In an age where the likes of Lionel Richie, Lady GaGa, Drake and Taylor Swift continue to wow fans with record breaking sales figures, to suggest ‘music doesn’t sell anymore’ is without a doubt an inaccurate conclusion.
For, as further proof that consumers only purchase the music they believe in, today saw Nas join an elite group of acts enjoying the fruits of their commercial labor in the face of the industry’s downtown.
Find out how below…
By way of 149,000 units, the Rapper’s latest LP ‘Life Is Good’ is now sitting pretty atop the Billboard 200, marking his sixth time atop the tally.
Exceeding expectations by 24,000 copies, the album is also #1 on the R&B/ Hip Hop album chart, outselling Frank Ocean‘s ‘Channel Orange’ which pulled a cool 54,000 units in its second week of release.
Our two cents:
Clearly benefiting focusing their efforts on pushing the album and not its lead single, here’s hoping his first week success encourages more entertainers to follow suit- instead of placing all their eggs in the Hot 100 basket.
For, it should be noted that many of the last year’s highest moves ( ‘Take Care’ , ‘Roman Reloaded‘ ,’Tuskegee‘) have all soared on the album’s front while stalling on a singles tip.
A sign, that $10 spent on an LP will always be worth more than $1 spent on a three minute single.
Congratulations!
43 COMMENTS
ENOUGH ONIKA
July 25, 2012 at 10:54 am
I never thought hip hop was dead, it was the QUALITY of hip hop that was dying. Nas isn’t one of those “hip-hop” artists who follows the latest clear channel trend (fill in any rap artist here). He brings forth that real music which is blowing up the hot 100..
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Im
July 25, 2012 at 11:57 am
so wasn’t he collabing and co-signing them clear channel trend rappers who u are here downplaying,stay there thinking nas is doing all this off is name and is fans only,u are ignorant…anyways gratz to him.
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ENOUGH ONIKA
July 25, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Um who the f*ck cares if he does a collabo or cosigns any other artist who chooses to follow a trend, hell thats where all your moneys probably going so why not profit off it if someone wants to feature him, helps his brand. But “HIS” albums don’t follow in that trend and thats what I was saying “ignorant.” Learn to comprehend and stop trying to create drama by pretending to be insightful when your an idiot.
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ENOUGH ONIKA
July 25, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Plus i don’t care who he’s doing the music for, if it’s good music, I’ll purchase.
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TEAM BREEZY COME GET YOUR MAN!
July 25, 2012 at 11:05 am
“Exceeding expectations by 24,000 copies, ”
SMH. That’s a damn shame. Not 240k copies, but 24, 000 copies. the internet has really killed music sales. pretty soon, selling 5000 copies the 1st week will be considered a major feat.
oh, and I see that rihanna shade: “A sign, that $10 spent on an LP will always be worth more than $1 spent on a three minute single.” Riri might not have #1 albums or sell a lot in the 1st week, but her albums have legs and end up doing well sales-wise. Maybe not Adele numbers, but enough to keep her signed to Def Jam and make her the most popular artist in the media.
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Jayla
July 25, 2012 at 12:09 pm
get a life, too much time on your hands to be typing that much
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danforth
July 25, 2012 at 12:22 pm
who cares what rihanna sold. i’m tired of these dumb stan wars about record sells. record sells are determind by who the machine markets best that’s all. nas is an old head. he don’t care abt that.
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TEAM BREEZY COME GET YOUR MAN!
July 25, 2012 at 11:07 am
“Exceeding expectations by 24,000 copies, ”
SMH. That’s a damn shame. Not 240k copies, but 24, 000 copies. the internet has really killed music sales. pretty soon, selling 5000 copies the 1st week will be considered a major feat.
oh, and I see that rihanna shade: “A sign, that $10 spent on an LP will always be worth more than $1 spent on a three minute single.” Riri might not have #1 albums or sell a lot in the 1st week, but her albums have legs and end up doing well sales-wise. Maybe not Adele numbers, but enough to keep her signed to Def Jam and make her the most popular artist in the media.
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TEAM BREEZY COME GET YOUR MAN!
July 25, 2012 at 11:09 am
OOPS! DOUBLE POST! SORRY!
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JJFan1814
July 25, 2012 at 11:09 am
I’m surprised TGJ hasn’t hopped on Rih’s dick today and posted how she broke her toe while bartending recently…..
HMMM!!
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danforth
July 25, 2012 at 12:19 pm
did she really? oh well. i see you like jj. that’s my girl i hope the family pulls it together.
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RICHANDBLACK11(JUST LIKE BEY)
July 25, 2012 at 1:33 pm
good for that slut lmao
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ASAP (As Sincere As Possible)
July 25, 2012 at 11:20 am
Great title, TGJ.
The album is one of Nas’ best. It’s the best rap album of 2012! I’m so glad he sold 150k, that’s one of the best opening week numbers this year so far. And it’s not just about the fact that he made it without any Hot 100 hits. It’s mostly about slaying the albums chart without airplay. None of his singles were played by urban radio, yet he sold five times more than some of the “artists” who get top 5 urban hits all the time. Congratulations!
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Im
July 25, 2012 at 11:52 am
you making it sound like nas was underground and no one was hearing from him and he just out of the blue release this album without any promo and put them numbers up,nas bin working with certain people collabing with certain hot artist putting is self out there,promoting,don’t you think fans of those artist went out and got is album because nas work with there fav…even though he didn’t have any top hot hits,off the back of is fans alone is name and fans of others ofcourse he was going to do well…..i am just saying,anyways congratz to him it,s a nice album nasty nas.
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ASAP (As Sincere As Possible)
July 25, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Do you honestly think that people gave 10 dollars to buy Nas’ album because he collaborated with Chris Brown and made a cameo in a Nicki Minaj video? The people who bought it believe in good music and top notch lyrical ability. He released 4 singles and radio didn’t play them and that’s a fact. But he still slayed.
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UMo
July 25, 2012 at 11:21 am
I bet this was a hard article for you to write Sam. Last week was the official street date for your girl Francine, and yet Nas beat her.
If I remembering correctly, you were saying that Ocean releasing Channel Orange digitally a week before the street date was brilliant because it would allow him to top the charts for 2 consecutive weeks…as if Zac Brown and Nas just didn’t were going to be competition for the cock sucker. That didn’t happen did it?
I love it when you’re wrong.
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UMo
July 25, 2012 at 11:22 am
I bet this was a hard article for you to write Sam. Last week was the official street date for your girl Francine, and yet Nas beat her.
If I remembering correctly, you were saying that Ocean releasing Channel Orange digitally a week before the street date was brilliant because it would allow him to top the charts for 2 consecutive weeks…as if Zac Brown and Nas just weren’t going to be competition for your fellow cock sucker. That didn’t happen did it?
I love it when you’re wrong.
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Jayla
July 25, 2012 at 12:10 pm
lol
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BitchICan'tEvenSpellWelfare
July 25, 2012 at 11:28 am
It’s a fantastic album! Loving it!
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TAYLOR SWIFTS NUMBER 1 FAN!!!
July 25, 2012 at 11:50 am
likes that Taylor swift got a mention.
This year has been poor for first week sales….. -waits for Taylors album-
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Casual
July 25, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Nas has a fan base, as does Drake, Nicki Minaj, and especially Lionel Richie. I think it’s a pretty safe bet that nearly all of those sales were from fans who’ve previously bought a Nas album. I think it’s also safe to say the second week numbers aren’t going to look good.
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Jayla
July 25, 2012 at 12:10 pm
irrelevant post
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nicko
July 25, 2012 at 12:07 pm
All I have to say is that “PF:RR” sold over 3OO k in its 1st week
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Benron (Fuck you hoe)
July 25, 2012 at 12:15 pm
No it didnt.
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checory
July 25, 2012 at 12:58 pm
It sure didnt lol
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truth tea
July 25, 2012 at 5:31 pm
it sold 253k. and it wasnt hip hop.
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danforth
July 25, 2012 at 12:17 pm
my nicca nas. i will always be a fan of this great mc. i’m tired of people talking numbers all the time. so what if a cd doesnt sell 300k or goes platinum 1st week. don’t mean its not a good cd. i’m more suspect of quick knee jerk sells anyway.
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Benron (Fuck you hoe)
July 25, 2012 at 12:17 pm
I will say what the Rihanna fans always say “Number one albums are worth nothing” Thesee bitches be over here acting like what number one albums mean sucsess. Nope. Nicki Will not go platinum ,Chris wont go platinum, Nas wont go platinum, but who will go platinum? ROBYN RIHANNA FENTY!
And jsyk, doesen’t it mean that Frank Ocean is a “flop” HE dint hit number one!
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truth tea
July 25, 2012 at 5:30 pm
please, nas is a real artist, not a pop gimmicky generic trash bag like your fave.
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Jessica
July 25, 2012 at 9:17 pm
oh please CRACKANNA only opens her legs to sell records and everyone is trashing her LMAO!!! Look at NO LIE by 2 Chainz and he’s telling the truth!!! Nas doesn’t have to use crack to sell records unlike that whore, NEXT!!!
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NICK
July 25, 2012 at 12:29 pm
LOVE IT !!!!!! CONGRATS NAS!!!!
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Boss
July 25, 2012 at 12:48 pm
Dope Album .
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kelly
July 25, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Sam,
I see you have this week billboard chart news! Can you tell us where Rita Ora How we do is ? You know that song, the one which was suppose to be a SUMMER SMASH, Snatching wigs and ending careers? Last week is was 67.
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antertain
July 25, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Greatness deserves great recognition.
Happy for my fav rapper
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MISHKA
July 25, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Congrats to him.
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TeamBreezy
July 25, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Congrats to NAS, but TGJ stop trying to digg into this story and over analyze it …NAS has always had a base and they came out and supported …the END
#yall be reachin like a motha fucka
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aishaaguilerakeys
July 25, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Congrats, Nas !
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the real xoxo
July 25, 2012 at 5:21 pm
This is the best hip hop album in years! if it doesnt get a grammy i will give up.
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the real xoxo
July 25, 2012 at 5:33 pm
some of these comments are just proof that you kids care more about sales rather than the quality of the music itself. lil waynes carter 4 sold nearly a mill in a week but it was trash! life is good is amazing.
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Anne
July 25, 2012 at 5:54 pm
That’s an ok figure considering the lack of promo or a hit, it shows he has somewhat of a base but not a big one. Like I said it’s just ok, TGJ is acting like its impressive but I disagree.
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Tbozfan10
July 25, 2012 at 8:21 pm
When people say “music doesn’t sell” anymore, it’s a figure of speech. They mean in comparison to not all that long ago, I remember in 2002 when I followed music sales very closely. I remember when 100,000 copies sold in a week wouldn’t even get anyone in the top 20 on the billboard 100. Now you see albums in the top tier with sales of around 12,000. My how things have changed.
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MH
July 25, 2012 at 10:03 pm
I’m glad, the album is pure bliss. Definitely worth my money.
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theman
July 26, 2012 at 1:48 am
Selling 100,000k previously would get you in the top ten. Now, you surely wouldn’t make with 12-15k in the top ten. Lol thats a gross exaggeration. Again, great music of substantial quality will do well, if promoted properly. These numbers are great for Nas.
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