Nelly Furtado’s ‘Spirit Indestructible’ Bombs / Sells 3% Of Last Album Opening

Published: Tuesday 25th Sep 2012 by Sam

These days a six week industry hiatus runs risk of folk forgetting you; hence a six year break is arguably asking for it.

Case, point Nelly Furtado, who’ll need to channel the title of her new album ‘The Spirit Indestructible’ to get over its shocking chart performance this week.

Preceded by singles ‘Big Hoops’, ‘Parking Lot’, and its title track, the LP (which is Furtado’s first traditional release since 2006’s super-seller ‘Loose’) is on course to debut with shocking numbers.

Details after the jump…

According to Hits Daily Double, ‘Indestructible’ is set to debut outside of the top 50 of the Billboard 200 with sales of less an 7000 copies. Yes, you read right. To put it into perspective, the sales represent approximately 3% of the first-week figures for ‘Loose’ – which opened at #1 with sales of 219,000 in June 2006.

And as if not bad enough, the LP’s fortunes aren’t any better in Britain where it debuted at #46 on the Official UK Album Chart after selling just 2637 units.

***********

Needless to say, shocking stuff. But after picking our jaws up from the floor, we’re left wondering…is it really that surprising?

Radio has paid dust to all of the album’s singles, while the tracks have resonated with few beyond Furtado’s hardcore fan-base.

Many of those fans are drawing on the ever-employed “bad promo” excuse. Yet, sales this terrible indicate a problem much deeper; a problem we see as blamable on Nelly’s lengthy hiatus, yet more so the material. It just wasn’t good – especially for a comeback album. Indeed, its best moments were often “too left-field”, while the vast majority of it was a muddled mess.

The whole episode is all sorts of sad given the success of her last outing and how long she spent piecing this one together. If she’s to salvage what was once a flourishing career, she’ll need to deconstruct her approach pronto and re-think her game-plan. Because, as it is, she’s served up one of the year’s biggest bombs – one that’ll call many things into question, including her record deal.

Here’s hoping everything works out, as Nelly is super-talented.

Your thoughts?

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  1. Jay Jay September 25, 2012

    She should work with Timbaland on her next album! Say it Right, Man eater and Promiscous still slays!!!

    • kelly September 25, 2012

      she needs timbaland band. Even chase and status and stargate and Dr luke can make music that fits her style.

      Rodney Jerkins is straight RNB. When I think of it, Darkchild did not do a bad job. If this LP was made by many others, it would of sold. What cost her, was the young twitter generation do not know who she is. 6 years is too long, and her promo was crappy.

      • @091094_ Twitter September 25, 2012

        Defiantly, the promo for this album was void, I downloaded it out of curiosity because I knew this would bomb, my musical instinct saw this coming, there are some good songs on there, very melancholic like ‘Most Beautiful Thing’ and ‘Miracles’ but yes the promo and her strategy remained absent.

  2. kelly September 25, 2012

    The album was not even that bad. It is sad, that she was not given a chance, when wack clones like Rita Ora have been forcefully shoved down our throats.

  3. unnami September 25, 2012

    it very, very sad because this album is amazing.

  4. kelly September 25, 2012

    Even the song RIP would of been better if Nelly and drake done it. If they had given nelly the Rita Ora UK / EUROPE / AMERICA PROMO she could of saved face. It was not a bad album. The debut single was very catchy and good.

    • @091094_ Twitter September 25, 2012

      LOOOOOOOL #DEAD

      • FAF September 25, 2012

        Rita Ora has not even released in the Us!! What a joke, pressed much?The problem is Rihoena.. We live in a brainless society, dear you’ ve been brainwashed by the illuminati puppet

  5. Jay Jay September 25, 2012

    Also may I say that Carly Rae sold 41k

  6. FuckMehRawDaddy September 25, 2012

    OOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

  7. Emi September 25, 2012

    SMH
    The Album Is One Of The Greatest 2012 Albums

  8. MC September 25, 2012

    This is really unfortunate.

  9. gio88 September 25, 2012

    it’s normale , nobody is interested in her right now , she must create hype around herself

  10. Jahzel September 25, 2012

    Shes gonna get dropped from her label!
    She is the biggest flop of all time!!
    You did this to your self Nelly!!
    The music was trash!!

    • kelly September 25, 2012

      No, Rita Ora is the biggest flop. She has the most money and cannot sell.

      • Jahzel September 25, 2012

        Um what money?

    • Try me B**** September 25, 2012

      I didn’t like her album at all

      • Jahzel September 25, 2012

        I know!! I feel your pain!! I wasted data downloading that s*** album, just to delete it!!

      • Try me B**** September 25, 2012

        I did that same thing SMH

  11. Alex Thomas September 25, 2012

    OH MY GOODNESS. THAT’S AWFUL.

  12. Try me B**** September 25, 2012

    Will when people don’t know you came back or have new music out what can you expect really???

  13. DOSSOME September 25, 2012

    Not good at all…but she now knows better…I’m sure her next album will be a smash

    • Beyonce’s Weave September 25, 2012

      If she’ll get a next album, she might get dropped by her record label or they wont fund a new album depending on the terms of the contract.

  14. A September 25, 2012

    Radio didnt support her this time. And maybe the singles werent stronger enough, but worse songs has been on top during last year, so this is a label’s issue, Id say.

    They released three singles and videos with small promo. none can do that in todays industry. You need some performances here and there, maybe a radio tour, and more stuff.

  15. LTM September 25, 2012

    Damn. When someone told me Nelly would do 6k I thought they were just being an ass. I hope she doesn’t get dropped from her label.

  16. Beyonce’s Weave September 25, 2012

    SHE SHOULD NOT WORK WITH TIMBALAND, Timbaland has not had a hit since Justin Timberlake. She should have worked with Red-One, Swedish House Mafia, Calvin Harris, Stargate, The Dream, Rico Love, Sia to name a few. She should have adopted a more modern sound, instead it sounded like she opted for the “promiscuous girl” sound which is just not in the market anymore.

    I wonder why artists are refusing to adapt to the sound that is hot today. Clearly everyone knows that the sound of the 60s is different from the sound of the 70s and 80s and 90s, why should this generation be any different. Even Whitney had to change her sound a little bit from the 80s to the 90s, it is called evolution and adapting to the current market segment. Only those diverse enough and willing to adapt will sell records.

    Euro-pop dance/house/pop is in as well as “stand out” singer-songwriter albums in the UK (see Adele, Emeli Sande, Paloma Faith). You’re gonna have to adapt, it is a business.

    • Gilberto September 25, 2012

      She didn’t work with Timbaland on TSI. You’d better do some researches before posting your s*** here.

      • Beyonce’s Weave September 25, 2012

        OK???? Where did I say she worked with Timbaland?? I’ll wait…

      • Gilberto September 25, 2012

        “SHE SHOULD NOT WORK WITH TIMBALAND”
        She doesn’t work with him since Loose. What did you mean then?

      • Beyonce’s Weave September 25, 2012

        This was in response to Jay Jay who stated and I quote, She should work with Timbaland on her next album! end quote. I then stated SHE SHOULD NOT WORK WITH TIMBALAND. I did not say SHE SHOULD NOT “HAVE”, the sentence means EXACTLY the way it sounds.

        You tried to throw shade at me by using a strawman and I quote You’d better do some researches before posting your s*** here end quote, but it seems the joke is on you. Nice try though.

      • Jahzel September 25, 2012

        Um did she/he say she worked with TIM???? You misunderstood

    • credits September 26, 2012

      Calvin harris and Red One? GTFOH. That’s not her style. The dream and rico love, who do make solid tracks here and there are still not doing anything innovative.

      Timbaland and Nelly just worked.

  17. Gilberto September 25, 2012

    It was expected. None of her singles worked. She doesn’t have the power to sell an album based solely on on her name, especially these days when A-List singers struggle to sell Platinum. I think she should go back to studio and record some radio friendly songs as soon as possible.

    • Beyonce’s Weave September 25, 2012

      Who is going to pay for that studio time??

    • Jahzel September 25, 2012

      Shes getting dropped

  18. hh September 25, 2012

    ONE WORD
    PROMOTE

    • Jahzel September 25, 2012

      One word = Flop

      • pedro alves October 20, 2012

        the problem with nelly that she doesnt sing naked or make erotic porno videos

  19. kelly September 25, 2012

    They should not drop Nelly. She is a proven talent who can sell.

  20. September 25, 2012

    LMAOOOOOOOOOOO *cries*. im goin to hell for laughing but damnnnn. coming from someone who had THE best selling album of 2006-2007. damn damn damn. 7,000? times have f****** changed. i just cant. *goes to sleep*

  21. sam September 25, 2012

    The new bionic 😀

    • Beyonce’s Weave September 25, 2012

      CRUEL.

    • Jahzel September 25, 2012

      Basic Instinct!

    • MiMi I’m First September 25, 2012

      4 closure.

      • FAF September 25, 2012

        “Talk that Talk” by Rihfloppa

      • KingBey September 25, 2012

        B****, 4 Was The Best-Selling R&B Album Of 2011, Shut The F*** Up, She Slayed EveryOne That Put Out An Album Last Year, Save For Gaga, And Adele. Have A Seat \_

      • KingBey September 25, 2012

        *Every Female.

  22. S****** Blonde September 25, 2012

    This is really sad because even if i don’t feeling her right now, she is very talented.

  23. Carl September 25, 2012

    And people called Ciara a flop for selling 37,000.. Let’s see if the same applies to Nelly

    • FAF September 25, 2012

      Ciara is the queen, PERIOD

    • mr.m September 26, 2012

      Ci-error is a has-been

      • Common Sense September 26, 2012

        I lol every time I see that!

  24. Nick September 25, 2012

    she is very talented and makes great songs and fly like a bird was one of the best songs of the 00’s
    I just can’t with her under selling like this

  25. Casual September 25, 2012

    There were no hits from this album to peak interest. She should have fought to delay the album release until she had an actual hit, or at least a song that gained some popular traction.

  26. Monstarebel September 25, 2012

    wow that horrible how you gone sell less than Ciara.. smh

    • FAF September 25, 2012

      She will sell more than “7”

  27. Kyle September 25, 2012

    I bought the album and I really enjoyed it. She got lucky in 06′ when Timbaland was at his peak and was producing the hottest cuts out at the time. I feel like even if she hooked up with him again it wouldn’t be as successful because even Timbaland’s sound has faded. Tough times for many of these artists nowadays.

  28. Honey CHILD please September 25, 2012

    Damn i’m pretty sure some cheeseburger eating fat b**** has seen higher numbers on her damn scale…*touches my chest* oh my goodness

  29. HOWYOULIKEIT September 25, 2012

    Alexandra Burke

  30. CURLY SUE September 25, 2012

    OH SHE HAS A NEW ALBUM OUT? OH….

  31. MusicB September 25, 2012

    Every artist has that one album that doesn’t sell. I doubt she’ll get dropped from your label, they’ll probably be more careful and picky about how the next album goes but drop her?…I don’t think so. If they do drop her,s omeone else will pick her back up. She ha smoney to fund her own recording studio time so it’s not like she’ll be broke after this one album that didn’t do so well.

  32. White girl mob September 25, 2012

    Where is kreayshawn first week sales at man I swear ya be treating kreayshawn like s*** on this site. Like c’mon she is the hardest working girl in the music industry show some respect n***** damn. Now let me see her first week sales so I can pop bottles and laugh in these n***** faces back to Oakland city. Hurry the f*** up

    • IOTA September 25, 2012

      This b**** released her album online and in Hot Topic lmaoo.

      They are gonna just start calling all flops “Kreyshawns”

      • Nate September 26, 2012

        Haha! I know CDs aren’t selling like they used to, and they’re targeting her towards a young audience.

        Still, having a $1 million contract, but only a Hot Topic exclusive CD is just… SMH.

    • DA TRUTH TELLA B****** September 27, 2012

      Kreay Kreay, you need to GET OFF the internet and get out there are promote your album. Get some dates at gay clubs, circuit parties, etc. The gays don’t even know who you are – how do you expect the pink mafia to support your efforts? Don’t give up, girl!

  33. TALK THAT S*** September 25, 2012

    Love her new album from start to finish, So glad she didn’t follow the Euro Dance Pop trend just for radio attention.

  34. JP September 25, 2012

    Why didn’t her and her team release Big Hoops to urban radio and urban gay clubs? Such a waste of an infectious track.

    • White girl mob September 25, 2012

      Shut you’er dumb ass up take that gay ass pic down f***** nobody cares what you’er black ass think. Anyway where is kreayshawn first week album sales n*****

      • Common Sense September 26, 2012

        You need to get your f****** broken condom accident fingers cut off and off the internet. There’s nothing wrong with his conservative pic.

    • N September 26, 2012

      F*** YOUR BLACK-WANNABE-WHITE ASS.

  35. White girl mob September 25, 2012

    So I’m thinking since p!nk is number one on billboards cuz she got on her knees and suck the whole billboard office worker off to put her there. And kanye west group G.O.O.D monkeys is number 2 cuz they just got a brain washed fan base who would buy anything with kanye m***** ass on there. And the killers is number 3 (I don’t know why cuz they suck) so kreayshawn should be holding down that number 4 spot on billboards hahaha just let me see her first week sales TGJ so I can laugh in these n***** face and go pop bottles with my white girls in Oakland

    • N September 26, 2012

      Do NOT insult P!NK

    • Nayah82 September 26, 2012

      H** do not COME for Kanye’s artists. Nobody is checking for ugly ass CRAYOLA!

  36. FAF September 25, 2012

    Poor nelly, sooner we get Rihoena out the public eye the better. She’s burning everyone’s taste in music. No one wanna hear ppl who write their own stuff anymore 🙁

    • White girl mob September 25, 2012

      Man shut the f*** up and go to bed s***.. Kreayshawn album sales should be up tomorrow and I will be here laughing at ya n***** who told her she would flop. She gonna sell just fine in land on them billboards

      • IM A FREE B*TCH October 31, 2012

        she was a flop. a bigger flop than Nelly in fact. boo have several seats

  37. That B*tch September 25, 2012

    I wonder why she went on such a long hiatus. She should have never went on a break for any longer than 3 years. Once one singer decides to leave another one takes the spotlight. This is how the industry works these days.
    Anyways good look to Nelly.

    • That B*tch September 25, 2012

      Good luck*

  38. TALK THAT S*** September 25, 2012

    We hear Rhianna music on every damn radio channel, and video countdown while her album took a full year to go platinum. Give it time, Nelly’s fans will buy the album once she goes on tour, U.S fans forget that Nelly Furtado is a world artist.

  39. Will September 25, 2012

    Such a shame. I really enjoyed the record and thought it was refreshing. I hate to say it, but her career may be over simply because she didn’t release a “loose” 2.0 or a “dance” record. I don’t agree with the industry but that’s the way it works. I think the album is great and hopefully it will get some more respect in time.

  40. theman September 25, 2012

    Hopefully “Parking Lot” picks up and the promo kicks in. The album is actually good. “Parking Lot” is a good single…

  41. IOTA September 25, 2012

    FOLKLORE, her second album, flopped also. I feel like it’s just Folklore pt. 2 — nobody was really checking for her that time around either because her music was weird…

    Hope that she gets another chance because this is just embarrassing…

  42. tilii September 25, 2012

    Well that’s what happens when you take so much time off and don’t do proper promo.
    It isn’t like Nelly was this huge household name. In fact she lucked out with loose.
    Its terrible though most of you think bad album sales equate to an horrible album. That’s never really the case. I’m going to love in the next five years or less when Rihanna,Katy,etc start flopping hard. Artist come and go. Nelly Jun you took 5or 6 years to follow up on your last luck streak. Exit stage left and do it gracefully…

  43. lyric commander lee September 25, 2012

    damn furtado – better luck time tho – shell get it right

    sideye tho – those numbers are horrendous – this is what a flop album is btw so no one can come for anyonr else besting these numberrs which would be damn near everybody

  44. BitchICan’tEvenSpellWelfare September 26, 2012

    I have never been a Nelly Furtado fan but I have always respected her artistry. I really enjoyed her interview with NPR about the “The Spirit Indestructible” album. Very insightful and intelligent person.

    I know that “Loose” is her most COMMERCIALLY successful album but Nelly almost lost her ENTIRE core fan base because of that album. They hated it. And I truly hoped that she wouldn’t attempt a “Loose Part 2.”

    This interview gives us some perspective on this album and, probably, why this album did not do very well (still happy she didn’t do Loose Part 2).

    Enjoy.

    http://www.npr.org/2012/09/20/161403153/nelly-furtado-inspires-the-spirit-indestructible

    • POP ROYALTY ( RUDE BOY) September 26, 2012

      i appreciate ppl like u 🙂

  45. nickalus Randle September 26, 2012

    it is just bad timing, she really isnt pushing anything either, BECAUSE THIS ALBUM IS AMAZING !!!!! all songs r goooooood!!!! PARKING LOT IS OUR JAM, we have played the heck out of that song & video !!!! sad sad sad to see Carly rae & Kesha (non talent hookers, even KATY PERRY!!!) do well & outsell people like Nelly Furtado, O well, its still a good album NELLY GREAT JOB REGARDLESS!!!!

    • mr.m September 26, 2012

      gurl bye

    • Common Sense September 26, 2012

      Bad timing? More like 4 years too late. She was just starting to become a household name after Loose’s success. Taking a 6 year hiatus was career s****** for someone like her.

  46. mr.m September 26, 2012

    FINALLY! someone break Ci-error’s flop of the century album AKA ‘basic-flop’
    Well !! anyway, Ci-error will break the record again, soon LMAO!

    • Common Sense September 26, 2012

      I’m sure Xtincta will join them both come November.

  47. number1k9 September 26, 2012

    Regardless if Timbo is not the hottest porducer right now, Them together were magic. He should have had at minimum 2 tracks on the album.

    Oh well, she is also signed to his label so its a flop for him too.

    Better luck next time, bc what I’ve heard is not good, LOL! I miss my “Promiscuous,” “Say It Right,” and even “Turn Off The Lights” [Remix] Nelly Furtado.

  48. the real xoxo September 26, 2012

    what is going on in the industry? Nelly can actually sing and writes her own songs, the same cant be said about other “singers” who see platinum.

  49. N September 26, 2012

    One word that I’m not gonna say anything but :

    F*** YOU Rita Oral S**.

    Because of YOUR FLOPPED WHITE ASS, look what you have done.

    I really have nothing to say. F*** YOU f*****’ RITA ORAL f*****’ S**.

    F*** YOU GAY-Z

    F*** YOU UNIVERSAL MUSIC.

    Can’t really say anything else.

    GOD WHAT THE F*** IS THIS FLOP DAY???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  50. JER September 26, 2012

    Omg. Im speechless. If i was her i would be devestated.

  51. Lite it up September 26, 2012

    Kelly you s***!!!!!!!! You rita ora stan You will be banished in the dungeons of hell with all your fellow whores (including your grandma her moether her mothers mother etc )

  52. POP ROYALTY ( RUDE BOY) September 26, 2012

    poor nelly , i liked your album soooooooooo much.

    please release ” waiting for the night” and release a video with international cultures in it 😀 , i love this song the most 🙂

    don’t give up nelly !!!

  53. mido September 26, 2012

    i just cant get it , how an artist slays at bb200 before cant do it after 6 years of a new fresh album

  54. TALK THAT S*** September 26, 2012

    Nelly Furtados second album Folklore debuted at number eighteen on the Canadian albums chart with first-week sales of 10,400, and at number thirty-eight on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 68,000 in its first week but the album still went platinum 3x Worldwide.

  55. D September 26, 2012

    i love the album. not really fussed by a lot of people saying how horrible it is considering nobody who is saying how bad it is bought it.

  56. Darren September 26, 2012

    DUH! her voice sounds like a dying cat on both ‘Big Hoops’ and ‘Spirit Indestructible.’ I don’t know what she was smoking when she came up with this trash.

  57. Haw September 26, 2012

    How come !
    I f*****’ love this album !!
    It’s fresh and different.
    I love the track of “Be OK”

  58. STR8FACTS September 26, 2012

    This is so incredibly unfortunate. Not only is she an amazing artist, but after giving the album a chance (because I know I wouldn’t hear it anywhere else) It really is a solid album! The production is out of this world in my opinion and some of Darkchild’s best work since Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’. This album has a completely different sound from what’s being played on air now and this generation isn’t really accepting of something that isn’t similar to the norm so it kind-of make sense.

    Dare I say, it’s also her label and management’s fault due to the fact that promotion leading up to the album’s release was pretty non-existant. She was gone for six years, we’re gonna need a little more than two videos and bare-minimum appearances. That’s just how it works now a days. When your comeback is being planned, it takes A LOT of time for everyone to accept you again (i.e. Brandy, Monica, etc.) Especially since this album has such a huge pop undertone there it no reason why should couldn’t have AT LEAST hit 100k. Artist’s with less credibility and talent are hitting those numbers easily. Hopefully her label don’t take the regular route and give up on this project because it really has a lot of potential. Ultimately it’s up to Nelly, if she believes in her craft enough she will fight for this album and force it’s revival.

  59. Jared September 26, 2012

    She made TWO fatal mistakes… Making everyone wait 6 years for another English album and getting rid of Timbaland!! Enough said.

  60. Bizarro September 27, 2012

    Actually it was a 3 year hiatus she took. She released a spanish album in 2009 called Mi Plan and won a latin grammy. Mi Plan debuted in the top 40 on the billboard 200. She released a greatest hits album in 2010 with three new songs and released a single called Night Is Young that did not chart in the U.S. and did a few featured collabs every now and then. Actually Nelly never actually took a break. This is just her first english studio album in 6 years. Maybe it would of been better if she released it in june or pushed back the release again. It is sad that her english album is doing worse than her spanish album, since I heard it debuted at #79. Hopefully, the album will go higher when she goes on tour or hopefully Parking Lot will chart not only in the clubs but airplay charts too. She should have released big hoops to rhythmic radio instead of maintream and Something with Nas should have been released to radio too. I think the album would of done better. She basically is promoting the album herself, hopefully she’ll still go on tour. But it looks like her touring for 2 years plan is out the window!

  61. ari October 2, 2012

    i don’t think she’s ever tried to be mainstream. Loose was a surprise hit to be honest. She makes music, Nelly Furtado music, it’s her soul. If they wanted to market the music any way they could have. She makes music for her fans and for herself.

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