Sales Figures: Britney Spears Conquers The Digital Chart As Album Sales Sink To New Lows

Published: Wednesday 19th Jan 2011 by Trent

Pop phenomenon Britney Spears proved her worth this week as her new single, ‘Hold It Against Me’, broke both airplay and digital sales records. However, while her excited fans swarmed iTunes to purchase copies of the track, similar enthusiasm wasn’t demonstrated buy album buyers. In fact, album sales have dipped to unbelievable new lows.

Spears’ ‘Hold It Against Me’ sold an astounding 411k downloads this week, easily positioning it at the #1 spot on the Digital Songs chart. This achievement has earned Spears the title of the female artist with the largest 1st week digital single sales, breaking Taylor Swift’s record of 325k downloads with ‘Today Was a Fairytale’.

On the contrary, sales were certainly far less impressive on the album charts where Alternative band Cake’s ‘Showroom of Compassion’ album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with a meager 44k copies sold. This means that the group has broken the record set by Swift’s ‘Speak Now’ LP just last week for having the lowest selling #1 album in the SoundScan era (since 1991).

Obviously, Urban artists didn’t manage to do any better this week than they did on the previous tally. Nicki Minaj’s ‘Pink Friday’ dipped 3 spots to #5 by selling 32k units (down 17%) whereas Rihanna’s ‘Loud’ fell from #6 to #8  with only 28k in sales (down 16%). Rounding out the top 10, Kanye West’s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ slided from #7 to #10, moving 25k (down 24%).

Thoughts?

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  1. Christian January 19, 2011

    CONGRATS BRITNEY!!!!!

  2. love January 19, 2011

    WOW … THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS HIGH YOU THINK PPL OUT BUYING A DAMN CD? LMAO YEA RIGHT

  3. T-vince January 19, 2011

    Any words on ‘No Boys Allowed”?

  4. black January 19, 2011

    WHO CAREs

  5. keepingitreal January 19, 2011

    britney is that girl. werrk it!!!!

  6. jeremydante January 19, 2011

    the shifts are impressive actually, given that the albums were released the last quarter of 2009. rihanna surprisingly stays in the top 10 & with nicki & her singles with videos debuting soon that might shake the charts up more.

    i think of this time on the charts as the quiet before the storm.
    you guy’s should do a post on albums that are coming in the 1st quarter of 2011 & what we’re expecting. keep up the great work.

  7. gabs January 19, 2011

    “This means that the group has broken the record set by Swift’s ‘Speak Now’ LP just last week for having the lowest selling #1 album in the SoundScan era (since 1991).
    ” LOL you make it sound as if she debuted with a low sales # which we all know not to be the case. Wow I really didnt know people really were checkin for Britney still. Good for her. I dont personally like that song, she can do better, but congrats Brit Brit!

  8. Nelz91 January 19, 2011

    It has nothing to do with unemployment . . . just saying

  9. McLean January 19, 2011

    Its not just the biting economy or illegal downloads. Its the crap that record companies and artists are putting out today. Who is interested in buying a cd knowing very well by tomorrow you dont even wana listen to it again? I mean, really? Little wonder then that the likes of Susan Boyle and Josh Groban with authentic music can move bigger sales. Any others? Urban artists definitely require insane promotion and a few scandals to sale as much.

  10. Nichole January 19, 2011

    Britney has 2011 in the bag.

    Now, with a video that is supposed to return her to her former glory, there is no way she’s gonna slack off like she did in the previous two eras.

    Brian Friedman has been bragging about the music video for HIAM for days now, therefore, this video better bring it because Brian has been really hyping it up.

    Britney – The biggest Pop star in the world

  11. Nichole January 19, 2011

    Also, all of those albums were released last year and they were pretty much all hot sellers.

    Taylor, Rihanna, Nicki, etc. I’m not concerned with Bey, Brit, and GaGa because I know they will sell REGARDLESS.

    But to say people aren’t buying CDs is inaccurate, because people like Taylor and Susan B. were the ultimate proof last year that there are indeed still many music consumers.

  12. CHECKMATE January 19, 2011

    Weak ass. Dint Eminem sell a mil downloads at one point? Someone did b4…

  13. Rob Iz Da Mann January 19, 2011

    Go Britney !!

  14. Gilberto January 19, 2011

    Isn’t funny how Nicki is selling more than Rihanna week after week when Nicki doesn’t even have a top 10 hit? LOL. Rihanna better re-release Loud or it won’t cross the Platinum mark.

  15. Truthfully Speaking January 19, 2011

    Proud of Britney but Gaga and Beyonce are coming. This is really like the quiet before the storm.And when Hurricane B and Gaga comes through s*** gets real ugly lol. I think music sells are so low because people steal it instead of buying it. I say go to digital fully and that way sales will rise. Because it’s easier to track and protect digital music.

  16. JB January 19, 2011

    People haven’t really been buying albums for some time now. Many are downloading as we know. Also, too many times when you DO buy an album it isn’t worth the money and people get tired of that.

  17. Geronimo Deuces-Champion January 19, 2011

    go britney show them how to do it…………..

  18. FUTURESTARdelux January 19, 2011

    @Gilberto isn’t it funny that nobody outside the US even knows/gives a f*** about Nicki while “LOUD” has been the No1 Worldwide album for like three weeks or something now? LOL

    Go Britney you are scalping these who’s all over the place lol

  19. F****** January 19, 2011

    Atleast all of them will out-sell Fat neck Mariah. Her last three albums were FLOPS!

    “Say it with me”—-FLOP_FATRIAH-The-Has_Been-non-Diva

  20. FUTURESTARdelux January 19, 2011

    P.S @Truthfully Speaking, why do you have to belittle Britney’s RECORD BREAKING achievement with Gaga dellusions? When was the last time that dellusional b**** even had a No1? oh…

  21. dboy January 19, 2011

    lol at

    T-VINCE:”any word on no boys allowed?”

    BLACK:”who cares”

    i like that!

  22. Taylor swifts number 1 fan January 19, 2011

    Taylor down to 3 on the album charts… sill only a few thousand behind the number 1 spot, after 3 months on the chart. Sad to see albums sales at a all time low… someone big needs to come out with an album now!! Taylor cant be leading the way all year!!!

  23. u-jealous January 19, 2011

    Congrats britney,but usually after such a high peak-falling off is inevitable.I like britney and hope she does well.Congrats to Rihanna for selling just as well as Kanye and Niki even after their huge 1st week sales .Funny with all the promo niki doin and RiRi doin no promo and selling just as much-lol! Get”LOUD” b.tches!

  24. eRok January 19, 2011

    yea but who cares. nicki, kanye and soon to be rihanna all already have platinum albums. they don’t have to prove anything else!

  25. latin86 January 19, 2011

    There just isnt any solid albums with good promo and good singles/videos thats why nobody is selling oh and there isnt any new big releases either!

  26. All hail the trinity January 19, 2011

    Yasssssssss!!! Britney is killin these h***

    So much for LOUD being as successful as GGGB. She is gonna have to re-release that crap. We will be seeing u next November Riri so u can keep ur relevancy LMAO.

    And i hear LOUD sold about 145k WW last week. Thats a huge dip from the 500k she was selling WW from the previous weeks. Dont tell me u stans thought those sales would last forever

  27. All hail the trinity January 19, 2011

    And actually promo doesnt really do s*** to sell albums

    In example: Keri Hilson and Dirty Money

    So for u stans saying Nicki is outselling Rihanna because of promo, its about time for u all to bury that theory. Nicki is jus a lot more relevant in the US then the 5 year veteran LOL

    Not like that really matters tho cuz Rihanna is outselling Nicki globally.

    Nicki- the US
    Rihanna- International

    But to be a GREAT seller these ladies really need the best of both worlds :/

  28. Wherestherealtalent? January 19, 2011

    SERIOUSLY THIS IS OUR #1 SONG IN THE US RIGHT NOW?

    OUR #1 SONG???

    THIS S***?

    UGH!!! I’M DONE…

  29. GangsterA January 19, 2011

    britney keep breaking records ya faves could neva oh and yes nicki is still slaying congrats baby gurl

  30. Simhanna January 19, 2011

    @GILBERTO

    EVERY POST TO DO WITH RIHANNA YOU BRING UR LAME SELF AND COMMENT!
    I’VE TRIED TO IGNORE YOU BUT ITS STARTING TO BECOME SOMEWHAT PATHETIC.
    RIRI IS DOING FINE, DONT WORRY ABOUT HERR!!!!

  31. beth January 19, 2011

    Rihanna will have a problem going platinum in the u.s as in actually selling, not shipping. Britney and Gaga fever is about to take the charts, but S & M is a strong single though so who know.
    Why is that its only on black blogs that they say Bey is coming. Its going to be massive and so on. To white people its only Britney and Gaga they are scared off. Unfortunately, I think its obvious both Britney and Gaga will overshadow Bey this year. They are white and have tons of fans that will buy several copies of their cds at once.

    Anyway, I’ll rather be Britney. Gaga tries way to hard with all the outfits and nakedness and all to sell album. Britney just has to put out singles and go to starbucks and she makes more money than her.

  32. Mari January 19, 2011

    Yawn @ the pressed brigade wringing their hands in feaux worry over Rihanna’s sales. Nice try haters, but Loud has already scanned nearly 800K in the US, and it’s only been out for two months, so no the album will not be struggling to go plat in the States. Loud is also going to cross the 3M WW mark by next month. RIhanna has nothing but hit singles on Loud which are going to smash and increase her album sales before re-release, so haters, try harder . . . um-kay?

  33. Mari January 19, 2011

    oh and

    *flips bangs*

    (you don’t mind my borrowing that, do you Dion-ish?)

  34. KaVion January 19, 2011

    Stop being dramatic, just to make a story.
    They’re old albums and noones buying them right now. Thats All
    Wait til spring..then summer.

  35. tia January 19, 2011

    I dont know why your expecting figures to be through the roof. None of this stuff is new, of course nobody is selling. no big names are dropping albums this week, or the last for that matter. half the names that you named off have already went platinum.

  36. lax January 19, 2011

    @ MARI……..THANKS MARI FOR SCHOOLING THE LAMES !!!!!!!!!
    CAUSEEEEEE AINT NOBODY SCAREDDDDDD OF NO BRIT, BRIT,,GARGOYLE,,
    ARE NONE OF THE REST OF THE,,,
    OH,,,,,, CHECK THE RECORD BOOKS ,,,,RIHANNA HAS BEEN CROWNED O NE
    OF THE ARTIST OF THE CENTURY ALONG WITH PINK ,,, AND ONE OTHER PERSON I THINK WELL LIKE I SAID FIND IT AND READ IT AND WEEP
    WHAT I GET A “PHYSICAL HIGH” OFF OF IS THE FACT THAT YOU LAMES KEEP
    RIHANNAS NAME IN YOUR DAM MOUTHS ,,,NOW AINT THAT SOMETHING
    IT’S JUST AMAZING ,,,,AND ANOTHER THANG RIHANNA APPEALS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO GAGOYLE AND BRIT TRIT WILL NEVER APPEAL TO LIKE THE
    JUKE JOINT IN THE BACK WOODS OF A LOT OF THESE SMALL LITTLE TOWNS.
    HEY,,,,HEY,,,,THEY BOOTLEGGED A LOT OF RIHANNAS MUSIC AND THATS WHY
    JIVE IS HAVING TO TRY AND GET A HEADS UPON THE MUSIC THEIR ARTISTARE COMING OUT WITH YOU GET MY DRIFT, ALL OF THE RECORD COMPANYS WILLNO DOUBT FOLLOW SUIT,,,I SAW IT ON THE GRAPE FIRST!!!
    GO BRIT,,,BRIT,,,,, THIS IS WHAT THEY GET FOR CALLING YOU CRAZY BEHIND YOUR BACK AND LAUGHTING @ YOU WHEN YOU WAS GOING THROUGH,,, THEY HAVE BEEN LAUGHTING UP A STORM @ YOU BRITNEY LIKE WHEN YOU CUT YOUR HAIR ALL OF,,,NOW BRITNEY LIKE YOU SING SO WELL IN YOUR SONG
    WHEN YOU SINGS I WILL SHOW YOU CRAZYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    THEY TALK SMACK ABOUT RIRI TOO AND IT’SNOT GOING TO HELP THE LAMES ONE LITTLE BITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

  37. Legendtina January 19, 2011

    NO BOYS ALLOWED SOLD 13K THIS WEEK AND SO DID KEYSHIA COLE. KERI AND KEYSHIA HAVE THE SAME ALBUM SALES EVERY WEEK.
    KERI ALBUM CAN DO REALLY WWELL IF SHE RELEASES LOSE CONTROL NEXT AS A WORLD WIDE SINGLE

    C-ERROR HOWEVER SOLD 500 COPIES THIS WEEK NO NOT 5,000K I SAID 500

  38. B@tch Please January 19, 2011

    Rihanna still in the top ten after two months.Good year for her and she still not done only have two single out. THE BEST….

  39. dang January 19, 2011

    yawn…. Britney make the same song year after year…. BORN THIS WAY will own 2011

  40. S*** January 19, 2011

    FLOP To ALL the News on this post. So FLOP to Britney Also 🙂

    & LOUD has got no chance at going plat

  41. Gucci January 19, 2011

    Girl, bye. Loud is already very close to platinum and she hasn’t promoted in months. When S&M is released and snatches wigs again and Rih starts promoting, you will all look real dumb. And chile, Nicki has been promoting non stop since Pink Friday came out. She’s also barely selling more than LOUD in the US. And when we look at the numbers worldwide, LOUD left these lesser albums in the dust.

    Who gon check me?

  42. UGh January 20, 2011

    I hate that urban music doesn’t get the respect it deserves

  43. PINK FRIDAY H** January 20, 2011

    NIKKI IS STILL SLAYING THOSE NUMBERS I SEE.. GO NIKKI !!!

  44. Nichole January 20, 2011

    “Nice try haters, but Loud has already scanned nearly 800K in the US, and it’s only been out for two months”

    And is that supposed to be a good thing? Not to rain on Rihanna Navy’s parade, but with two #1 singles, 2 music videos and all of that promo, Loud should have long crossed over 1 million sold in the US. That album had a lot of hype surrounding it.

    Not hating. Just a little reality check.

  45. Peris January 20, 2011

    LOUD HAS SOLD 813,000 IN THE US !!!!

    BUT THE REAAAAALY GOOD NEWS IS THAT RIHANNA GONNA PUSH OVER 100,000 AGAIN WW THIS WEEK AND BE #1 ON THE WORLD CHART FOR THE 4TH WEEK!!!!

    THAT’S A BAD B****!

  46. Badd January 20, 2011

    It looks like LOUD is going to be just like Rated R in terms of sales.
    Hopefully Pink Friday…will eventually go platinum with sales too.

  47. matt January 20, 2011

    Britney, Gaga and Bey will dominate the albums charts when they’re albums explode on to the scene, mark my words, there will no sign on “lowest sales for number one album” then, mark my word, the trinity are about to RULE 2011!!!

  48. sane beyhanna stan January 20, 2011

    Rihanna is doing just fine and so is nicki I’m proud of them. In january sales will always be low so no suprise honestly. Loud is closer to crossing platinum then rihs haters will give credit. Shell do just fine so I’m not worried at all I’m happy for all artists in the top 10 🙂

  49. RihannaForever January 20, 2011

    @Badd
    For one, Pink Friday did go Platinum, and second of all, Rihanna always sells well. Every week, she sells moderately and eventually she does earn certifications. Besides, only 2 singles have come out so there is PLENTY of time to go. It’s not like this is the end of the Loud era. Far from it, actually.

  50. Mystery Guest January 20, 2011

    Rihannas fans have to be the most annoying snobs ever. Damn shut the hell up. The girl has been out for half the damn decade and shes been heavily touring overseas. Plus she gets number 1 on radio every release so why are you downing Nicki Minaj who is a female rapper by the way? Nicki doesnt even get the same respect Rihanna gets on radio just yet. Her star is new. It was just la middle of last year her label even had trust enough to give her her first album release date. Lets see what rihanna does if she tries to be a female rapper. She would flop so bad. So get a clue. Nicki Minaj is the only female rapper doing what she’s doing right now and she is new. Give her the time to get the world wide stats up. She just went overseas there this week for the first time.

    Rihanna fans stop being so damn annoying.

    ————————————————————–

    You can never figure me out?

  51. Prince barbie January 20, 2011

    This Rihanna shade when its going to be @ 3mil WW soon bish please who gives a f*** if its not platinum in the U.S she has a bigger fan base than that. Deal with it s****.

  52. Tara January 20, 2011

    Trent and the other Rihanna haters make me laugh. So pathetic! Mad that her album Loud is selling well when u wanted her to flop. Face facts that she isnt! Doing well in the US and GLOBALLY! WHEN she goes Platinum in the US what will u say then Trent. i want to see if you are man enough to give her the props she deserves are be the pathetic hater you are.

  53. Beystanbish January 20, 2011

    Wait a minute did someone say Ciara sold 500 copies this week. *deceased*

  54. ayo_ronnie January 21, 2011

    Soundscan hasn’t reported Nicki selling a million. RIAA said a million shipped not sold> RIAA tracks shipments while soundscand tracks actual sales! Why wont you all get that!

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