TOP 15: DEAD HEAT MAKES FOR LIVELY RACE

Columbia’s Solange and Jagjaguwar’s Bon Iver are in a dead heat in the race for this week’s #1 on our SPS chart. Solange has been defying the typical new release trend all week; Tuesday, the fourth day of release, was her biggest so far at iTunes. If this trend continues, we may be raising the projections before week’s end. Bon Iver is expected to have strong indie numbers which should keep the race tight until the end. Bon Iver is seemingly a lock for #1 in sales.

As many as 11 new releases could appear on our album chart Top 15 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers re-enter the Top 5 thanks to strong redemptions from their ticket bundle which went on sale last week. While we don’t think RHCP will catch Bon Iver in sales, we’re keeping a close eye on these redemptions. Here’s how it looks at midweek.

SPS

*Solange (Columbia) 57-62k
*Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar) 57-62k
Drake (YMCMB/Republic) 46-50k
Red Hot Chili Peppers (Warner Bros.) 44-49k
Suicide Squad (WMG) 36-40k
Hamilton (Uptown) 27-30k
Ariana Grande (Republic) 26-29k
Shawn Mendes (Island) 25-28k
Twenty One Pilots (Fueled by Ramen) 24-27k
*Van Morrison (Caroline) 21-24k
Rihanna (Westbury Road/Roc Nation) 20-23k
Florida Georgia Line (BMLG) 20-23k
Travis Scott (Epic) 20-23k
*Bob Weir (Legacy/Columbia) 19-22k
Jason Aldean (Broken Bow) 18-20k

SALES

*Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar) 54-59k
*Solange (Columbia) 43-48k
Red Hot Chili Peppers (Warner Bros.) 43-48k
*Van Morrison (Caroline) 20-23k
*Bob Weir (Legacy/Columbia) 19-21k
Hamilton (Uptown) 16-18k
Jason Aldean (Broken Bow) 15-17k
*Banks (Harvest) 14-16k
*John Prine (Oh Boy) 13-15k
*Regina Spektor (Sire) 11-13k
*Drive-By Truckers (ATO) 11-13k
Beyonce (Columbia) 10-12k
Florida Georgia Line (BMLG) 10-12k
Suicide Squad (WMG) 10-12k
*Eric Clapton (Reprise) 10-12k
Adele (XL/Columbia) 9-11k
Danny Brown (Warp) 9-11k
*Opeth (Nuclear Blast) 9-11k
*Temple of the Dog (A&M) 9-11k

*DEBUTS

As you can see, a lot more than 15 titles are in contention for the Top 15 spots. In other news, creepy clowns are now menacing people in cities across America. And if that isn't a sign of the apocalypse, we don't know what is.