Weekly Register: Sales Surge Following Grammys, Super Bowl

Albums

Musgraves accepts the Grammy for Country Album of the Year.

Both overall and Country album sales are up this week, with the former up eight percent from last week and the latter up six percent week over week. The Grammys and Super Bowl XLVIII have raised this week’s numbers and propelled sales for several artists. Double Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves’ Same Trailer, Different Park (Mercury Nashville) is the top Country album (No. 12 overall), rising 177 percent from last week (9.8k units last week, 27k units this week), selling 342k units RTD. Additionally, Grammy winner Lorde’s Pure Heroine rose 86 percent, landing at No. 3 overall, while Imagine Dragons’ Night Visions rose 65 percent, jumping to No. 8 overall. Finally, sales for The 2014 Grammy Nominees Album by Various Artists rose 47 percent, sitting at No. 2 overall.
Sunday (Feb. 2) night’s Super Bowl XLVII halftime show boosted sales for performer Bruno Mars and accompanying performers Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sales for Mars’ Unorthodox Jukebox increased 180 percent, taking him from No. 18 to No. 7 overall with 42k units sold this week (1.9 million RTD). Mars’ sales also benefited from the singer winning the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. Meanwhile, Red Hot Chili Peppers are enjoying a red hot surge in sales following their performance alongside Mars on Sunday, with their Greatest Hits album rising 445 percent in sales, selling 8k units this week (2.2 million RTD). Past halftime performers, including Beyonce (2013), Madonna (2012) and Black Eyed Peas (2011) have all enjoyed a rise in sales following the Super Bowl.
Although artists across genres enjoyed sales boosts this week, Frozen: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Various Artists remains No. 1, selling another 93k units (863k RTD). YTD, overall album sales are down 13.2 percent, while Country album sales are down 16.5 percent.

Tracks

Hunter Hayes’ “Invisible” is the top Country track this week (swelling from No. 47 to No. 17 overall with a 164 percent rise in sales), selling 91k units (126k RTD). The top Country debut (No. 33 overall) is Eric Church’s “A Man Who Was Gonna Die Young,” selling 49k units. Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow” continues to rise, moving to No. 2 (No. 26 overall) with sales up 98 percent from last week.
Katy Perry and Juicy’s “Dark Horse” remains the top overall track, selling 373k units this week and 2.6 million RTD. YTD, overall track sales are down 11 percent, while Country track sales are down 15.4 percent.
Next week’s numbers will include Suzy Bogguss’ Lucky, and debut albums from Eric Paslay and The Haden Triplets.