Michael Jackson Set To Rock Charts Again July 03, 2009
- Rock and Pop
By Keith Caulfield, L.A.
After his record-breaking chart week, the late Michael Jackson will continue to shake up the charts next week, too.
Industry prognosticators project that his "Thriller" album may sell as much as 110,000-130,000 by week's end at the close of business on Sunday, July 5. "The Essential Michael Jackson" may move 90,000-110,000 while "Number Ones" could blow through 60,000-80,000.
Additionally, according to Nielsen SoundScan's Building Chart data, more than 110,000 Jackson albums were purchased during the first two days of the new tracking week (June 29-30). "Thriller" was his top seller in those two days, shifting 44,000 copies, while "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Number Ones" were his second and third-best sellers.
Billboard estimates that the seven merchants that report to Nielsen SoundScan's Building chart -- Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, iTunes, Starbucks, Borders, Target and Anderson Merchandisers -- make up about 60% of all U.S. album sales. Nielsen SoundScan's sales tracking week runs from Monday through Sunday of each week.
Jackson will again dominate the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart and loom large on the Top Comprehensive Albums tally. The Top Pop Catalog Albums tallies albums that are more than 18 months old, have fallen below No. 100 on the Billboard 200 and don't have a current radio single. Catalog albums are ineligible to appear on The Billboard 200 though they can chart on the Top Comprehensive Albums chart.
Over on the Billboard 200 albums chart, it looks like the new "Now That's What I Call Music 31" compilation (Sony Music/Universal/EMI) is headed for the top slot. Industry sources predict that the set could move between 140,000-150,000 in its first week. Brad Paisley's "American Saturday Night" (Arista Nashville) will also start high, with between 120,000-130,000. Rob Thomas' second solo album, "Cradlesong," could perhaps do around 105,000-120,000.
Other sets looking to open high on the Billboard 200 include Wilco's new self-titled Nonesuch/Warner Bros. album (85,000-100,000), Killswitch Engage's eponymous Roadrunner set (40,000-45,000) and Jeremih's self-titled Def Jam debut (40,000-45,000).
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