Unless something dramatic happens, Katy Perry will be #1 on the Billboard 200 this week with her new album ‘Witness.’
However, after experiencing the bumpiest of rides pre-release, all eyes are on what numbers the set will deliver first week.
Initial forecasts had the ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ led LP on-course to open with 200-225k SPS / 175-200k in pure sales.
However, the predictions have since been revised down.
Per Hits Daily Double, Perry’s 4th studio effort is now set to debut with 180-195k SPS / 160-175k in pure sales.
The news comes as the star wrapped an ambitious Big Brother style live stream designed to promote the project. Stationed in the “Witness House” for three days, the singer was shown rehearsing, hosting “visitors,” doing interviews, having therapy and yoga sessions, and even sleeping.
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Sure, the numbers aren’t what they should be for an artist who has theoretically become bigger since her last era (see: Super Bowl, benefits of mega hits, and the like).
However, the figures are still respectable. Surprising too, given how few showed interest in its preceding singles.
Moving forward, it’ll be interesting to see whether she opens strong and sells consistently or if everyone who wanted the album buys it in its first week and then….*crickets.*
Stay tuned.
Still good numbers.
Still good numbers. Her album won’t go Platinum in pure sales tho.
Haven’t listened to her album, but she lost me a while ago…
If not for the bundling gimmick, she would be flopping real hard. The public has moved on.
What gimmick?! You mean good promo like everyone else should be doing. You need to learn how to differentiate between the two before you try and make a smart ass shady comment. S*** and I dont even like kp like that
Those numbers are not respectable for an artist of her caliber. If this were Beyonce, Adele, or Taylor, etc., then those figures would be considered a catastrophic nightmare.
If she has power pop songs on that album like a “Teenage Dream” or “Roar” she certainly has more ammo to repair the damages and gain more sales for this album.
She doesn’t
GIRL lol
Those numbers are the result of her ticket bundling. She’ll fall hard next week.
It’s stunning to me that Katy Perry, after ruling the singles chart for most of the decade, gets away with having such flat sales numbers. Shouldn’t she be up there with Adele and Taylor Swift numbers, considering? These are not good numbers for someone who is considered a premiere pop star of the day. These numbers would only be ok for some B-level pop act. Unless, of course, that’s what she actually is behind the glare of marketing and manufactured hype…
Hmmm.
I’m not really surprised that her numbers were revised downward, b/c I thought she’d open with less than 100k in pure sales. Considering her difficulties this era, I still think she’s posting decent numbers.
these numbers would be decent if she didnt do the ticket bundle thing. without it she would have flopped harder than shakira.
She would have still hit six figures even without the bundle. She has a big fan base. Adele/Taylor had huge singles to open their era. They are monsters when it comes to album sales anyway. Katy didn’t have that….. These are still very good numbers. She ain’t ever open like any of them anyway…. Anything to hate..
She had one the strongest promo campaigns in recent memory and that’s all she managed to sell?!!
This decade has produced few SUPERstar level pop stars. The new normal is bad numbers. If this was 1997, Katy and most of her peers would be in danger of being dropped, but because few of these acts are actually doing GOOD, the least bad is spun to look good. The least disposable pop singer is promoted to being a star. Depressing times. Music is dead.