Kendrick sells only 286k first week….Flop?

[papertrail08]

Why do people only look at the 1st Week numbers? Staying power is just as important. People do the same thing with Box Office #'s.

 

[L&HH]

Love the album. I said in the official thread that 285K with THIS type of album definitely isn’t a flop. Matter of fact Kendrick is probably the ONLY rapper that could move those numbers releasing a High Concept album where the themes are generational trauma, depression, sexual violence, and therapy, during the BEGINNING of the summer. This is one heavy ass album that doesn’t cater to multiple playbacks. Its downright depressing in some instances.


The way i see it when it comes to sales

50-100k means you are “popular” 150-280k means you are a “Star”. If you can crack 300K and up then you are a “Superstar”. Kendrick simply isn’t a superstar who can sell 300K off his own name, but he’s definitely a mainstream star. The album broke streaming records the NIGHT it was released. It had Apple Music basically SHUT down for like 2 hours. The album is one of only 7 to earn over 100 Million Streams on Spotify. This is simply the streaming era. And to combat leaks we’re probably NEVER going back to way things “were” with day and date physical releases. There’s a reason that Kendrick dropped physicals and bundles the week AFTER release.


Also props to and respect to J.Cole. Say what you want about him. But NOBODY can ever ever ever EVER question that man’s fanbase. He sold more than Kendrick first week with only ten songs and a similar rollout.


Also props to Kanye West. Whilst Donda was mid and nowhere NEAR his best work the fact that he cracked 300K proves he’s still a Superstar

The fact that he broke those single day streaming records and still only did 285k speaks magnitudes to the lack of replay value . If he had actual songs ppl fukk with he’d have easily done 400k or better.

And btw Donda released on a Sunday so it had 2 less days of sales data. That 300k is even better than what people think.

 

[FunkyFresh]

Y’all still discussing "sales"

Music is art not sport, lames.

This, yous are geeks

 

[Switch]

Love the album. I said in the official thread that 285K with THIS type of album definitely isn’t a flop. Matter of fact Kendrick is probably the ONLY rapper that could move those numbers releasing a High Concept album where the themes are generational trauma, depression, sexual violence, and therapy, during the BEGINNING of the summer. This is one heavy ass album that doesn’t cater to multiple playbacks. Its downright depressing in some instances.


The way i see it when it comes to sales

50-100k means you are “popular” 150-280k means you are a “Star”. If you can crack 300K and up then you are a “Superstar”. Kendrick simply isn’t a superstar who can sell 300K off his own name, but he’s definitely a mainstream star. The album broke streaming records the NIGHT it was released. It had Apple Music basically SHUT down for like 2 hours. The album is one of only 7 to earn over 100 Million Streams on Spotify. This is simply the streaming era. And to combat leaks we’re probably NEVER going back to way things “were” with day and date physical releases. There’s a reason that Kendrick dropped physicals and bundles the week AFTER release.


Also props to and respect to J.Cole. Say what you want about him. But NOBODY can ever ever ever EVER question that man’s fanbase. He sold more than Kendrick first week with only ten songs and a similar rollout.


Also props to Kanye West. Whilst Donda was mid and nowhere NEAR his best work the fact that he cracked 300K proves he’s still a Superstar

The bolded isn’t a good thing

 

[eastside313]

Why are people talkin about physicals. I ain’t seen a cd in years. Who the hell buying cds.

 

[Ziggiy]

Why are people talkin about physicals. I ain’t seen a cd in years. Who the hell buying cds.

Most artists still sell physicals on their online stores. Kendrick himself has physicals available on his website its just no longer day and date with the streaming releases.

 

[Ineedmoney504]

If he leaves TDE and he continues selling at that rate, and he can do those numbers independently then he can sell 286,000 himself if he does that with physical releases he'll continue laughing all the way to the bank. While other people may consider this a flop, Its difficult to say, you think the label supported him by buying most of the 286,000? I doubt it.

People aren't buying music anymore right?
Well lets do the math on that 286,000
286,000x10

$2,860,000

if Kendrick goes out and performs those songs at venue's

He'll continue to get the show fees, the pub royalties, So even if this is his "last album" he wins in the end.
Even if the label takes some of the revenue, he'll get some of that. I'm not even going to bring up streaming, because Streaming is like going to a restaurant getting a salad, and saying thank you for the meal. Yet he's no run of the mil artists he gets millions of streams monthly.

Flop Hahahaha artists wish they can flop like that.

He won’t be independent bruh lol. He’s leaving tde and signing straight with interscope and his label will be with a major also.

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

Coming out of two years of trauma - pandemic, race stuff, trump, etc, don’t nobody want to play your therapy sessions full of your personal trauma over and over. That shyt appeals to emo nikkas close to slitting their wrists, not the entire Kendrick fanbase.

 

[N*E*R*D]

I'm enjoying the album and bought a Hi-RES audio copy off Quboz. I'm waiting for the Vinyl now since I already bought a Hi-RES copy no need for the CD.

I think the replay value for some people is low which is why the numbers are what they are. DAMN was more accessible and had a breakout single.

 

[CrimsonTider]

Why do people only look at the 1st Week numbers? Staying power is just as important. People do the same thing with Box Office #'s.

You think this project will have staying power?

 

[Ziggiy]

Just copped the CD from the online store. Thinking about copping Push’s too

 

[Larry]

There’s no real deep reasoning behind the numbers


Drake is just a lot bigger than the field. In this climate he’s only doing a little above 600k. That alone told me Kendrick would do half of that.


Again, drake sets the bar in hip hop. He’s THAT big. If he’s doing 800k the fields ceiling is 6. If he’s doing 6, the fields ceiling is 3. Etc.


It’s not 2019 anymore. Drake is the absolute biggest entity in rap music. You’re an idiot if you thought Kendrick would do anything close to what he did. It is what it is

 

[The Villain]

Why do people only look at the 1st Week numbers? Staying power is just as important. People do the same thing with Box Office #'s.

These second week numbers about to be eye opening for some of y’all because this album has zero replay value. It’s a drag to listen to.

 

[semicko82]

At the end of the day these numbers are disappointing because it didn't even meet industry estimates.

 

[Buggsy Mogues]

this album is not deep or convuluted that the masses cant "digest" it

idk why some yall say that when Kendrick isnt even that complex or cryptic as a artist just because someone uses concepts or has a narrative dont make him complex

Kendricks music is straight to the point with a clear narrative that you can get if you have a brain. maybe if all you listen to is drill or trap then yeah i guess hes "complex" or "hard to digest" to you(thats no diss to those subgenres, i like them, im just saying) but all his albums are easy to get and can be summarized in a sentence including TPAB.

this album just isnt made to have replay value to people, on top of the fact theres no real undeniable single. DAMN had humble, love, Loyalty, and DNA. even tho i found the album to be bad it had good songwriting in catchy hooks

this album dont have any of that so with it being a album that lacks replay value and hits. this is not a surprise. Kendrick didnt flop but he did underperform especially as Kendrick stans were talking shyt about how he was gonna do 400 k or even 500 K

this is very underwhelming sales

I didn't say nothing about it being "convoluted" or "complex" so I don't know why tf you quoting me going off about some shyt nobody actually said.


When I say the album is not easily digestible I just mean its not easy to sit and listen to. Songs like We Cry Together, songs where he's barely whispering over a beat, just shyt that is not easy to kick back and enjoy. It's not a album where you can easily plug in the aux and listen to in the car, or throw on at the gym. YOu gotta be in a certain mindset or mood to sit down and actually get through this entire album. It's not what people are expecting or wanting in 2022.