2.24.13 - 3.30.13 Numbers Thread

Ya, I just saw that in Rolling Stone!! 

www.rollingstone.com/music/news/on-the-charts-bruno-mars-discount-keeps-atoms-for-peace-from-top-spot-20130306

>>> As forecasted last week, Bruno Mars claims his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, as "Unorthodox Jukebox" jumps one slot to the top of the tally. The set, largely fueled by sale pricing by Amazon MP3, sold 95,000 copies in the week ending March 3 -- for a gain of 96% compared to the previous week (according to Nielsen SoundScan).

On Tuesday, Feb. 26, the digital retailer offered a bevy of albums for just $1.99, including Mars' latest and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "The Heist."

Discounted sales of "Unorthodox Jukebox" and "The Heist" -- and all of last week's other Amazon MP3 $1.99-priced titles -- count toward their weekly total because the albums have been out for more than four weeks. Billboard doesn't count sales of albums priced below $3.49 in their first four weeks of release.

After their one-day $1.99 offering, the price of both "Unorthodox Jukebox" and "The Heist" went up to $3.99 for the rest of the week. (Both are still being sold for $3.99 as of March 5.)

"Unorthodox Jukebox" might not have been No. 1 this week, had it not been for Amazon MP3. Of its total sales week, 64,000 were downloads. That's about 46,000 more than what the album has been selling in weekly downloads, on average, over the past two months (18,000).

So, subtract "Unorthodox's" estimated Amazon MP3 gain of 46,000 for the week and we're left with 48,000. That would be slightly less than what the No. 2 album sells this week: the debuting "Amok" from super group Atoms for Peace (50,000). <<<


For the entire article, go to www.billboard.com/articles/news/1550712/bruno-mars-scores-first-no-1-album-on-billboard-200-chart

London, 26th February 2013

The global recorded music industry is on a path to recovery, fuelled by licensed digital music services and rapid expansion into new markets internationally. Recorded music is also helping drive a broader digital economy, according to IFPI's annual Digital Music Report.

Global recorded music industry revenues rose by an estimated 0.3 per cent to US$16.5 billion in 2012, the first year of industry growth since 1999. Digital revenues saw accelerating growth for the second year running, up 9 per cent, with most major digital revenue streams - downloads, subscription and advertising-supported - on the rise.

The digital music business is globalising fast, as smartphones and new licensed services span new and emerging markets. In January 2011, the major international download and subscription services were present in 23 markets. Today, they are in more than 100.

Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI said: "It is hard to remember a year for the recording industry that has begun with such a palpable buzz in the air. These are hard-won successes for an industry that has innovated, battled and transformed itself over a decade. They show how the music industry has adapted to the internet world, learned how to meet the needs of consumers and monetised the digital marketplace."

Music is an engine of the digital world

The flow of new music springs from investment by record companies. This in turn is helping drive a wider digital economy, ranging from social networks to devices, broadcasters and live performance. The recording industry annually invests 26 per cent of its trade revenues (US$4.5 billion) in developing and marketing talent.

Music is helping power social media platforms. For example, nine in 10 of the most watched videos of all time on YouTube are music videos, led by PSY's Gangnam Style which has been viewed more than 1.2 billion times. Nine in 10 of the most liked people on Facebook are artists. Seven of the top 10 most followed people on Twitter are artists.

Global Album Best Sellers in 2012


Global Singles Best Sellers in 2012


Addressing barriers to growth

The report highlights where progress was made in addressing barriers to growth in 2012, but also where much more needs to be done. Notably:

*** Advertising is a major source of funding for unlicensed music services worldwide. Major brands should no longer consider it acceptable to help fund illegal music sites that tarnish their own reputation, as well as helping rig the music market. There have been several well-publicised cases where companies have removed advertising from pirate websites (for example Levi's).

*** Search engines are the first port of call for many internet users looking for music online. The music industry wants search engines to prioritise search results relating to licensed services, which would be socially responsible and is feasible technically. However, searches for the names of popular artists followed by the term "mp3" still return a large number of results for illegal sources on the first page. In August 2012, Google announced it would take into account the number of valid copyright notices it receives when returning search results. That was a welcome step in principle but unfortunately has not been translated into results. A "report card" issued by IFPI's sister US organisation, RIAA, has found Google's actions have showed no "demonstrable impact".

*** Internet service providers (ISPs) have had a demonstrable effect on levels of copyright infringement on the internet when required to act. For example, in five European countries where ISPs were required by courts to block access to The Pirate Bay (Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Italy and UK), usage levels fell 69 per cent during 2012 (ComScore/Nielsen). By contrast, in countries without the block, traffic rose by 45 per cent over the same period.


Note: For the complete synopsis (including report highlights) of the report, go to www.ifpi.org/content/section_resources/dmr2013.html

While Justin Timberlake's long-awaited album "The 20/20 Experience" doesn't go on sale for another week, industry sources say it's going to have a blockbuster debut on Billboard's charts.

The album became available for online streaming via iTunes on Monday, giving fans their first listen.

Those in the know suggest the album could sell at least 500,000 copies in its debut week, easily securing Timberlake his second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. "20/20's" half-million forecast could grow even larger once the album reaches retailers.

The RCA Records set, which is due to go on sale on Tuesday, March 19 in the U.S., could score the best sales week for an album in four months. The last title to sell more than a half-million in a week was One Direction's "Take Me Home," which opened with 540,000 after its release on Nov. 13, 2012 (according to Nielsen SoundScan).

Since the start of 2012, only four albums sold in excess of a half-million in a week: "Take Me Home," Mumford & Sons' "Babel" in its debut frame (600,000), Adele's "21" in the first full week after the 2012 Grammy Awards (730,000) and Taylor Swift's "Red" in its debut (1.2 million).

The last solo male artist to sell more than 500,000 in a week was Drake, when his "Take Care" album debuted with 631,000 on the chart dated Dec. 3, 2011.

Timberlake's last studio album, 2006's "FutureSex/LoveSounds," sold 684,000 in its first week, and debuted at No. 1.


source: www.billboard.com/articles/news/1551345/justin-timberlakes-2020-eyeing-half-million-debut-sales-week-streams-online