Weekly Music Sales Report and Analysis: 04 March 2015
This year is turning out to be better than 2014–at least so far. Year-to-date albums sales are up a healthy 4%. Physical CDs aren’t helping, though. Their slide continues, moving 3% lower than at this point in 2014. Digital albums are up 10% but digital tracks are at -7%.
The Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack is the new #1 in the country, moving 8,200 copies in the past seven days. It’s followed closely by the debut of Kid Rock’s First Kiss (8,000 units) and debuts from Big Sean (Dark Side of Paradise, #5, 6,500) and Led Zeppelin (!!!) with the deluxe reissue of Physical Graffiti (#8, 4,200 copies). It’s interesting to note that the last Zep reissue, Houses of the Holy, topped out at #34.
The most downloaded single in Canada this week is still “Uptown Funk” with 26,000 purchases. And when it comes to streaming, it’s also king with 1.9 million listens. Next is “Thinking Out Loud” from Ed Sheeran (1.4 million) and then Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do” (930,000).
Over in the US, we have Big Sean debuting at #1 (139,000 copies) with Kid Rock close behind at #2 (137,000). For some inexplicable reason, people still give Chris Brown money. His Fan of a Fan record debut at #5 with 51,000 units. And yes, Led Zeppelin made the Top 10, too, moving 40,000 copies of the Physical Graffiti reissue.
Finally, to singles. “Uptown Funk” sold another 240,000 downloads in the US. I hope to have the streaming numbers later today.
All figures courtesy of Nielsen Soundscan.
