NF - Press Photo by John Taylor Sweet, via Capitol
Update: At the beginning of the July 26-August 1 tracking week, NF’s “The Search” was pacing for 55-60K first-week US sales and 80-90K total first-week US units. It was expected to take #2 on the Billboard 200 consumption chart.
It ended up obliterating those forecasts — and earning #1 on the listing.
Billboard confirms that “The Search” debuted with 84K first-week album sales. With units from track sales and streams included, it generated 130K in first-week consumption. Both numbers are career bests for the artist.
The former figure yields a #1 bow on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart, while the latter is enough for #1 on the Billboard 200.
(As previously reported, “The Search” also tops the independently tracked Hits Daily Double Top 50 chart with 125K units – 80K from pure sales)
“The Search” follows “Perception” as NF’s second #1 album in the US.
Chance The Rapper’s “The Big Day,” which initially seemed like the favorite for #1 on this week’s Billboard 200, takes #2 with 108K units (27K from pure sales).
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Those who view the Billboard 200 as the definitive US album chart will have to wait until at least Sunday to learn whether NF’s “The Search” or Chance The Rapper’s “The Big Day” takes the #1 position.
Hits Daily Double, however, has already offered its result: a victory for “The Search.”
According to Hits Daily Double, NF’s “The Search” debuted with ~124.6K in first-week US units (album sales + track sales + track streams). The impressive consumption figure, which exceeds all industry forecasts, yields a #1 bow on the Hits Top 50 chart.
“The Big Day” meanwhile starts at #2 with ~118.4K in first-week units.
It is important to remember that Hits and Billboard operate independent charts based on independent data. NF’s victory on the Hits chart does not guarantee a victory on the Billboard listing.
It does, however, appear safe to declare “The Search” the undisputed winner on the pure sales front. Hits credits “The Search” with upwards of 80K in first-week US sales; “The Big Day” and Of Monsters & Men’s “Fever Dream” each sold about 30K. That margin greatly exceeds any anticipated discrepancy between the Hits and Billboard data.