
Okay, I finally broke down and lost my Jonas Brothers virginity after somehow never hearing a single note of their music. If I were 12 years old, I would be crazy obsessed with them. As a jaded 34 year old I merely want to wear myself out on Joe Jonas (hey, he’s legal). I bet he gives good eyebrow.
Considering that the Jonas Bros have the same manager as NSYNC (and Justin Timberlake, and the Backstreet Boys) did, I am not surprised by them performing songs pre-release. NSYNC did the same thing with Celebrity, performing songs in their stadium PopOdyssey tour before the album dropped, although rumor has it that was the brain child of JC Chasez, in an attempt to force their label to release the album without all the changes the label wanted creatively.
Anyway, it’s been done before, to great success. I think Celebrity sold over a million its first week.
Of course, no one will ever beat NSYNC’s No Strings Attached sales: 1.4 million on the first DAY, 2.4 million in the first week. Good luck, Jonas Bros, because you are not nearly as awesome as NSYNC. I mean, what’s the point of a boyband that doesn’t dance? And who ALL claim to be virgins? Boybands only need one virgin!
@Nunya B: Heh. Wishful thinking?
And that Metacritic rating has left out like, a dozen other legitimate raves and a mere handful of pans from legitimate new sources. 35?! Come on, it’s better than that.
@phaballa: Why do they have to be like N*Sync? Personally, I f*cking hated N*Sync, as an actual tween – and pretty much still. They are more old school boybanddom.
And for the record, they’ve been playing the title track on the road since last November (still making it up as he went along), played 3 other tracks on their spring tour, and unveiled another 5 on the current tour. So there were only 3 surprises on the album, not including various bonus tracks…
I have no clue because I don’t normally pay this much attention, but is that extent of track revelation rare?
I finally caved in and listened to some sound clips of the album this morning, and well…yeah, not for me. I will stand behind this track though:
But that’s it.
[lastnightadjsavemylife.blogspot.com]
And I’m sorry, but for the moment I’ll take Britney/Christina/Backstreet/N*Sync over Jonas/Miley/Demi/Selena. Though Miley continues to grow on me with each live performance I catch of hers.