The Numbers Are In: ‘Empire’ Beats Madonna To #1…Despite Singer Selling More

Published: Tuesday 17th Mar 2015 by Sam
madonna-empire-thatgrapejuice

It’s the chart upset few would have foreseen.

After much adieu, the numbers are in and it’s official…Madonna has been beaten to the top spot by the season one soundtrack of FOX hit ‘Empire.’

Full story below…

Despite Madge selling more physical units of her 13th album ‘Rebel Heart’ (116,472 to ‘Empire’s 107,140), the newly added component of streaming helped lift the compilation to #1. Indeed, per Hits Daily Double, the Sales Plus Streaming (SPS) final figures were:

1. ‘Empire’ – 128,640

2. Madonna – 121,972

It’s the latter set of numbers which determine where a song lands on the Billboard 200 and, as viewable above, it’s not good news for the Material Girl.

Though still boasting a strong fan-base, it’s clear the diva’s supporters would rather see her on tour than stream her new music or videos online. And though such a setup will ultimately benefit her in the long-run (see: tour gross), it doesn’t help her on the chart front. After all, we’re now in an era where 1000 streams of a song now equate to 1 unit sold. Units which, as this episode proves, are vital.

Stay tuned as there is a very acute chance that there could be some movement when the official Billboard 200 is unveiled tomorrow. Although, as history has shown, only in exceptional cases have numbers changed.

Your thoughts?

Posted under:

Comments 154

Please Post Your Comments & Reviews

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Rated R March 17, 2015

    Come through Empire . Although I wish a streaming chart would be separate from the billboard 200

    • Derrick83 March 17, 2015

      Billboard has a chart for that. It’s called Top Album sales chart. Streaming should definitely be included in the Billboard 200 figures. I read somewhere that Nicki’s last album has over 10 mil streams. If they didn’t count those figure in the overall billboard 200, that wouldn’t be fair to the artist at all. What about all those copies that people didn’t buy because they prefer streaming?

      • Yikes March 18, 2015

        So unfair. Madonna sells more CDs. Billboard 200 is so lame these days…like D & G= done and gone.

        K bye… 🙁

      • Sheeda March 18, 2015

        Madonna is a touring artist. She is making more money from selling tickets vs selling CDs. Some artists struggle with flop album and flop tour. So chart success is subjective. Music is business. It is all about making money these days.

      • BeyHive Army March 18, 2015

        Kudoz to Madonna….not begging her fans to download in bulk and no 99cents like Lady Gaga.

        😆 😆 😆

      • Fact March 18, 2015

        Madonna- Queen who is four decades into a stable career, has established legend status that ALL musicians want is above these charts.

  2. Paulo March 17, 2015

    I hope this inspires them to change rules then cause it’s terribly unfair to let an album outchart another one based on streams when its sales were smaller.

    ouch @ Rebel Heart selling less than MDNA, though.

    • Sean March 17, 2015

      Considering Many of us have had the full finished album for nearly 2 months not surprised

      • Yulanda-NY March 18, 2015

        Billboard is so f**ked up and corrupted these days.

    • Derrick83 March 17, 2015

      But people are not really buying albums like that anymore. They stream the music on various sites. People who don’t buy albums usually stream the hell out of those albums and probably listens to the music more than the folks who actually buy the physical copy. I don’t think it’s fair to not include it.

    • FROOTJOOCE March 18, 2015

      Rebel Heart is slaying WW, (#1 in nearly 10 countries with countries like Brazil and Argentina where she is slaying yet to be reported)
      .
      But the streaming rule was a mess ever since it was released.
      .
      Congratulations to Madge on getting a six figure debut 3 decades into her career. By comparison MDNA sold 170k with No bundle, so it will be interesting to see the bundle effect on Rebel Heart NEXT WEEK
      .
      Hopefully this album will have longevity as next weeks numbers will be strong and she has promo

  3. RihHive March 17, 2015

    Ouch! Love Empire album better than Madonna’s. Bought 3 songs feat Jussie… Only thing I f*** with fr Rebel Heart is Devil Pray

  4. I STAN(D) FOR TALENT March 17, 2015

    That was a close race. Madonna has 8 #1 albums in the US and 11 in the UK. The fleahive are out here celebrating Beytchoncé’s 5 #1 albums. She only has 5 albums, like… 5. Such sheer stupidity. #7YearsAgo #DontPanic 😆

    • Rosie March 17, 2015

      Do you ever shut the f*** up about Beyonce? You’re such a stan.

      • fatusankoh March 17, 2015

        Thank youRosie you took it right out of my mouth this sick hatters have no life

      • TRUTH SERUM March 17, 2015

        Lmao.. Well go in @rosie!!! Lol

    • GEEZUS March 17, 2015

      I don’t see what Beyonce has to do with this. You’re sick and obsessed with Beyonce. You need to get yourself checked man.

      • Nice try tho March 18, 2015

        Bringing Beyonce’s nane here wont make her a … Queen or the best selling female.

    • Yulanda-NY March 18, 2015

      Beyonce is in a different league. She is not legends. MJ, Barbra, Celine, Madonna, Mariah….legends!

      🙁

  5. LOL March 17, 2015

    LOL FLOP. THE DINOSAUR QUEEN COULDN’T CHEAT HER WAY TO #1 THIS TIME LOL.

    • Korei March 18, 2015

      8 US number one albums. When will ur fav? Keep dreaming 😆

      • BeyHive Army March 18, 2015

        Leave Monsters to battle with charts. Been there, done that with Madonna.

        They should worry if Gaga will make it a decade and sell 300m albums.

        😀

  6. Rosie March 17, 2015

    Wow a mess. There was no need for streams to be added so early, maybe if album sales continued to collapsed but we’ve had albums so BIG numbers in Q1 just this year. Maybe they’ve could’ve waited until the point where #1 sold 40K or less for many weeks straight.
    *watches as a certain fanbase run in here calling this a flop when their fave will probably be snorting cocaine backstage at New York gay nightclubs 30 years into his “career”*

    • LOL March 17, 2015

      LOL IS A CERTAIN FAN SEETHING BECAUSE THEIR FAVES CAREER DIDN’T EVEN LAST 3 YEARS, LET ALONE 30? LOL

      MAD CUZ ULTRAFLOPPAGE STILL ISN’T CERTIFIED WOOD YET? LOL

      • Rosie March 17, 2015

        Ultraviolence has been certified and scanned gold for over a month now. Try again f** with your outdated receipts.
        Meanwhile Ass To Mouth STILL hasn’t scanned 1 million worldwide with F*** doing promo on every major awards show, performing on multiple televised events including the Kennedy Honors, a ~Starbucks special edition~, a global H&M holiday campaign, multiple iTunes discounts (even her entire discography), and even a HSN bundle.

      • Career Ender March 17, 2015

        it is certified GOLD and its 244k away from scalping DEADpop in the U.S , and it still charting unlike the other dead one

      • LOL March 17, 2015

        LOL NOT HERE FOR DRUG INDUCED DELUSIONS. RECEIPTS PLEASE LOL.

        AND YOU BOTH CAN SIT WITH YOUR EXCUSES UNTIL LANA DEL WHO? CAN SCAN PLATINUM WITHOUT WAITING 10 YEARS LOL.

        YOU CAN CHECK THE RIAA DATABASE FOR CHEEK TO CHEEKS PLATINUM, YES PLATINUM RECEIPT. DOES A LANA STAN KNOW WHAT A PLATINUM CERTIFICATION LOOKS LIKE? LOL

      • Rosie March 17, 2015

        Death at Fad having to BEG Interscope to ship an extra 450K copies to Target to get a platinum certification, Ass To Mouth STILL hasn’t sold 600K in the US. It’s been stuck at ~550-575K since Christmas. At least Lana isn’t DESPERATE.

    • LOL March 17, 2015

      LOL DID LANA DEL IRRELEVANT KILL HERSELF CUZ SHE COULDN’T OUTSELL A JAZZ ALBUM YET? LOL

      • Rosie March 17, 2015

        Ultraviolence promo: Glastonbury (only a few minutes televised in the UK, a few magazine/newspaper interviews, Target/Urban Outfitters special edition
        Ass To Mouth promo: HSN performance/bundle, Starbucks bundle, Today Show performance, H&M holiday campaign, Kennedy Honors, New Years Eve Vegas show, Grammys performance, Oscars, multiple other performances, iTunes discounts of Fad’s entire discography (which STILL didn’t reenter the top 400), tour

        Ultraviolence: 1.3 million worldwide
        Ass To Mouth: 970K worldwide
        Not FAD having Ariana Grande-level promo for a jazz album meant to “save his career” and still dropping right off the charts after the holidays.

  7. Nicki Is Queen March 17, 2015

    Oh well… I was really rooting for madge. #nowplaying Devil Pray

    • RihHive March 17, 2015

      That’s my s***… why is it not a single?

      • Nicki Is Queen March 17, 2015

        It needs to be a single!

  8. Rosie March 17, 2015

    Also congrats to Empire. First soundtrack to go #1 since the Hunger Games OST 3 years ago.

    • Nicki Is Queen March 17, 2015

      Hi Rosie! 😀

    • Nicki Is Queen March 17, 2015

      The show is overrated as hell but I like seeing taraji

      • Rosie March 17, 2015

        Hey.
        Empire isn’t Mad Men quality at all, not like anyone expected it to be that way, but it’s still very entertaining. Taraji carries the entire show. They also mentioned my fave in one episode so it’s good.

    • Mark111 March 17, 2015

      Frozen?

      • Rosie March 17, 2015

        I meant debut at #1, sorry. Frozen didn’t go #1 until a few weeks later if I remember correctly.

  9. I STAN(D) FOR TALENT March 17, 2015

    LMFAO. Did I say something wrong? 😆

    • SURPRISE…….(DEC.13) March 17, 2015

      No, you didn’t.. Your presence on this blog is just cringe-worthy and disturbing. You come off as a lonely old bitter person. And I’m not even being shady..I really mean that.

      • SLAYRIAH CAREY (TOUR DE FORCE) March 17, 2015

        Says the person who’s always typing in caps. #KeyboardWarrior

      • Mark111 March 17, 2015

        Irony coming from the Bey-Holes.

    • Tyler March 17, 2015

      B****, don’t u always?

    • OMG Logic!!! March 18, 2015

      Don’t listen to these stans. Somebody’s gotta keep it real on That Beyonce Juice.

  10. RihHive March 17, 2015

    Can’t wait for Empire finale!
    .
    “Life imitates art”

  11. TheElusiveLamb March 17, 2015

    They should be happy with those numbers. It did better than The Elusive Chanteuse. 🙁

    • SLAYRIAH CAREY (TOUR DE FORCE) March 17, 2015

      But Madonna’s promo campaign compared to Mariah’s though… Madge was literally everywhere.

      • TheElusiveLamb March 17, 2015

        I have noticed love

  12. Career Ender March 17, 2015

    yea block that ancient creeping reptile biatch!
    .
    s****** Blonde must be very mad at his broken windows 1star rated studio apartment

  13. Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

    Congrats to Empire! My favorite show and the music is actually good. Such a shame Billboard added streaming to the BB200, but it’s good news for those who struggle to get #1 albums with multiple album releases. 😀

    • Career Ender March 17, 2015

      r8 will be 60% streams and 40% sales
      .
      camp nazi got lucky this time

      • Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

        Lmaooo That Would be a Mess

      • RihHive March 17, 2015

        That’s cuz closet stans like you wont buy #R8 but you will stream the f*** out of it… The Navy thanks you in advance

      • Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

        Honey That B**** Won’t Even Get A Free Stream From Me. The Navy Can Kiss My Ass In Advance. 😉

      • RihHive March 17, 2015

        You expect anyone to believe that? Just like you have never listened to any of her past songs right?
        .
        Bt you will be the first one to tell us all how the album is selling vs streaming and which single peaked a what position. You’re delusional. No one has time to do all that research so keep them figures coming until you get a life

      • Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

        Honey I don’t care if anyone believes it or not. Even though I have listened to some of Rihanna’s music before, she is just not my cup of tea and I listen to her rarely. Looking up album sales and chart positions has nothing to with me being interested in her music. The navy will just get back what they gave during the 4 era and I have no f**** to give. 😉

  14. SLAYRIAH CAREY (TOUR DE FORCE) March 17, 2015

    Unfortunate! I hate these new billboard rules. I know that sales aren’t that great right now but adding streams is ridiculous. I think the better option would be to change the certification numbers (lower the numbers required for platinum/gold plaques).

  15. RoyalKev March 17, 2015

    The charts are really turning into a mess! One album will include bundling, while a soundtrack manages to top the charts with streams (which are really unofficial sales). I’m not a fan of Madonna’s, but if she actually sold more copies than the Empire Soundtrack she deserves the #1! … Maybe this is just bad karma for stealing Lionel’s #1 when she bundled with ‘MDNA’ (although he outsold her traditionally). Something must be done about this! Fix it Jesus!

    • tits mcgee March 18, 2015

      Lol. Jesus don’t curr, boo! 🙂

      • Royalkev March 18, 2015

        Your probably right babe! 🙂

  16. Jewel March 17, 2015

    This will be one of many examples that just show how illogical the charts are now.

  17. Cough Cough March 17, 2015

    All charts now are shîtty. Everything is so watered down now: the music, the rules, the records- the EVERYTHING! They say patterns recycle themselves so hopefully this microwave era in music will recycle back to times where we have real talent succeeding, because it is still around, just not prevailing like before. I love Empire, that show is amazing

  18. Career Ender March 17, 2015

    it p**** popped its way from the shìt-water recycle plant in the frozen part of canada to come and type its flop logic
    .
    no. they won’t lower certifications just to help your struggling as$ fav to see a certification again in their life
    .
    these linebacker trannys are so funny!

    • Stephy March 17, 2015

      DRAG THAT F*****!

  19. Stephy March 17, 2015

    This is so unfair to Madonna. She won fair & square. Her debut sales are extremely low tho.

  20. LB March 17, 2015

    Madonna’s numbers are impressive considering the leak. Her albums at this point are just launching pads for her tours anyway. She will still sell out all her shows, with little to no effort.

    Go Madge.

    • TRUTH SERUM March 17, 2015

      Preach!!

    • LOL March 17, 2015

      LOL CATCH THE TEA THO. MANDINOSAUR ISN’T SELLING OUT ALL HER SHOWS THO LOL.

      • Rosie March 18, 2015

        Her tour will outgross the fagRAVE by at least 2x though. That’s all that matters.

      • FROOTJOOCE March 18, 2015

        boo tell that to ha 20K Paris show which sold out in 10 minutes.

        Second shows have been added for places like Canada and have SOLD OUT.

  21. JOHNVIDAL March 17, 2015

    These rules are ridiculous and sad.
    Sales are so low anyway. Kelly Clarkson just did around 80,000 in her first week I think. I mean, no f****** body is doing more than 100,000, not even some white artists who are pretty appealling to pop´s big buying public. Celine´s or Mariah´s sales from last yeat just look normal now. They still did more than most, same for Madonna. Except for 3 or 4 exceptions, we can only hope for 100,000 copies first week for the BIG releases. Sad.

    • Career Ender March 17, 2015

      oh shut the fvck up granny fàggot!
      .
      all your flopping faves can’t shift 100k first week!
      .
      you are the bubbling under of all the tgj commentors!

      • JOHNVIDAL March 18, 2015

        Are you retarded? So my faves are among the most successful artists in history (real top I mean lol), unlike yours, and you still have something to say about them or me? LMAO
        Also, did I lie? Aren´t 98% of the new releases doing under 100,000? Think twice before talking. That´s if you think at all.

  22. I STAN(D) FOR TALENT March 17, 2015

    She also has 12 #1 hits and over 300m records sold.
    #NP – Lil Kim – Tha Bee Hive 😆

    • Career Ender March 17, 2015

      I saw an online varsity ad in here, id suggest you take it and stop scrubbing the calabashes with dry grass for a traditional dinner plate at your chief’s kraal
      .
      native t***** forehead biatch!

  23. LB March 17, 2015

    I am always amazed about how much sh!t Slay_Hive/Prismatic talks and yet says absolutely nothing at all.

    Must be a talent, just one nobody wants.

    • Career Ender March 17, 2015

      he doesn’t talk in a blog, he POSTS A TYPED COMMENT
      .
      you better consider the online varsity courses that I saw here too
      .
      you are not the sharpest knife in the drawer, move over thunder thighs!
      .
      mr Hyde/ beyonce weave/ love bird damn you got so many personalities too, but the again that’s what Botswana’s okavango desert Bushmen are famous for

      • LB March 17, 2015

        It was a figure of speech, something I’m sure you’re not familiar with. But then again, you only need 30% to pass matric in South Africa, the fact that you failed it twice speaks volume of your intellectual ability. Especially considering you spend more time studying me than you do concentrating on your studies, if you have any.

        A Botswana bushman is far more intelligent than the bunch of illiterates in SA townships. But keep on robbing TV crews on live TV, damn you also take the number one spot of the worlds dumbest criminals. Good job.

      • Career Ender March 17, 2015

        illiterate /ɪˈlɪt(ə)rət/
        .
        adjective
        unable to read or write.
        .
        noun
        a person who is unable to read or write.
        .
        it seems to me you understood what I WROTE very well. how am I illiterate again?
        .
        you hyena yaki wig wearing village ceremony pus$y poppers are so funny! self read right there!

      • LB March 17, 2015

        LMAO, you are dragging yourself. I am sure you read what I wrote, I am not certain you understood it. But carry on, LMAO

    • Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

      Well why even continue to waste your time reading and being pressed over what I have to say? Stop acknowledging me sweetheart. I’ve scrolled pass plenty of your arrogant irrelevant essays. It’s not hard babe.

      • LB March 17, 2015

        But how else will I get my comedy of errors. I obviously cannot pass on the opportunity to see the village idiot in action, it is free entertainment.

      • Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

        Well I’m glad I’m able to enertain

      • Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

        Well I’m just glad I’m able to add some sort of amusement to your miserable pathetic lonely depressing life. That made my day 😉

      • LB March 17, 2015

        LMAO How many brain cells did you burn out when you were trying to come up with that lame comeback? Try harder next time.

      • Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

        Obviously that comeback burned out the rest of the brain cells you had left. Couldn’t think of a reply? HAHAHA Like I said continue being pressed and bothered with me and your miserable life while I remain amazing and unbothered! Toodles b**** 😉

  24. Rosie March 17, 2015

    Death at the certain other stanbase perching on the other forum to “draG!1 yas hunty!!” when their fave will probably do 150K tops on his next SOLO album.

    • Career Ender March 17, 2015

      flopga is done, she must be busy searching for the next 1920 dìck to ride for a mere gold certification in the US

      • Rosie March 17, 2015

        Yet they still don’t understand that.
        I remember for a month straight they were like “GODga is BACK! She won back the geepee with TALENT and her ICONIC engagement!! She SLAYED the Oscars!!” only for her to fall right back behind Madonna/Katy (their main rivals) on Google Trends and completely forgotten after his so-called “iconic” Oscars performance.

    • LOL March 17, 2015

      LOL AND YET EACH GAGA ALBUM HAS OUTSOLD EACH FLOPPED MANDINOSAUR ALBUM RELEASED SINCE SHE CAME ON THE SCENE LOL.

      HAVE A SEAT DEAR, UNTIL LANA DEL NONFACTORS ALBUM SALES CAN MATCH GAGA’S SINGLES SALES LMAO

  25. SMH March 17, 2015

    I find it interesting how folks all of a sudden hate the rules now that madonna couldn’t manipulate or cheat her way around them.

    • Cough Cough March 17, 2015

      The rules were stupid from the beginning

      • Stephy March 17, 2015

        Speak On it! It was a major problem, when it was first announced.

    • Paulo March 17, 2015

      what? ever since they added streaming to BB200 people have been complaining.

  26. Stephy March 17, 2015

    Madonna’s ALBUM (not records) sales are over 200,000,000+ by now. That’s incredible. She’ll ALWAYS remain the best selling female artist of all time.

    • LOL March 17, 2015

      LOL WRONG. THAT TITLE BELONGS TO NANA MOUSKOURI, NOT THE DINOSAUR QUEEN LOL.

      • OMG Logic!!! March 18, 2015

        You mean the unknown woman with fictional sales? Sorry we don’t all live in fairy land. Here on Earth, Madonna is #1.

      • XYZ March 18, 2015

        Again, nana moskouri has less than madonna. Nonetheless, she belongs to the most successful triade

      • Nice try tho March 18, 2015

        The best selling female artist..,, gaga????

    • Taylor swifts number 1 fan!! March 17, 2015

      I don’t think you read the post:P

  27. Taylor swifts number 1 fan!! March 17, 2015

    Taylor selling another 39,145 pure sells, after 20 weeks, and still yet to drop outside the top 5

    • Stephy March 17, 2015

      She is slaying so hard.

      • LOL March 17, 2015

        LOL BUT I THOUGHT PEOPLE DON’T BUY ALBUMS ANYMORE LOL.

      • Rosie March 17, 2015

        They certainly won’t buy F***’s next solo LP.

  28. I STAN(D) FOR TALENT March 17, 2015

    When is Beytchoncé coming to South Africa or any African nation hmmm Mr. Struggles? She’s like a real-life prostïtute who sells her body to the highest bidder. The ‘highest bidder’ would be developed nations that she always performs in. Poor Career Struggles. You’ll never see that heifer. Hahahahaha!

    • Career Ender March 17, 2015

      uhhmm Bazo the clown, and you are telling me all this for what?
      .
      go wash your goat shít smelling skinny as$ at the river and return the goats back to the chief’s kraal

      • Barb-wire March 17, 2015

        @Career ender, Death!!!

    • Tyler March 17, 2015

      *Pulls Trigger*

    • RCi March 17, 2015

      Im sorry but this is just sad… Its not even funny anymore :/

  29. Theman March 17, 2015

    Madonna is number one on the regular chart. F that streaming bull. Hits does the regular album chart & the streaming album chart. Sam acts like Madonna is a new artist. She pulled in six figures without any help from radio. That’s good. Wtf are you talking about?

  30. Boykin March 17, 2015

    Can’t stop laughing. Joy to the world!

  31. Career Ender March 17, 2015

    let me go to sleep all these beaches not giving me a challenge
    .
    lovebird is so fierce when he drags other users but when we clash he behaves like ARTPOP did on the BB200
    .
    #byeLessors
    .
    .
    goodnight to Rosie, Slay_Hive and Tyler (it might be afternoon where you are)

      • Career Ender March 17, 2015

        not you exposing your weak ass, yoi started out as a beyonce troll like talentless is doing now
        .
        and now you are obsessed with Slay_Hive, always commenting about him
        .
        phathetic dark hearted dark skinned devil!

      • LB March 17, 2015

        Oh look, you’re still here. I thought you were going to bed, still obsessed I see.

        I keep you pressed hotter than a printing press LMAO

    • Tyler March 17, 2015

      Good evening girl!

    • Slay_Hive March 17, 2015

      Goodnight Hun. Sweet dreams or a beautiful nightmare. 😀

  32. Molly March 17, 2015

    I feel bad for Madonna I don’t like her but this whole era has been a fuckking mess. Empire is a good show but their music isn’t all that.

    • Career Ender March 17, 2015

      not flopier than iggys career
      .
      where her tour at?
      .
      why you ghetto biatches only bought fancy and rhen left her for dead? you also do the same to Ciara
      .
      pathetic a$$ broke biatch!

      • Molly March 17, 2015

        Zzzzz

  33. Molly March 17, 2015

    It must suck to hate on someone so much that you literally obsess over their every move. I stand for talent you clearly are sick in the head you’re worse than LB at this point.

    • LB March 17, 2015

      Attention seeking?

      • Molly March 17, 2015

        Far from it but isn’t that what you and your minion I stand for thots is good for? You two b!tches live for the hives attention.

      • LB March 17, 2015

        From what I remember, you were once my minion and you loved it. Keep it cute, that is 1, you have 2 more
        https://youtu.be/5i7GEMQC2IY

      • Molly March 17, 2015

        Your minion? Never that I had your back cause at that point we were cool but I realized you’re a fake ho who never had mine so f**** you you obsessive no life having piece of sh!t.

      • LB March 17, 2015

        Obsessive, and yet you’re the one who mentioned me when you were the last person on my mind.

        There is just too much irony in that comment.

        Anyway you’ve gotten the little attention you were clearly craving for, run along now.

      • Molly March 17, 2015

        But you came into my reply section starting sh!t… I called your minion out not you so know your place and sit tf down you rat ass b****.. I don’t need the attention babe.

  34. Barb-wire March 17, 2015

    What an entertaining post!!!

  35. Casual-T March 17, 2015

    Note to Billboard: The fact that you can doesn’t mean you should. Unlike the old days, Billboard charts are probably calculated using computerized algorithms, which tempts the Billboard staff to get too creative with the charts, just b/c tampering is easy now. Streams are streams. Albums are albums. We go to the BB200 to see how albums are selling AS ALBUMS. It is significant when an artist has a big hit single, but can’t sell the whole album containing the single — and vice versa. Those lines shouldn’t be blurred. Billboard, stop this funkery.

  36. The Great Lacefronce. March 17, 2015

    Streaming has helped a lot of artists like thievingonce and her would be flop singles without streaming

    • kingbeybitch March 17, 2015

      Beyonce did well without streaming but you tried it

      • Tyler March 17, 2015

        POW with a drop of BLOOP! BLOOP!

  37. kingbeybitch March 17, 2015

    Well I don’t see anything wrong with Madonna’s #s I mean after all these years she still selling more than some of yall faves

    • Jewel March 17, 2015

      You better hope Rihanna does at least triple with all that laughter

      • Mark111 March 17, 2015

        She’ll do 300k, but even if she does just 200k and be at #4, she’ll still go plat and 4 million ww, as she shown time and time again. Oh the Cutters are having a field day on twitter.

      • Jewel March 18, 2015

        Yes just like Four Five Seconds was her 14th #1 right?

  38. Keith March 17, 2015

    I really would like Empire to have the #1. The new rules are crap but Madonna has had enough hits (especially when the music sucks) and will live on through live performance….

  39. rihanna used up w**** March 17, 2015

    SAM

    RITA is killing Empire….LOOK

    SHE HAS A HUGE FUTURE ahead of her, I am kinda glad her debut album did not come out in the USA. American have seen her at the oscars and NOW EMPIRE…..This is a great chance to Introduce herself.

    HER SECOND ALBUM WILL DEFINE HER…..

    https://instagram.com/p/0WQyeGRs9b/?taken-by=ritaora

    • rihanna used up w**** March 17, 2015

      good for 56 madonna after 30 years. LET SEE IF RIHANNA. RIANNA opened at 200k plus in her 20’s. SO, the joke is one rihanna.

      RITA has proven in Empire that she is no rihanna wannabe. She looks way hotter and CAN REALLY SING.

      https://instagram.com/p/0WQyeGRs9b/?taken-by=ritaora

  40. Skyfall March 17, 2015

    Who is Rita Ora? I’ve never heard of it.

    • OMG Logic!!! March 18, 2015

      Neither has anyone else.

  41. @rihicon March 17, 2015

    the bundling doesn’t come into play until next week so we’ll see what she sells

  42. S****** Blonde March 18, 2015

    Although Rebel Heart debuts with more albums sold than Empire, it fell behind the soundtrack when it came to streaming and track equivalent album units — so it ended up at No. 2 on the overall Billboard 200 chart.

  43. Sandra March 18, 2015

    The entire Rebel Heart era has been a total disaster so far. The sales are terrible! The album being blocked from number 1 by Sam smith’s one year old album in the UK and by a soundtrack album in the US. The fall at the Brits. Living For Love failed to enter the Hot 100. A total fiasco lmfao!!!!!! This album won’t scan gold and won’t sell more than 800k worldwide! A total FLOP! Madonna is over. She has her touring left but music wise she’s done. Nobodyms here for her dated dance music that sounds like demos from 2005.

    • Korei March 18, 2015

      She doest get a radio support. Without a hit single and leaks…impossible. #2 is not that bad

    • Fact March 18, 2015

      Oh please…. woman who is four decades into a stable career, has established legend status that ALL musicians want is above these charts.

      K byeeeee.

  44. BeyHive Army March 18, 2015

    well, if she discounted her album to 99cents like Gaga…Im sure Monsters find this threat not funny.

    • LOLOLOL March 18, 2015

      even funnier when Gaga is asked to become a nighclub jazz singer by Interscope.

Recommended Posts
..**