But I guess my main thought is that a few 150-200k movers doesn’t seem like weaksauce anymore in late 2009. Wouldn’t it be some record for the year if more than a couple albums topped 2009 in a single week, or am I under-exaggerating the strength of the industry a little? I guess even if the album sales are lukewarm, the singles market should be pretty fantastic. I’m actually excited to hear what Rihanna and Timbo may be cooking up.

What’s more surprising though is what you pointed out – how you haven’t really heard anything about the release schedule. Quite telling. And these albums should all have singles dropping ASAP if they are going to be released in a mere month.

If Birdman tops 50 though, wow…that really will be the end of things.

Gotta say, if that’s the lineup, that’s pretty weaksauce. The biggest current act in that list (Gaga) is dropping an album reissue; the Fitty record is, as you point out, marked for death; and the rest look like 150-200K first-weekers at best. That includes Ri-Ri, of whom I am fond, but a half-dozen singles weren’t enough to make Good Girl Gone Bad the blockbuster it deserved to be.

Prediction now: If that’s his competition, GLambert takes No. 1 that week handily.