Billboard reported today that
Def Jam have decided to move their three big November 25th releases (
Kanye West's
808's & Heartbreak,
The Killers Day & Age &
Ludacris'
Theater of the Mind) to the off-cycle Monday 24th, to capitalize on the Thanksgiving shopping weekend. This puts all three releases up against
Guns N' Rose's first album in 15 years,
Chinese Democracy, which will be made available as a Best Buy exclusive on Sunday, 23rd.
So the big question is, which album will take the coveted #1 Billboard position?
Here's the official
Fuego First Week Prediction:
#1. Guns N' Roses -
Chinese Democracy (900-1 mil+)
Based on the almost year long buzz combined with
good early reviews, a top #10 mainstream rock track and the fact
CD will be their first album of original studio material since the simultaneous release of
Use Your Illusion I &
Use Your Illusion II in September 1991.
10 million dollars later, and the
Shaquille O'Neal joint probably won't be on the album. They need to do AC/DC numbers just to recoup.
#2. Kanye West -
808's & Heartbreak (600-650)
I'm still unsure about numbers 2 & 3. I feel like 'Ye will ease out The Killers but only narrowly. Majority of the blog reviews from the album listening event painted a relatively uncommitted opinion of the music. There has been a lukewarm reception to the leaks "Robocop", "Coldest Winter" and "Anyway" and up until Ye premiered the
Heartless video, it seemed like people had lost the initial excitement for the project.
#3. The Killers -
Day & Age (450-500)
The Killers 2006 release,
Sam's Town sold 315k in its first week and has sold over 4 million worldwide. If thats anything to go by, they should be able to reach higher this time around, especially since some reviewers are crowning the
Stuart Price produced
Day & Age as their best album to date and one of the best albums of 2008.
#4. Ludacris -
Theater of the Mind (230-270)
Despite the
Trackmasters produced,
T-Pain assisted "One More Drink" quickly becoming a hit at Rhythmic radio, I don't see
TOTM selling as well as any of his previous albums. His last album
Release Therapy sold 309k first week off the back of a #1 Billboard single with "Money Maker". I feel like this is his last chance to put together a
great album.
Interesting fact: when Kanye's
Graduation went up against 50 Cent's
Curtis last year, it was only the second time in history that two albums had sold in excess of 600k each in the first week of release. The first time was Guns N' Roses
Use Your Illusion I &
Use Your Illusion II in 1991.
