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1989 STILL BIG IN 2015; RAE SRUMMURD DEBUTS

Taylor Swift is #1” isn’t exactly the most novel way to begin a chart story, but the Big Machine megastar’s 1989 rules both the HITS Building Album Sales Chart and SPS (Sales Plus Streaming) Chart this week, and that kind of news is always impressive, even as retail flattens out post-holidays.

Tay Tay adds 112k albums (-38%) to her total—rapidly approaching 4m, we should note—while singles sales push her SPS tally to 162k.

Ed Sheeran nabs the #2 spot on both charts with 34k albums (-17%) and 74k SPS. While Roc Nation/Columbia’s J. Cole sits at #3 on the album chart with 34k (-28%), followed by YMCMB/Republic’s Nicki Minaj (33k, -35%) and debuting Interscope duo Rae Sremmurd (33k), the Top 5 shapes up a little differently on the SPS side.

Single sales (and streams) keep Nicki at #3 SPS, while Capitol’s Sam Smith (29k albums/56k SPS) and Columbia’s Hozier (20k albums/48k SPS) take #4 and #5, respectively. Rae Sremmurd bows at #7 when tracks and streams are factored in, for a 46k debut.

Other top sellers include Disney’s Guardians of the Galaxy (#6 album, #8 SPS) and Into the Woods (#8 album, #10 SPS) STs, as well as SYCO/Columbia’s One Direction (#10 album, #9 SPS).

Republic’s Ariana Grande gets a big SPS boost, hitting #11 with 25k (she’s #26 on the album side). Meanwhile, TV fueled both Pearl/RCA Nashville’s Garth Brooks (#12 albums, 16k) and Harvest’s New Basement Tapes set (#23 albums), which are tied for greatest gainer, adding 22%.

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For the full Album Sales Chart go here.

For Sales Plus Streaming go here.

This week sees the debut of Epic’s Meghan Trainor, who is on track for a substantial #1 bow, which early reads have in the 175-200k ballpark. The following week welcomes the new set from DCD2/Island rockers Fall Out Boy, who should also make a sizable splash in their opening week.

In other news, this issue contains no cartoons of revered religious figures, but people want to shoot us anyway.

NEAR TRUTHS: KINGDOMS
File under: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. (3/26a)
ONE SHINING HITS LIST
She shoots, she scores! (3/26a)
YTD MARKET SHARE
Zeroing in on the elite teams (3/28a)
BEST IN THE WEST:
STEVE BERMAN
High time for another Eminem skit (3/26a)
MUSIC REVENUE TOPPED $17B IN 2023: RIAA
Streaming subscriptions lead the charge. (3/27a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
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