SOUNDSCAN CORRECTS ITSELF
Goes To #1 In Revised Chart
In its original release Wednesday (9/12), SoundScan reported Alicia Keys’ Songs in A Minor beat the System record to the #1 position. Many attributed Keys’ climb back to the top spot to her performance at last week’s MTV Awards.
Tuesday’s chart said Keys sold 192,000 units for a #1 finish in its 11th week of release, while System bowed with 170,000 units for a second-place finish. But, according to today’s update, System jumps past Keys to #1 with more than 50,000 additional units sold, for a final tally of 222,000.
According to insiders, the discrepancy is due to a special limited-edition enhanced CD of Toxicity whose tally was not added in to the original sales scans. Both System of a Down albums are list-priced at $18.98.
"We knew it should have been #1 from the start," said the band's manager David Benveniste. "At first glance I was concerned and quite frankly shocked at the lower number. Now that the truth has come out, and the album has sold north of 220,000, I’m so proud to see the members of System get their just due."
Sony Music declined to comment on the System numbers or its chart position, while J Records, home to Keys, could not be reached during the prepping of this story.
"Due to the tragic events of the past Tuesday, SoundScan experienced some difficulties in researching unidentified data provided by some of its reporting stores," SoundScan said in today’s disclaimer. "Clarification of this data has led us to re-run the following charts today at 12:15p.m.: Top Current Albums, Regional Charts and DMA Charts."
Incidentally, before HITS made the decision to stop compiling its charts Tuesday due to the horrific events, our album chart reflected that System of a Down was headed for a #1 debut. With just 62% of the tally in, HITS had the album at 160,000, which projects to a 220,000 total.
