Singers Chris Brown and Monica lead R&B’s charge in the ever-competitive holiday stakes.
This week saw the arrival of Brown’s sixth solo LP ‘Royalty,’ while for his RCA label-mate it’s album number eight with ‘Code Red.’
With Christmas but a week away, this time of year typically sees sales on the upswing as shoppers race to fill stockings up ahead of the big day.
How kind have the record buying public been to the talented duo?
Find out below, where the first predictions await…
Per Hits Daily Double, C. Breezy looks set to be the week’s highest new entry with pure sales of 125,000-135,000. When factoring in streaming, the SPS (sales plus streaming) figure sees that total rise to 150,000-160,000. An increase attributable to the army of videos Brown unleashed this week.
As for Monica, ‘Code Red’ is eyeing first week sales of 30,000-35,000 (32-37k SPS).
Elsewhere, Def Jam’s Pusha T is set to book 38-43k (40-45k SPS), while Ariana Grande‘s surprise Holiday EP ‘Christmas & Chill’ is on-course to premiere with sales of 30-35k (32-37k SPS).
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We’re pleasantly surprised by Chris’ numbers, simply because ‘Royalty’ has yet to yield a sizeable hit. Needless to say, his popularity probably helped pre-orders and the commendable out-of-the-box approach with the multiple videos have benefitted him in earnest in today’s VEVO dominated marketplace.
Monica’s numbers are in-line with almost every R&B release this year, which in itself is a whole other post.
For now though….
GOOD NUMBERS
I’m not surprised with Monica! I listen to her album and am extremely disappointed by how lackluster it is! Those Tim produced songs are the worst!!!
Hello,
its like he had the best with AAliyah, did ok with Brandy and the lease with Monica.
Congrats to Chris Brown! People were estimating he would do 50-60K but he proved everyone wrong.
With these debut numbers and also the timing of releasing around the holidays he will definitely go Gold and that is truly an accomplishment in the R&B market nowadays.
I don’t care much for Chris or his music but he does push and try to succeed.
yeah that was me.
Congrats to him, he proved me wrong.
His fanbase is strong, it seems.
He didn’t go gold with x or fortune
S*** brown sells the same for every album and still can’t go good or platinum. His numbers will drop and he will flop.
S*** brown sells the same for every album and still can’t go gold or platinum. His numbers will drop and he will flop.
But he will go gold & win a Grammy so stop hating
His music garbage, he will never get a f****** Grammy. Now watch his sales drop bitçh.
B****
Monica’s album is amazing, but considering r&b’s climate, i’m not surprised.
150+K…….
WOW. Congrats Breezy!
Honestly, I was expecting numbers below 100K but I am very surprised by this. I hope he doesn’t go on a twitter/instagram cursing rampage about not doing more because for a Urban-R&B/Electro-Pop album in 2015 and by an artist with a Love/Hate image and with NO REAL HIT’S… THIS IS GREAT!
Monica… FLOP. Nobody besides her 90s-2003 fans was checking for her anyway!!!
As for Monica, It’s not a flop if it was never expected to do huge numbers in the first place, no hits, a three year break and the current state of R&b, this is what it is.
i already knew monica was going to flop her this album is trash and it isnt much different from what she been releasing
I love Monica but this album is garbage. Her last good album was Still Standing and before that was The Boy Is Mine. This album is full of fillers and not good R&B at all. If she wanted to resurrect this genre, she should’ve copied Tamar’s new album.
Tamar new album sold 38k , not much of a difference. It makes no sense to copy from someone when they are in the same boat, Tamar did not wake up anyone..ijs
After the Storm was her best album
I thought We left monica in 1998 but tbh she never was a album seller
Hater
And chris album will not even go gold so who cares if he sold over 100k
DEFINITELY WONT GO GOLD!
Yes he will ! Stfu
The two best R&B albums that I bought this yr are Tamar’s and Monica’s, with them both doing the same numbers, disappointed to say the least, but not surprised considering the state of R&B.
You people are pitiful!! Monica album is GREAT! The people who are saying it sucks, are clearly delusional and wants Monica to sing the same d**n depressing songs as Adele and that anorexic chick Ariana!!! Chris Brown’s album is HORRIBLE and that is a FACT!!
It’s most likely the same person trolling. They’re just giving us a look into how miserable their life is.
Right!?! I skipped through Adele’s album to find something I like but damn, ain’t nothing there for me lol! So I haven’t heard it in its entirety but I wouldn’t doubt that Monica’s ‘anchor’ slays adele’s whole album.
Anchor was botched imo. When it starts your expecting this amazing ballad Ala “For You I Will” cut to the chorus and it’s a complete let down. I was expecting more, it’strong but they took the easy way with the vocals and lyrics.
How are people delusional because they don’t like the same thing somebody else like? Its called an opinion and in MY opinion the album sucks, Tamar album is wayyyy better and again that’s MY opionion
Just listened to monica ‘s code red and it was such a disappointment… Suprised she is managing the numbers she is…
Wow @ Chris numbers!!! He didn’t have a clear-cut hit this time around like Loyal which makes these numbers quite surprising. I legit thought he wouldn’t crack 100k. I haven’t heard Monica’s album yet but I hear it’s pretty good. Those sales, however, are not. Congrats to them both for actually being able to put out their albums though. Can’t say the same for another RCA artist I’ve been waiting for since last year.
YESSSSS BREEZY! I was not expecting to break the 100K unit barrier much less the 150K unit barrier (streaming or not).
This is HUGE and this time he didn’t have a hit like “Loyal” to help… CONGRATS.
No, Monicas album was not great! It’s the same ol’, same ol’ with her… Nothing was different lyrically, musically or production wise. She is an R&B singer and yet she stays making Hip-Hop oriented Urban music! I’m glad she FLOPPER. Hopefully, she’ll come better next time and thata if she’s even signed to the same label.
Jamie Sullivan would be the PRIME EXAMPLE of a R&B artist who flopped but made fùqing GREAT music… Not Monica.
As soon as the music starts in Monica’s song ‘deep’ you know that’s out of her box. Same thing with ‘I miss music’ and her harmonies on those timbaland songs, come on….
Did 15 people read this comment wrong lol? I’m saying that monica tried different things and I like it. Lol
It does sound like you’re trying to say otherwise.
I thought that as well. Knew it was a compliment but so many trolls it got mistaken as shade with opening sentence lol.
https://youtu.be/Xhx_tSUFdMw
Congratz Chris ??
Hell yea Chris
Whoa! I didn’t think he’d crack the 100k mark. Pretty good.
Monica’s album was AMAZING!!!!!! I don’t understand how these #s are coming.
Either the masses think it is sub par or they are bootlegging it…
I bootlegged Monicas album and deleted in after listening to it
WINNING!!!!!! Never doubt the power of chris browns fist! I been saying he was gon debut higher than ANTISOCIAL But i thought Antisocial would actually get release. #PRAY4ANTICHRIST
Sorry to all Monica fans but her album made me fall a sleep LITERALLY. I like Monica and was expectings songs on there to touch my soul and well….. it didn’t. I will give it another try though.
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As for Brisk Brown, is this any different from the last albums? No. He’s too predictable these days and him having his daughter on the album cover for such a foul album that doesn’t dedicate much to her doesn’t even make sense.
The the song Little More was dedicated to his daughter not the while album. He used his daughter name but gave it another meaning just like he did with the nane of his album X
R&B is played out… it had a good run 1990-2005 but since B’day & GGGB hiphop has taken over the whole r&b sound is played out now. #poormonica 35k is still a full arena atleast not as bad as 19k.
I’m surprised at Chris’ numbers considering his album sucks. Monica’s numbers don’t surprise me. Her album is a bore with the exception of 2 or 3 tracks.
Idk why r&b artist are even still trying. Ever since Bey&Rih challenged r&b music with bday/gggb r&b artist struggle just to scan plat. Right now it seems that literally only bey can go plat with r&b and thats with heavy hip hop influences best producers. So why does rkelly & monica tamar etc even bother? #Congrats Chris!
Maybe they still bother because they don’t care about the sales….
I have faith in Monica and it should never be about album sales simply, it’s about the music and to honest I find her album to be better than Chris. We need feel good music with a real message not music that brings us down as a people it’s crazy but most importantly, Monica has a voice and the power of God on her side so she doesn’t have to devalue herself to get a hit like some artist.
When I heard the album I did wonder why Just Right For Me was the single.
Think its her in the pocket type song but strategy wise I don’t think her and team should be afraid to unearth one of her pop ballad.
Alone in Your Heart could have kicked off code red season or deep. I know or Anchor should be a single ?.
Quality sung love songs should be able to do well if pushed properly
Monica’s album is AMAZING, from beginning to end, and I just can’t understand how she, Jazmine, and Tamar aren’t selling.
Good job for Chris, but those numbers are only that high because he released it during the holidays, when millions of people are out shopping. Monica has some nice tracks on her album, it’s just sad that people do not support R&B music anymore.
Shout out to Breezy. He’s been working hard and I’m happy to see him be relevant although a bleached knock off has relentlessly tried to take his spot. Sidenote, if Breezy can scan 120k then where in the hell did the prediction scanning 150k come from?
Thats rihfunds prediction becuz like chris brown she can only cross the 100k mark with aid of holiday sales. Rihlate might not even drop this year.
Lmao at y’all hating asses saying Chris will do 50,000 . He proved everyone wrong as usual! & he won’t have a problem going gold & im pretty sure he’s doing promo so he’ll be fine stop hating
If Monica does those numbers I will be fuming.
She best leave RCA asap because they gave her lacklustre build up compared to Chris. Her album not even on their website main page. Fans have complained to her stores are sold out fast = under-shipment. This body of work best be 60-70k or its operation #MonicaLeaveRCA. Where a 2nd single and label supported video. ? I believe she’ll sell more.
Congrats to Breezy though that’s healthy numbers
Monica was going to flop regardless her album sales have never been impressive nor has she ever been an album seller or singles seller so they did the right thing by undershipping that garbage ass album
@ Cocobutta, I agree RCA is pathetic, they just don’t support their R&B artist at all.
Monica has never been a single seller? B**** has 6 platinum selling singles and 4 gold. Go do some research and stop talking that b*******.
Had it not been for RCA, I don’t think Fantasia, jazmine Sullivan, and Monica would be releasing albums consistently and for that, RCA is still kind of in my good books. Regardless of the lack of promo, and the state of r&b, they’re still letting them release. Because monica is with RCA, I know there will be another monica album after this, hasn’t she been with Clive Davis since she started 20 years ago?
I bet the miss thang will come out furiously at RCA headquarters. Lol
RCA Records is horrible. They under shipped Monica’s album AGAIN! They did the same thing with Still Standing. Ppl are complaining on Twitter, IG, and FB that the album is sold out. Smh
B’DAY = the reason why BASIC R&B is dead… sorry Monica u tried.
B day was NOT R&B! POINT, BLANK, PERIOD!!!#
That’s it Chris!
ummmmm ppl, it’s called itunes, amazon…online! Who buys cds at stores? It accounts for a small % of overall sales. Monica flopped because honestly, the album kinda sucks. Let’s be real. She spoke abt bringing rnb back but she instead, brought us fillers and tracks that don’t appeal to real rnb lovers. They have little soul and melody. Where the hooks at???? Bigger qsn – where the JD production at?
Thissss
#CodeDead lol
If you’re describing your life, then yes.
Good sales or not, Monica’s album is incredible! Side note, I saw Mo perform this past week and she was fantastic, so I really hope she starts touring more, because live, she is absolutely amazing.
Im lol @ under shipped, More like over shipped. No one cares!Excuses won’t change the fact that there won’t be a second single #CodeBlue
Not a Brandy fan trying to shade Monica “She stays having you Brandy fans pressed”. Instead of worrying about Monica, worry about the fact that your ugly ass fav was last seen holding concerts on the subway “Where no one gave a s*** LOL”. Not to mention that Z budget Zoe after death 1 season b*******.
Congrats to C. Breezy he did good numbers without a huge hit that’s when you know you good! He’s in a better place in life and I love it!
Tamar album is the best R&B female album to come out this year her and Jazmine Sullivan!
Chris did well that is awesome numbers for an R&B album proud of my baby currently listening to #Royalty such a good album
Is anyone surprised that Monica flopped? She ain’t been hot since So Gone and that was over ten years ago.
Brandy is a Movie star, Broadway star, TV star and Music star. Two different leagues.
I sincerely love Monica’s music..this album took a few listens but i like it. I wasnt sold on much of the songs from her last album sadly. I am sadly pleasantly surprised Code red is set for those numbers. I feel Just Right For Me didnt get good promo and she hasnt released another single yet.
I root for Mo though, I have always loved her
Chris’ album is good. I actually listened all the way through and I couldn’t do that with his last album so to me that’s a plus. Hit single or not. He does have a lot more pop on this one but I’m not sure what you guys expect. Chris loves pop. He abandoned it a little on X but he wanted to incorporate it a lot more on this album. I don’t see anything wrong with that. Especially because I love the R&B joints on there. Good job Chris.
As for Monica, as a whole, I am not a fan of the album. Crazy because when I was listening to it I felt like it was all over the place. In a few comments above I see someone posted a video where she explained that she wanted this album to be diverse. Boy can you tell! lol She has a few standout tracks: I Know, Deep, Alone In Your Heart, & Anchor. Love all of them. The Timbaland tracks I hate lol But I commend her for trying something new. Not a lot of people are willing to take a risk today so I honestly applaud her for that in itself. I’d give it a 2/5 TBH. Monica has never made a full body of work that i’ve enjoyed besides ‘The Boy Is Mine’.
Lastly, I wish people would stop making a mock of R&B artists when they don’t sell good. It is just the sign of the times. No one is selling well unless your name is Adele, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, etc. Even Coldplay’s last album did pretty dismal compared to all of their other albums. Albums just are not selling like they used to. I feel like people should just concentrate on the music. It’s like the first thing people care about before they even listen to an album is how well it does. Like everyone is plotting on the downfall of the artist. That’s terrible. A lot of albums are getting looked over just because they aren’t selling well.
I wish I could get my money back for this Monica record bruh! Like what IS this garbage?!
This album just all over the place and not in a good way at all. I can rock with 2 or 3 tracks, but the rest sounds lie she just dipped into the studio one Saturday and winged it lol. No structure and the Turbo tracks?!!?!.. Like am I in the twilight zone?..
Alone in Your Heart is crazy tho. This s*** got me depressed lol womp womp woooomp