The fight for number one on next week’s album sales chart is officially underway.
In one corner is “Turn Blue,” the latest from high-profile rock act The Black Keys.
In the other corner? “Xscape,” the second posthumous collection of unreleased Michael Jackson tracks.
The battle is going to be close. So close, in fact, that Hits Daily Double’s forecasts do not yet reveal a clear victor.
Based on early returns, all that is clear is that both albums will sell in the 125-150,000 range. Enough to assure the two albums will be competing for the top two slots on next week’s Billboard 200, the totals nonetheless represent significantly declines from the acts’ preceding releases.
The Black Keys’ 2011 release “El Camino” moved 206,000 copies in its first week of release. “Michael,” the first posthumous collection of the pop icon’s tunes, garnered 228,000 first week sales.
