Sugarland will move to #1 on the overall album chart this week, following a relatively small 45 percent drop from their opening week numbers. Last week, it entered at #2 with sales of 313,600. This week, it sold an additional 171,400 units, good enough to beat out Miley Cyrus, who suffers a 56 percent drop.
That
brings the total sales of Love on the Inside to 485,100 after only two weeks. For a sense of perspective, Sugarland is only a few thousand units shy of the current sales totals for superstar acts George Strait and Alan Jackson, and their albums were released 18 and 22 weeks ago, respectively.
Will more labels follow the novel approach of releasing a fan deluxe edition first, especially if it curtails that big second-week drop? Or did this work out so well because one of the bonus tracks (“Life in a Northern Town”) was already a radio and video hit?
sugarland’s success has got nothing to do with promotion gimmicks. it’s all about jennifer nettles. she comes across more inviting than the ripest, juiciest and sweetest georgia peach in july. her twangy voice could even make a 15th century church choral sounding as if it was coming straight out of music row. combined with christian bush’s eclectic tastes in music they have developed to such a degree that one might already label them as “superstars”. old school vocals mixed with new wave country – that’s sugarland and it sounds really good.
Do we know how many people bought the standard version vs. the deluxe version?
Tom… great synopsis and I totally agree.
“Love on the Inside” is my current “car cd” and I appreciate it more with every listen… same as their other two albums.
I was thinking about it this morning as I listen to my local morning radio show who plays the recent popular country acts vs. my Sugarland car listening. I appreciate how Sugarland has such a country sound, not only Jennifer’s vocals but in their writing, yet they are not like everything. thing. else. on. the. radio.
I find much of the appeal for me is in how Jennifer delivers a song… that she is really telling and sharing a story she knows (and wrote) as opposed to just being a messenger.
I think the chemistry between her and Kristian also comes through and they come across as a real duo. I know he’s not just there to play guitar and “ooh” and “aah”.
They come across as real friends wanting to share with their audience as opposed to something manufactured and releasing cds of an obligatory “sound”.
well. LJ, we like’ em and it looks as if we’re not the only ones.
Sugarland is at the height of its commercial appeal, so anything they would have received would have sold well. It will be interesting to see what Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift do sales wise in their first two weeks, and if they follow Sugarland’s lead on the deluxe package idea.
Bet you five dollars they would’ve broken 500k if the deluxe edition had included their version of “Bob That Head”.
Chris N., Billboard has merged the sales totals, and I don’t know if they kept an accurate tally of each version, but my guess would be 4 to 1 in favor of the deluxe. Most retail outlets are only pricing the deluxe package $2-3 above the regular edition.
I am totally loving this CD. Sugarland has really evolved into really masterful artists. And this only their third album, I think we are only at the beginning of seeing what they can do together. Jennifer Nettles is the best vocalist I’ve heard since Reba and their songwriting got so much sharper, deeper, and precise to the point of human emotion on this new CD. I really love how Kristian’s backing vocals came to the front of some of the tracks too, like ‘Geneveive’ and ‘We Run’ … Right now, my favorite track is ‘(Sh) It Happens’ …