Sales surpass even the wildest expectations

Jul 1, 2010 08:11 GMT  ·  By
Eminem’s “Recovery” sells over 740,000 copies in its first week, is the biggest opener of the year so far
   Eminem’s “Recovery” sells over 740,000 copies in its first week, is the biggest opener of the year so far

A week or so ago, estimates had it that Eminem’s “Relapse” follow-up was about to set a new record for the biggest opener of the year, with industry insiders saying it was poised to move about 600,000 items in its first week alone. Not only did “Recovery” manage to attain this target, but it has even surpassed it by over 100,000 copies sold in the US in the first week of release, E! Online reports.

Despite the fact that Eminem’s latest material leaked in its entirety just two weeks before the official release, because of the heavy collaborators included on it and, at the end of the day, the quality of the tracks that made the cut, critics labeled a hit even before it actually became so. Showing that he still has what it takes to be one of the best-selling rappers (and artists in general) of the moment, Eminem is now riding the wave, having had “Recovery” sell 741,000 copies in its first week in the US.

“Don’t call it a comeback. Call it a Recovery. Last week, Eminem appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman to deliver his Top 10 Pieces of Advice to Kids. Coming in at No. 6: ‘Always purchase music through authorized retailers that pay royalties to the artists.’ Well, guess what? They listened. Recovery, Eminem’s collaboration-heavy new album, sold 741,000 copies in its first week of release, making it not only the best debut of the year, but the best album debut since October 2008, when AC/DC’s Black Ice burned up the charts,” E! writes.

“The sales tally easily ensures that Em will debut at No. 1 on the Billboard album charts this week, marking his sixth straight debut in the top spot. Only Jay-Z has spent more time there, with 11 direct-to-No. 1 albums. The rapper was also king of the downloads, as the 255,000 copies he sold digitally give him the second-biggest online sales debut for an album ever. Only Coldplay’s Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends scored better, though just barely, in the digital world. So what does it all mean? Simple: We don’t have to guess anymore. Shady’s back,” the same media outlet further says.

On the other hand, another new album that dropped this week, Miley Cyrus’ much-mediated “Can’t Be Tamed,” failed to rise to the pre-release hype, moving only 106,553 copies but still landing in at number 3. It is followed closely by Ozzy Osbourne’s latest studio material, “Scream,” which debuted with 77,828 items, a fairly decent number given he’s not been promoting it to the extent that Miley did with her own album.