Keith Urban [Michael Becker for FOX]
As we move toward the conclusion of the May 6-12 tracking period, the week’s two high-profile new country albums are tracking ahead of initial expectations.
Hits Daily Double notes that Keith Urban’s “Ripcord” is now on pace to sell 80-85,000 albums in the United States this week. Cole Swindell’s “You Should Be Here” should sell 65-70,000.
Early week projections had “Ripcord” selling 75-80,000 and Swindell’s album shifting 55-60,000 copies.
The Swindell upgrade is particularly noteworthy, as it means “You Should Be Here” is now pacing ahead of his previous album. Swindell’s self-titled 2014 debut sold 63,000 US copies in its first week.
The albums should claim the #4 and #5 positions on this week’s Top Album Sales chart (as well as on the Billboard 200, which accounts for pure album sales as well as equivalent units from track sales and streams). Drake’s “Views” is expected to repeat as #1 on the weekly sales chart, while Beyonce’s “Lemonade” and Radiohead’s “A Moon Shaped Pool” are battling it out for #2 (“Lemonade” will convincingly lead the Radiohead album — and convincingly trail “Views” — on the Billboard 200).