COLD FACTS: Disney's Frozen will rule this week's HITS Album Sales Chart with a hearty 90-95k, and now very early projections suggest it will have an even bigger #1 next week, with sales possibly exceeding 150k. (3/18a)
CHART MURMUR: If you're one of the albums competing with Disney's Frozen this week, well, bless your heart.
The animated juggernaut will cruise to another #1 on our Album Sales Chart, powered by Oscar momentum (Idina Menzel's "Let It Go" has zoomed to the Top 5 at iTunes) and the arrival of the DVD at retail. Still, Luke Bryan, Aloe Blacc, Young Money and a score of others hit the chart this week; follow their fates right here as the chart builds.
(3/17p)
YOUR TOP 15: Disney’s Frozen soundtrack will return to #1 for its sixth non-consecutive week. This coincides with the movie’s physical DVD release next Tuesday and (alongside the explosion of the Idina Menzel-sung, Oscar-winning "Let It Go") could provide the ammunition for a repeat at #1 the following week. Here’s how it looks headed into the weekend:
1.
Frozen (Walt Disney) 75-80k
2.
Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville) 70-75k
3.
Rick Ross (Def Jam/IDJ) 40-45k
4.
Pharrell Williams (Columbia) 40-45k
5.
Aloe Blacc (XIX/Interscope) 35-40k
6.
311 (311) 35-40k
7.
Young Money: Rise of an Empire (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic) 27-30k
8.
Sara Evans (RCA Nashville) 27-30k
9.
Lorde (Lava/Republic) 24-27k
10.
Eric Church (EMI Nashville) 22-25k
11.
Beyonce (Columbia) 20-23k
12.
Now 49 (NOW) 20-23k
13.
Beck (Capitol) 19-21k
14.
Ledisi (Verve) 17-19k
15.
ScHoolboy Q (TDE/Interscope) 15-17k
16.
Imagine Dragons (KidinaKorner/Interscope) 15-17k
In other Frozen news, "Let It Go" loses nothing in translation. (3/13p)
YOUR NEW RELEASES: Next week, Walt Disney's Frozen soundtrack will once again battle for #1 on our album chart. Its next opponent will be Capitol Nashville's Luke Bryan, whose latest Spring Break release could be his third #1 in just over a year. Here are this week's key debuts:
Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville) 65-70k
Aloe Blacc (XIX/Interscope) 40-45k
311 (311) 35-40k
Young Money: Rise of an Empire (YM/CM/Republic) 30-35k
Sara Evans (RCA Nashville) 25-30k
Ledisi (Verve) 14-17k
In other music news, an A&R weasel accidentally signed a band in Austin today while trying to order hot links.
(3/12a)
EARLY NUMBERS: eck, this week's HITS Album Sales Chart hasn't even finished building yet and we've got some forecasts for next week. Given that these are extremely early, bear in mind that the numbers are fluid, and keep checking back daily for updates. Luke Bryan will likely fight it out with Disney's relentless Frozen for #1.
Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville)
60-80k
Aloe Blacc (XIX/Interscope)
60-75k
311 (311)
35-45k
Young Money (Young Money/Republic)
30-40k
Sara Evans (RCA Nashville)
20-30k
Ledisi (Verve)
20-30k
Speaking of Aloe Blacc, the singer will be appearing live from SXSW on Kimmel tomorrow night.
(3/11p) 
