Kendrick sells only 286k first week….Flop?

GetSomeMoney

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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
Kendrick is a Superstar, Bad Bunny sold under 300k the previous week and he is clearly a superstar. Eminem was under 300k also and we both know he's a superstar. Also doing a range of 150-280k is a random range, almost like you were extending the range to get close to Kendrick's number. Kendrick has the biggest debut of the year so far.
 

producingfire

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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.
 

Larry

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People bringing up physicals are getting traditional sales and physical sales mixed up lol



Nobody is moving significant amounts of physicals


When ya see “traditional sales” reported, it’s mainly digital downloads that people actually paid the 9.99 for (opposed to simply streaming on Spotify, Apple Music etc.)


In years prior, traditional sales were high due to bundling which Damn had (DAMN T-shirt + album included as digital download) and many other albums had (The Weeknd/Nav with vlone tees, Travis with astroworld merch etc)


Bundling obviously doesn’t count these days so numbers are down across the board…



Moral of the story: no, the lack of physical copies did not play a part in Kendrick not meeting projections. It wouldn’t have made much of a difference. It is what it is.
 

Cadillac

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U hit it.

Taking time off has nothing to do with it. People were anticipating the new Kendrick heavy even with his time off.

Fact is he just didn't come with an easily digestible album. I fukk w/ Kendrick heavy but I'm not rocking w/ this album. Replay value ain't there and you can't listen to this shyt at the gym, at a party, driving down the highway.. like to me I can't really figure out who this album was actually made for.


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 some concepts here and there or has a narrative dont make his work 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
 
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JustCKing

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