Armed with two back-to-back #1 singles, expectation was naturally high for Cheryl Cole‘s fourth solo album ‘Only Human’.
However, after one week on sale, it’s become apparent that she’s only a “singles artist” these days.
Details below…
Today saw the much-hyped LP debut at #7 on the Official UK Album chart, with a reported 20,000 copies sold first week.
In the current climate, a top-ten debut is respectable. Yet, when placed in context for this particular release, the numbers are somewhat shocking.
Why?
Well, the campaign has been supported by the mass exposure attached to her judging gig on The X Factor, major endorsement deals (L’Oreal, Beats By Dre), and performances on highly rated shows. Add to that the fact that the album was released in the sales-friendly Holiday season and the picture becomes even clearer: folk refuse to be fooled. Cheryl’s music and overall proposition just isn’t selling anymore.
And while it seems like a “new” revelation, the reality is that her sales have been steadily declining for some time now.
Her debut album ‘3 Words’ premiered with a whopping 125,271 copies sold first week in 2009 – which, in light of the UK’s size, represents blockbuster sales. Its follow-up, ‘Messy Little Raindrops’, also fared well and opened with 105,431 in 2010. Yet, things have been dipping in recent years; 2012’s ‘A Million Lights’ landed at #2 with meagre numbers (34,934) and now there’s the current predicament.
It’s important to highlight that sales, on mass, just aren’t what they once were. However, it’s vividly evident that neither is the interest in Cheryl.
Moving forward, Ms. Fernandez Versini would be well-advised to serve up more compelling material and better vocals (or at the very least, live ones) Because, the smoke and mirrors that her tabloid fame generates obviously isn’t tangible long-term.