His new album will not outsell the recent “Speak Now” release from pseudo-rival Taylor Swift, but Kanye West appears a near certainty for a number one debut on next week’s Billboard 200 album sales chart.
Based on early week sales data from Hits Daily Double, Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is pacing for a tally of roughly 525-575,000 units. Though that total would be down significantly from 2007’s “Graduation,” his last more traditional studio hip-hop/rap album, it would mark an increase over predecessor “808s and Heartbreaks.”
It should also be noted that due to Black Friday and the start of the holiday shopping season, it is possible high-profile albums like West’s (and those mentioned below) will see an unexpected spike late in the week and top current forecasts.
Also pacing phenomenally is Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday,” which looks good for 375-425,000 copies. The present forecast puts it in striking distance of the 447,000 opening week performance by Young Money colleague Drake’s “Thank Me Later.”
Another big debut will come from My Chemical Romance, which is eyeing 125-150,000 for “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.” Down notably from predecessor “The Black Parade,” the performance is still impressive given the band’s notable decline in buzz since that 2006 release.
Ne-Yo’s “Libra Scale” will open to at least 115-140,000, topping Ke$ha’s fellow newcomer “Cannibal.” The separate “Cannibal” EP will do 60-70,000, and the deluxe package should mean sales of her debut “Animal” also jump this week.
Lloyd Banks’ “HFM 2” looks likely for around 50,000, while the “Burlesque” soundtrack will do 25-50,000, depending on how audiences react to the film’s release.
