"They were literally running into the stores to buy it, leaving the shrink-wrap in the parking lots as they rushed to their cars to play it."
—Kevin Engler, Best Buy
TAGS: yes

REAL SLIM SHADY SHOWS SALES STRENGTH

Huge First Day Sales Put "Marshall Mathers LP" Well On Its Way To Million-Plus First Week
Rap fans, alternative fans, hell, music fans in general, just couldn't get enough of Eminem's sophomore album, "The Marshall Mathers LP," which was released Tuesday (5/23).

Fans were in a near frenzy, rushing retail outlets across the country to purchase the album, which is being propelled by the crossover hit single "The Real Slim Shady."

"They were literally running into the stores to buy it, leaving the shrink-wrap in the parking lots as they rushed to their cars to play it," said Best Buy's Kevin Engler about the first-day reaction of record buyers to Eminem's Aftermath/Interscope release. "It was the biggest first-day sales figure in our history."

"The Marshall Mathers LP" hit retail yesterday, with sales projecting to a first-week total of between 1.5-2 million, which would make it the second-biggest selling album next to NSYNC's "No Strings Attached," which sold 2.4 million its first week of release last March.

Industry watchers point to a strong rating by MTV's Eminem Week and a huge sales push by Interscope for the explosion at retail.

Other projections include matchbox twenty (330k), A Perfect Circle (200k) and Don Henley (125k). Early returns show Britney's second-week sales to be off about 50%, which would still give her a healthy 600k and #2 behind the Eminem steamroller. "It's just indicative of how he's struck a chord with America's youth," adds Engler. "And, best of all, we're selling a shitload of microwave ovens, too."

TAGS: yes
JUSTIN ESHAK AND IMRAN MAJID: THE HITS INTERVIEW
Island in the sun (12/5a)
TOP 20: TAYLOR, TARGET HIT THE BULL'S-EYE
A winning combination (12/5a)
TIKTOK'S 2024: SABRINA, CHARLI, TOMMY AND BENSON
Ole! (12/3a)
TAYLOR, SABRINA CROWN SPOTIFY'S WRAPPED 2024
Have you unwrapped your 2024 playlist? (12/5a)
DEAD & COMPANY SWING BACK TO SPHERE
Acid sales will jump during this run. (12/4a)
NOW WHAT?
We have no fucking idea.
COUNTRY'S NEWEST DISRUPTOR
Three chords and some truth you may not be ready for.
AI IS ALREADY EATING YOUR LUNCH
The kids can tell the difference... for now.
WHO'S BUYING THE DRINKS?
That's what we'd like to know.
 Email

 First Name

 Last Name

 Company

 Country