UPDATE: WHEN WILL DRAKE GET PHYSICAL?

Will they or won't they? That's the question industry insiders are asking this weekend about Target and Drake’s If You're Reading This It’s Too Late. Will the 800-pound gorilla of physical retail refuse to carry Drizzy’s latest because it was released to iTunes first?

Target infamously refused to stock the most recent Beyoncé album after its surprise and one-week-exclusive release at iTunes. BEYONCÉ has gone on to sell over 800k in physical CDs, none of which were sold through Target.

On Drake's prior album, which debuted with 658k and went on to sell 2.4m, almost exactly half of sales were physical. Target has 15% of overall marketshare on the album, nearly 30% of physical sales. Which begs the question: Would it be worth doing a physical release of this "mixtape" without the bullseye?

While we have yet to receive confirmation of a physical release of Drake’s “mixtape,” wonderers are wondering how the so-far digital-only distribution will affect his sales, how Target will react to another surprise superstar release and what, if anything, Republic has done to ensure Target is on board.

As it is, with TEA and streams, Drake now appears to be heading toward around 550k all in.

Keep it here for further details on this developing story.

HITS LIST: HOME STRETCH
Won't be long now. (12/9a)
WICKED, DYLAN BIOPIC TO VIE FOR GOLDEN GLOBES
First peek behind the awards-season curtain (12/9a)
ON THE COVER: BRUNO MARS
We'll drink to that. (12/9a)
REGAL AT RETAIL:
TAYLOR SWIFT
Redefining "royalty" (12/9a)
99 WITH A BULLET
A national treasure keeps on dancing. (12/9a)
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.
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