NEW RELEASES
(WITH EXTRA
OLIVES, PLEASE)

After a squeaker for #1 on last week’s HITS Top 50, the first chart of Q4 could be shaping up for a similar race. First-day sales and streams have MMG/Atlantic’s Meek Mill projecting about 90k with his 18-track Expensive Pain project. Last week’s runner-up, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy (OVO/Republic), would need to fall by one-third to give Meek a path to #1 based on today’s projection.

The real fight, however, may not come from a new release but from Taylor Swift’s Fearless (Taylor’s Version), via Republic. Vinyl pre-orders are shipping for this week’s chart, along with the signed CDs that were offered for 72 hours last week. While info is still forthcoming, a similar rollout was executed for evermore’s vinyl just three months ago; the album soared back to #1 with more than 200k in activity and set a single-week vinyl sales record for the modern era. Will Tay repeat this stunning performance? Stay tuned.

Meek Mill (MMG/Atlantic) 85-95k total activity, 1-3k albums
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga (Interscope/Columbia) 35-40k, 33-37k
Lil Wayne & Rich The Kid (Republic) 12-15k, <1k

We might add that Love for Sale, the re-teaming of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga on a set full of Cole Porter gems, referenced above, is the week's only release that makes us want to day-drink martinis.

Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels

THE HITS LIST TURKEY TROT
...with all the trimmings (11/25a)
AN AWARD-WINNING CMA GALLERY
Cowboy hats and funny caps (11/21a)
NEAR TRUTHS: WITCHING HOUR
It's not easy being green. (11/21a)
NEAR TRUTHS: REALIGNMENT AND RECOGNITION
Underscoring the year's biggest stories (11/19a)
NEAR TRUTHS: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Nervous time in the music biz and beyond. (11/16a)
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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