Update: Early sales forecasts are in, and Eric Church’s “The Outsiders” will indeed bow as a monster. Current projections say “The Outsiders” will bow at number one on the strength of 280-300,000 sales.
Considered the favorite to reign over next week’s Billboard 200, Eric Church’s hotly anticipated “The Outsiders” has already advanced to the top of one album sales chart.
Shortly after its release late Monday night, the well-reviewed “Outsiders” climbed to number one on the iTunes Sales Chart.
The follow-up to 2011’s “Chief,” which sold an impressive 145,000 copies in its first week, “The Outsiders” drops following Church’s breakthrough as a bona fide, mainstream country superstar. “Chief” produced platinum singles in “Homeboy,” “Drink in My Hand” and “Springsteen;” its “Creepin'” and “Like Jesus Does” both went gold.
“The Outsiders,” released as the lead (and title) single from the new album, did not register as a major hit, but follow-up “Give Me Back My Hometown” is definitely pacing to become one.
Presently number two, The Glitch Mob’s “Love Death Immortality” is the only new release in the iTunes Top 10. Other albums present include the enduring “Frozen” soundtrack (3), NOW 49 (4), Bruno Mars’ “Unorthodox Jukebox” (5), Beyonce’s “Beyonce” (6), Toni Braxton & Babyface’s “Love, Marriage & Divorce” (7), The Beatles’ “1” (8), Broken Bells’ “After the Disco” (9) and Lorde’s “Pure Heroine” (10).
New albums just outside the top ten include Frankie Ballard’s “Sunshine & Whiskey” (12), Band of Horses’ “Acoustic at the Ryman” (13) and †††’s “Crosses” (14).