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Billboard posted Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak at #1 this week selling (a tiny) 450,000 copies in its first of release. Even though this is Kanye’s third straight to number-one album, this has been Kanye’s lowest first-week sales count since The College Dropout hit stores, and naturally, debut albums don’t usually make a big splash on the first week. You’d think that the whole Black Friday, Thanksgiving weekend thing would help boost Kanye’s sales.Â
Black Friday or not, take a look at Kanye’s track record: Late Registration bowed at No. 1 with 860,000 discs sold, and last year’s Graduation took the big spot with nearly a million (957,000) discs sold in its first week. 808s opening at 450k is simply absurd.Â
Well to be fair, Kanye hasn’t had a bona fide big hit with 808s yet. When Late Registration dropped, he had “Gold Digger” to back it up. When Graduation released he had “Stronger” and not to mention the whole Kanye vs 50 beef. While 808s has the fleeting first two singles “Love Lockdown” and “Heartless.”
Speaking of “Heartless,” check out Kanye sharing the mic with Rick Ross on his hopeful hit.Â
Download “Heartless” with Rick Ross after the jump!
Kanye West – Heartless (Rick Ross Remix)
I take it 10 time GRAMMY winner Kanye West takes pride in big sales weeks. I doubt he’s all too happy about 808s selling less than half of what Graduation sold. I’m pretty confident that we might here vintage Kanye in 2009’s Q4.Â
While we’re on the subject of vintage Kanye West music, here’s an unreleased demo of his you may have never heard before:
Kanye West - Livin’ A Movie
Tags: Kanye West, Rick Ross
Haha, I was chuckling while reading this post the whole time. I love the way you somehow introduced these two songs into the post. So random.
There’s a reason why 808s sold less and why LL and Heartless havent hit as hard as we’re used to Kanye stuff hitting… it fucking sucks!
808s definitely doesnt suck. I think that the whole 4 major “Thanksgiving Weekend” releases is what split the consumers pocket.
We’re going through tough times, financially. People had to choose between Kanye’s 808s, GnR’ Chinese Democracy, Killers’ Day & Age, and Luda’s album (whatever its called). Not to mention Beyonce’s and Taylor Swift’s albums.
Too many choices for consumers and not enough $$$ for everything!
Now I just wonder how many albums Britney’s new album will sell…
Kanye should be ashamed of himself if Britney outsells him.
Whatever dude… 450k is HUGE. Maybe it doesnt live up to his previous efforts… but it’s def not “tiny”
dumbass
I think Luis was making a point about Ye’s experimental album not doing as well as his other stuff. I think he knows 450k isn’t tiny.
With that said, I’m not entirely surprised that 808s didn’t catch on the way Late Registration and Graduation did. Kanye’s lack of a #1 single is proof of that. Esp now…. T.I. has been #1 for weeks and weeks even though his digital sales tally isn’t so hot. Now was the perfect time for Kanye to take over. But I don’t see that happening.
Yeah… 808s will just drop off completely in a few weeks and no one will remember it at all.
This doesn’t surprise me for a few reasons.
One, this new cd is WAY more experimental and does not appeal to Kanye’s usual base.
And two, SO MANY PEOPLE have this off the internet, they wouldn’t bother buying the hard album. Virtually every song leaked for download, AND the CD has been top 5 on iTunes since its release. Kanye should be happy that this incredible album sold as many copies as it did- its nice to see original, different music consumed by a lot of people.
That said, I hope he mixes up this new stuff WITH the rapping on the next disc…don’t overkill it Kanye!
That Rick Ross remix, if that’s what you wanna call it, is fucking terrible.
Livin’ a Movie is a nice throwback to what Kanye does best – tight rhymes over a sped up soul sample.
I didnt know where to post this, BUUUT.
There’s a new Gaga song out. Actually, that makes two now. They’re called Fever and Christmas Tree. I’m surprised you haven’t posted them yet XD
when you say lacking a bona fide hit, maybe you’re forgotten this is west’s first album with two singles reaching the top 5 of the hot 100.
people think they are like a president of a record company, makes me fuckin sick… elp said it best when sales control status i place no faith in the majority