Music

Weekly Music Sales Report: 02 May 2012

After a stumble last week, things are looking better for the recorded music market in Canada, thanks to a brand new #1 record and three new entries in the top 10.  Year-to-date sales are pacing 5% ahead of 2011 and while CD sales are down 7%, all forms of digital music continues to run 30% of last year.

As just about everyone expected, Jack White’s Blunderbuss debuted at #1 with a healthy 17,000 copies. Strangely, this is the first time any of Jack’s projects have reached #1 in Canada, although he’s had a lot of Top Ten entries in his career.

The other debuts are Tiesto’s Club Life Volume Two Miami (#7, 4,500 copies) and the self-titled record from The Wanted (#8, just behind Tiesto in terms of units sold.)

If you’re wondering about Adele, she’s safely tucked in at #2, selling another 9,100 copies of 21.  And Madonna’s MDNA?  Not good.  She’s gone 10-14-21, selling just 1,800 copies in all of Canada this past week.

The biggest digital song?  Still Gotye and “Somebody That I Used to Know.”  In its fourth week at #1, it moved another 34,000 downloads.

Jack White is also #1 in the US, selling nearly 138,000 copies. He’s follwed by Adele (84,000) and Lionel Ritche (78,000).

Madonna?  In the last three weeks, she’s gone 18-33-43.  Less than 9,400 people bothered to buy MDNA last week.

On the digital side of things, it’s still Gotye with another 348,000 downloads.

All numbers courtesy of Nielsen Soundscan.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 38035 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

Let us know what you think!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.