Solo stardom just doesn’t seem to be on the cards for Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am.
Why, you may wonder?
Well, despite boasting an all-star line-up of features, his latest solo album ‘#willpower’ has limped into the US charts with sales even a newcomer would wince at.
Find out what they are after the jump…
The LP, which features Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Nicole Scherzinger, and more, debuted at #9 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 29,000.
For many, the numbers will re-open the debate about the disastrous decline of record sales; on the one hand because the album has essentially tanked despite the support of major names, and on the other because its predecessor ‘Songs About Girls’ opened with sales of 21,000, which six years ago could only land it at #38. Needless to say, times have changed in some crazy ways.
In any case, despite immense success both with the Peas and as a producer, will.i.am is essentially in the same place now he was (solo) in 2007. Nowhere.
Of course, his situation isn’t totally clear-cut, given that he a) produced much of his own album (hence costs on that front are likely low), b) is still selling globally and majorly with his singles, and c) is seeing his “brand” booming via platforms such as The Voice UK.
That said, with the likes of Timbaland managing to do it all (see: “Shock Value’), there’s clearly a disconnect between will and the record-buying public..which begs the question…
Lmao Flop!!!!!!!!!!!! That will be Beyonce next first week sales mark my words kiiiii
No B**** more like ciaras next first week sales b**** dont get bold just because your fav finally has a song on the billboard hot 100 after 10 failed singles its about damn time
Beyoncé’s first week sales will be at 250, 000 – 425, 000 copies. You’re buggin. She sells just because her name is Beyoncé.
But didn’t Ciara’s last album only sell 8k more than his? The nerve….
But you stan for 37kara
Now this was a good slay @taylor. Lmao
yes you are so right…… beyhoe will flop hard with no questions.
someone is really shocked?no one cares about him as solo artist! he is album lived all on others artists hype!!
he’s wack, only here for the black eyed peas/fergie. look at his nasty face on that album cover ughhh
Thats what happens when your an generic cornball. His music is lame it has no substance he needs feats so he can have hits to bad Britney n Justin couldn’t help sell the album im pretty sure ciara will be seeing the same numbers soon 🙂
LMFAO.
What did we seriously expect?
However, maybe this is the sign that the ‘Commercial EDM’ phase is dying out because if this were released between 2009-2011, at the peak of the B.E.P’s Dance era, this album would’ve probably sold like Hot-Cakes!!!
Anyway, I think it’s the album cover that threw people off. 🙂 🙂 🙂
This is exactly what he deserves for cussing out “real hip hop”.
Kendrick lamar sold almost 10x as much as him first week with a hip hop album.
Did anyone expect this album to sell? Lmao. FAIL!
EWWW! Even Keri Hilson can sell more.
FLOP
Solo, he’s a singles artist and even he knows that. Solo, he’s in the boat with FloRida, LMFAO and PitBull, they can’t sell albums for s***, but you’ll always see their songs in the top 20, when your singles are selling millions, doesn’t really matter about the album anymore, since they write and produce their hits, they’re getting more money then your fav by large. That’s why I don’t pay much attention to the to 40, look at the songs one there, they have #1’s all year, but sell less then 300k albums. And THIS is why Rihanna isn’t just a singles artist.
and yet she keeps outselling beyawnce ;).
Beyonce still has a higher worldwide sales total so . . .
The perfect definition of a singles artist right here.
Every single rap he’s ever done sounds exactly the same, who the he’ll would want an album full of them?
This fool is going to destroy 2NE1’s chances in the US.
The 37k squad has lost their damn minds lmao. Coming for the QUEEN and PRINCESS how dare you cuntz!!!
S*** im surprised he sold that much like seriously who tf wants a will.i.am album filled with a bunch of generic garbage & that album cover is just ewwwww that face would automatically turn anyone away from buying the album.
ironic.
what’s ironic about it hun? cause i stan for Nicki & Rihanna their albums don’t just consist of generic dance songs like will.i.ams
BEYONCE EXPOSED BY THE MUSIC BIBLE BILLBOARD :
“Op-Ed: When Beyonce’s Inspiration Turns Into Imitation”
http : // www . billboard . com /articles/columns/the-juice/1560092/op-ed-when-beyonces-inspiration-turns-into-imitation
I LIVE THIS FRAUD IS BEING EXPOSED YASSS.
B**** this is old news
Get over it. The same person who wrote that also wrote an article bashing Rihanna get ya life! Theyre still winning.
#POW
This’s funny!!!
So can we say #willflopped?
“Lmfao” album so nearly a million copies or a million copies. They went platinum, along with hits. Perhaps his music just doesn’t do it for people..
Wow , so Now We will act as if we are surprised ? 😯
I knew that s*** will Flop like a Fish out of Water.
Will has not branded himself as a solo artist. He has not given the buying public a reason to care about him. That album cover is also not appealing. He might wanna put on a hat and look away from the camera cuz he is not the most attractive…
On the otherhand, he is hot as a producer. He has branded himself very well in that capacity and will continue to be ok financially whether he sells albums or not.
LMAO! Y’all are soooo mean!
He probably thought that having all those features would boost his album sales…NOT. That album cover didn’t help one bit either. If you bought that album that means you’ll listen to damn near anything.
Deeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaath
Lol his hair on that album cover Bahahahahahahahahaha
Yo hangn ovaries! Hahahahahs!
Will ain’t makin it as a solo artist.
He ain’t Fergie, where he’s got the looks, body, talent and star power.
Perhaps if he had released the album when S&S was blazin hot all around the globe, he would have sold more albums.
I suppose only Britney stans bought the album only due to Brit being on it.
S&S has been his only massive hit from that album thus far, and the song with Justin B has gone no where.
Okay. I like Fergie and she’s pretty enough to be a marketable prescence but she’s not all that talented. But I like her music so…
Flop.i.am is irrelevant next….
The fact he is using all them people names and is still flopping should tell him something.
He deserves it, he’s so generic.
DAMN…….29,000 ….REALLY? Wait, isn’t this the man whose music was played for the 1st time on the Moon or Saturn or somewhere in space??
Anywho, did anyone really think this CD would sell? Yes he o a #1 song and what a God awful song it was but that’s it. I have no heard another release from him…..but damn 29,000 is awfully low for an artists of his “caliber”…i.e. producer, leader of the Black-Eyed Peas!
WILL.I.FLOP
Was this supposed to come off as surprising ?Chile please we all knew this would flop.
maybe if this site promoted other artists instead of STILL NO DIAMOND SALES overexposed beyonce….maybe will.iam would.. have sold more. he is a futuristic music producer in some ways ahead of his time
but now we know he has an album out ill give a listen i like club s***..
Maybe because he make terrible music that he puts over stolen music? No one would’ve known he even released an album if it wasn’t for the Justin and Miley fangirls.
WILL I AM IS GOOD, this album just came too fast & no promotion & no one knew of it., his singles are hard on the radio tho, so i am sure he is fin,e living life doing what he loves, who really buys cds anymore tho? everything is online now and some type of m** format…please….
He’s corny. No one but the corniest of SwagFags would consider buying this cheese.