Ellie Goulding and Marina & the Diamonds have a lot of superficial similarities that renders them comparable. Both white English girls from London who make slightly ~quirky~ pop and appeal to roughly the same crowds, known for their catchy hooks, beauty, and songwriting that goes above the usual mainstream pop standard.
Ellie's career has of course been much bigger, with many international hits this year alone.
Yet 'Froot' opened with 43k copies earlier this year in the States, while 'Delirium', featuring the Top 20 hit "On My Mind", is only slated to open with 40k.
Why is this?