After much ado, Tamar Braxton uncaged her new studio album ‘Blue Bird Of Happiness’ last week.
In the run-up to its arrival, the star performed on platforms such as the BET Awards and made headlines when she revealed that the set will supposedly serve as her “last” body of work.
Armed with that relative hype, all eyes are on the set’s sales. Did she deliver? Find out below…
Per Hits Daily Double, the ‘My Man’ led set is on-course to open with…
18,000-21,000
[Sales-Plus-Streaming]
**********
17,000-19,000
[Pure Sales]
Here’s how it fits in the chart picture amidst new and previously released projects:
- *Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville) 129-134k SPS, 124-129k Sales
- *Demi Lovato (Island/Safehouse/Hollywood) 68-73k, 45-50k
- *A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (Highbridge) 62-67k, 10-12k
- *Miley Cyrus (RCA) 47-52k, 33-36k
- Tom Petty – Greatest Hits (MCA) 42-46k, 31-34k
- Lil Uzi Vert (Generation Now/Atlantic) 41-45k, <1k
- Imagine Dragons (Kidinakorner/Interscope) 38-41k, 14-16k
- Post Malone (Republic) 34-37k, 3-4k
- Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Interscope) 30-33k, 6-7k
- Khalid (Right Hand Music/RCA) 29-32k, 3-4k
- Ed Sheeran (Atlantic) 27-30k, 7-8k
- XXXtentacion (Bad Vibes Forever/Empire) 25-28k, <1k
- SZA (TDE/RCA) 23-26k, 2-3k
- Logic (Def Jam) 21-24k, 2-3k
- Thomas Rhett (Valory/BMLG) 20-23k, 10-11k
- Kodak Black (Atlantic) 20-23k, <1k
- Jhene Aiko (Def Jam) 19-22k, 2-3k
- 21 Savage (Slaughter Gang/Epic) 19-22k, 2-3k
- Macklemore (Macklemore/Warner Bros.) 18-21k, 7-8k
- Tamar Braxton (TaMartianland) 18-21k, 17-19k
***********
Context is crucial.
Sure, a #20 placement is a little “eek,” but the numbers are in-line with what other R&B (and even Pop) projects are achieving.
What’s more, ‘Blue Bird’ flew into stores via Tamartian Land Records. Put simply, it’s an indie release, meaning her returns from selling what she’s sold will likely be more than her major label counterparts.
For us, the true tragedy is the realisation that the vitality of pure sales is becoming a thing of the past. Right before our eyes. Because, had the Billboard charts only counted pure sales as they once did, Ms. Braxton would undoubtedly have snagged a top 10…with relative ease.
What instead is happening is that the upper echelon of the chart is filled with streaming fuelled projects shifting as low as 1,000 in pure sales. 1-actual-k. Like, really?
In any case, with upcoming seasons of ‘Braxton Family Values’ and ‘Tamar & Vince’ incoming, maybe the 40-year-old will enjoy a steady sales trajectory. Although, in today’s climate, very few projects are enjoying that luxury.
Failing that, she at least has her spot on Xscape‘s upcoming tour.