@Sam --

With NO Beyonce/Jay-Z, NOR Rihanna the AMAs had pretty much the same, maybe a small 3% increase, 2010 year-over-year ratings: http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/ratings-rat-race-amas-steady-snf-wins/#respond.

Also, I just checked hitsdailydouble, it seems, with NOW, some 38% counted, Drake's "Take Care" is at 187K. I'm curious to see if he can reach that heralded 700-725 range.

But, here's what's MOST.."telling":

"Michael Buble begins his holiday surge with what may be the biggest holiday album of the season. Keep on eye on Buble next week as he could be a spoiler to a #1 debut by Rihanna or Nickelback. Here's how it looks headed into the weekend.

*Drake (YM/CM/Universal Republic) 700-725k
Michael Buble (Reprise) 160-180k"

So, if Michael Buble is projected to "spoil" Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" with that projected 160-180K, then she'll fall well-short of her November, 2010 release of "Loud": 207,000 first week, 1,470,000 U.S. OTC...

(..That said), Sam, as I've said: "Nicki Minaj is our new 'IT-Girl'." And what Nicki Minaj did to Rihanna, here in the U.S. (made her extraneous, if not totally irrelevant), she'll THEN do to her once Nicki begins to World tour - namely Europe, and in particular the U.K..

Hmm.. And your fave's U.K. CD is dropping any day now. Ain't that right, Sam..??

Sam, call ME (xyz)..."Ismael"...!!!!

X,Y,"and Z" -- OUT..!!