By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Jay-Z has obviously struck platinum with his latest album “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” but the rapper’s new deal with Samsung is still being met with criticism. As we reported recently, Samsung inked a deal with Jay-Z to give out one million copies of the album to select device users, however, the RIAA eventually decided to consider the album platinum regardless. Jay-Z’s projected first week sales made it clear that even free downloads weren’t going to stop the success of the album. The official numbers are in and “Magna Carta Holy Grail” sold over 500k copies in its first week and topped the Billboard 200 chart. And these numbers are individual of Samsung’s downloads. Hits Daily Double reports:
Following his feverishly discussed, virally argued, precedent-smashing rollout—which started with the July 4 giveaway of a million or so digital copies via the Magna Carta Holy Grail app—the rapper-mogul’s Roc-a-Fella/Roc Nation release clocked 528k on our Album Sales Chart with his “traditional” retail debut.
Just for context, that’s better than his last several releases, including 2009’s The Blueprint 3, which moved 465k, and 2012’s Kanye co-starrer Watch the Throne, which sold 476k.
The site also goes on to say Ciara’s first week sales were only 56k despite the large amount of promotion her label put in, however, she still landed the number two spot on the Billboard 200:
So what else happened on the chart this week? There were two other Top 10 debuts, for one thing. Epic’s Ciara nabbed the #2 spot with 57k, and KidinaKorner/Interscope artist Skylar Grey’s 24k was good for #8.
Roc Nation/Columbia’s J. Cole (following last week’s #1 with 38k, down 31% for a #3 finish), Republic Nashville’s Florida Georgia Line (#4, 33.3k, +8%), KidinaKorner/Interscope’s Imagine Dragons (#5, flat at 33.2k), Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/IDJ’s Kanye West (#6, 28k, -29%) and Columbia’s Daft Punk (#9, 22k) were among the chart veterans filling out the Top 10.
Damn Jay! The winning doesn’t stop I guess. LOL.
Ciara needs to drop the R&B sound and go more pop. I think it would work better for her. Kudos to Jay though.
I think she should try to cross over too! I’m not sure why she keeps trying to make R&B happen for her.
The public decides if you cross over not the artist or the music
pop is more about personality than music. ciara don’t have no personality
I figured Jay and Ciara would sell their amounts.
I knew Ciara was going to flop again. But all her stans say she did good for R&B. LOL. Right…
Now who didn’t know Ciara would flop?
Ciara was talking too much about Rihanna and Future and not enough about her struggle album! LOL!
Time to hang it up CiCi
So are Ciara’s fans just refusing to buy her albums or something? They are so quick to curse you out for this chick but slow to buy her albums. Interesting.
Damn Ciara.
Jay’s numbers are very impressive. He keeps sh-tting on Kanye. Love it.
Yes Jay!
Wow I had some hope for Ciara. I figured first week maybe 80k with the fake relationship with future, and last min. promotions. Watching some of her interviews, she spent more time talking Rhi Rhi and Future that she forgot about her album. Her fans say “well they asked her about Rh Rhi” Ciara could of politely said i rather not talk about that just my album. Ciara lacks that “It” factor. When she first came out, I was like “wow who is this?!” I really liked her. But over the years something was lacking. Can’t put my finger on it. People are saying she will be dropped, I don’t think so. I think L.A. Reid may try one more time with her.