As previously reported, Taylor Swift is charging toward a million-unit sales week and a no-doubt-about-it No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 with her fourth album, “Red.” Industry sources still peg final week sales (which run through Sunday, Oct. 28) at around the 1.1 million mark, which would make the album the 18th in the Nielsen SoundScan era to surpass 1 million in sales in a week. Such a sum would also anoint Swift as the only female to have two albums surpass seven figures in a single sales frame; her last effort, “Speak Now,” opened with 1.047 million the week of Nov. 13, 2010. Through four days of availability, “Red” has already reportedly sold around 900,000 copies.
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Beyond Swift’s march to the summit, other notable debuts will infuse the upper ranks of next week’s Billboard 200. The new Billboard 200 chart’s top 10 will be revealed on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 31.
Kendrick Lamar looks destined for a No. 2 entry, and a No. 1 placement on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, as “good kid m.A.A.d city” is now estimated to move around 235,000 units, a number which would give him the largest opening sales frame by a male rapper in 2012.
Last week’s No. 1, Jason Aldean‘s “Night Train,” will most likely slip into the third slot with sales of approximately 150,000.
Classic crooner Tony Bennett will bank yet another top 10 (and possible top five entry) with the latest in his series of “Duets” albums. “Viva Duets,” on which he collaborates with a bevy of Latin superstars, could sell approximately 30,000. “Duets: An American Classic” debuted at No. 3 in 2006 and “Duets II” opened at No. 1 last October, amazingly becoming the now-86-year old’s first Billboard 200 chart-topper.
Kendrick Lamar, ‘good kid, m.A.A.d. city’ Track-By-Track Review
Rock act Stone Sour is on pace to pick up its third straight top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 with “House of Gold & Bones, Part One,” which should scan about 25,000 units, while Gary Clark Jr.‘s first full-length album, “Blak & Blu,” should fall right behind at 20,000 units.
On Nielsen SoundScan’s Building chart (below), Swift’s “Red” ranks at No. 1, followed by Lamar’s “good kid” (No. 2), Aldean’s “Train” (No. 3), Mumford & Sons “Babel” (No. 4) and Stone Sour’s “House” (No. 5). The Building tally is a precursor to the final Billboard 200 ranking — reflecting the first four days (Monday through Thursday) of SoundScan’s tracking week as reported by six major merchants.
As for the rest of the Building chart’s top 10, Clark Jr’s “Blak” is No. 6, Bennett’s “Viva” places at No. 7, P!nk’s “Truth About Love” is No. 8, “Two Eleven” by Brandy is No. 9 and Little Big Town’s “Tornado” lands at No. 10.
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| Nielsen SoundScan Building Chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | LW BB 200 |
Artist | Title |
| 1 | NEW | Taylor Swift | “Red” |
| 2 | NEW | Kendrick Lamar | “good kid, m.A.A.d. city” |
| 3 | 1 | Jason Aldean | “Night Train” |
| 4 | 2 | Mumford & Sons | “Babel” |
| 5 | NEW | Stone Sour | “House Of Gold & Bones Part One” |
| 6 | NEW | Gary Clark, Jr. | “Blak & Blu” |
| 7 | NEW | Tony Bennett | “Viva Duets” |
| 8 | 6 | P!nk | “The Truth About Love” |
| 9 | 3 | Brandy | “Two Eleven” |
| 10 | 8 | Little Big Town | “Tornado” |