One can never count out Adele, especially with Sunday’s Grammy Awards telecast likely to shower her with confirmation as the industry’s most significant artist, but as of right now, Van Halen’s comeback album still has a shot at a number one debut.
Hits Daily Double projects “A Different Kind of Truth,” the band’s first studio album since 1997 and the first since 1984 to feature David Lee Roth, to score opening week sales of 180-200,000. That data is based on extensions of the confirmed opening-day sales figures.
Should the projection hold, “Truth” will land in the same ballpark as 1998’s “Van Halen III.” That album, which featured Gary Cherone as vocalist, opened to the tune of 191,000.
Elsewhere, The Fray’s “Scars and Stories” will open in the 90-100,000 range, a far cry from the 179,000 tally for 2009’s self-titled release. That drop was to be expected, however, as the band’s profile has fallen greatly over the past few years.
Paul McCartney’s “Kisses from the Bottom” will debut in the 65-70,000 territory, while Dierks Bentley’s “Home” should be good for about 60,000.
