Some have suggested the “Good Morning America” incident will do further reputational damage, but based on early album sales figures for his “F.A.M.E.,” it appears Chris Brown has recaptured the stardom he lost after the Rihanna scandal.
Based on opening day sales, Hits Daily Double projects his latest album to accumulate 250-275,000 first week sales. This marks a significant increase from predecessor and first post-Rihanna album “Graffiti,” which only mustered 102,000 sales in its debut week. It will also land Brown the top spot on the Billboard 200 next week.
If the sales forecast holds up, “F.A.M.E.” will, in fact, open to a total just shy of that for his 2007 smash “Exclusive,” which debuted to 294,000 copies sold. That album, fueled by its second single “Kiss Kiss,” also included the smash “With You” (and later “Forever” on the deluxe edition).
Jennifer Hudson starts as the next-highest debut with “I Remember Me.” The Hits forecast indicates 150-175,000 opening frame transactions.
The Strokes’ “Angles” and Kirk Franklin’s “Hello Fear” are also on the map at 85-100,000 and 80-95,000 in forecasted sales, respectively.
Panic at the Disco lost momentum after a lukewarm mainstream reaction to predecessor “Pretty. Odd.,” but the band’s “Vices & Virtues” should still be good for a respectable 55-65,000 first week sales.