Based on industry forecasting, most assumed Adele’s “25” would cross the 4 million US sales mark in its second week.
Few expected it to reach the milestone as quickly as it did.
According to preliminary sales data from Nielsen Music, “25” sold at least 650,000 US copies during the first three days of the November 27-December 3 tracking week.
Those 650,000 sales were enough to push “25,” which sold a record-breaking 3,377,885 in its first week of release, past the 4 million mark.
“25” is the first album to sell 4 million calendar year copies since Adele’s own “21” did so in 2012.
— In a Tuesday morning report, Hits Daily Double issued a week two projection of 850-875,000. Given that the album had sold 650,000 through the third day of the seven-day tracking week (albeit with help from Black Friday traffic), one cannot help but wonder if that estimate will prove low.
Some insiders are already beginning to throw around a 1 million figure.