W.D. Stevens wrote:
I'm inserting this addendum at the top because the curious tone I'd intended for the message sounds more negative than I meant it to and I can't think how to rephrase it:
How hard is it to actually achieve a #1 album these days? Obviously if I did it wouldn't even chart so I don't mean anyone can do it but with singles, I know streams from YouTube, Spotify and whatever else get counted (as percentages of a sale, though, I think) but I don't know how you'd factor that in for an album release. I don't know how popular albums are to create these days but I seem to remember they started declining in the last decade but they're picking up again. But, certainly a lot of younger listeners aren't buying albums. All the ones I know stream from Spotify and that's it.
Pair that with the fact that Paul's audience is probably, at its heart, still of the generation that does buy albums, I'm not greatly surprised it charted. #1 is excellent, though and I bet he's pretty chuffed. NEW only got to #3 which is still pretty fantastic. Kudos to all involved.
147,000 if the 153,000 albums that made him #1 were pure sales. Meaning most of us bought physical albums. I think that is pretty impressive since half of Eminem’s sales were digital.
I’m 27 and bought the album and some friends that are my age or younger bought it. I think you’re underestimating Paul here. Some of us who actually aren’t from USA helped him buying our physical albums from USA (I bought it on Target).