Because availability is still expanding, initial sales data for Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” likely understates its opening week trajectory.
That noted, the data already reveals that it is set for a big–but not “Drake big”–first week.
Hits Daily Double is currently forecasting an opening week sales total in the 300-325,000 range. With Track Equivalent Album (10 single sales = 1 album sale) and Streaming Equivalent Album (1500 single streams = 1 album sale) data added to the mix, “To Pimp a Butterfly” looks headed for an opening week consumption total of 350-375,000 units.
“To Pimp a Butterfly” will claim a dominant #1 on the Billboard Top Album Sales and Billboard 200 charts.
Stronger than the 242,000 opening week total for predecessor “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” a 300-325,000 pure sales count would fall considerably short of the mark delivered by Drake’s surprise “If You’re Reading This it’s Too Late” mixtape. Launched in February, that release shifted 495,000 copies in its first three days of release.
It would also fall short of the 354,000 opening week total achieved by J. Cole’s “2014 Forest Hills Drive.”
