YOUR TOP 15: Now 50 takes over the top of next week's chart as the Frozen soundtrack relinquishes its hold on #1 for at least the new few weeks. The Top 15 could be home to as many as eight debuts. Here's how it looks headed into the weekend:
1.
Now 50 (NOW) 135-150k
2.
Frozen (Walt Disney) 100-110k
3.
Hunter Hayes (Atlantic) 70-75k
4.
Sarah McLachlan (Verve) 35-40k
5.
Pharrell Williams (Columbia) 27-30k
6.
Tech N9ne Collabos (Strange Music) 27-30k
7.
Luke Bryan (Capitol Nashville) 21-24k
8.
Atmosphere (Rhymesayers) 21-24k
9.
Lily Allen (Parlophone) 17-19k
10.
Lindsey Stirling (Lindseystomp) 17-19k
11.
Lorde (Lava/Republic) 16-18k
12.
Nashville Cast (Big Machine) 15-17k
13.
Santana (RCA) 14-16k
14.
Ray LaMontagne (RCA) 14-16k
15.
Florida Georgia Line (Republic Nashville) 14-16k
In other news, when Vladimir Putin starts telling you to dial it back a little bit, you know the situation is truly FUBAR.
(5/8p)
YOUR NEW RELEASES: Now 50 looks to have a commanding lead over the Frozen soundtrack for #1 on next week's album chart. Based on one-day sales, the 50th iteration in the Now series will have the best opening since Now 41 topped 140k in February of 2012. Here are this week's key debuts:
Now (NOW) 125-140k
Hunter Hayes (Atlantic) 70-75k
Sarah McLachlan (Verve) 35-40k
Tech N9ne (Strange Music) 25-30k
Lily Allen (Parlophone) 18-22k
Atmosphere (Rhymesayers) 18-22k
Nashville Cast (Big Machine) 15-18k
Santana (RCA) 14-17k
Needless to say, Now appears on the NOW label, a joint venture between UMG and Sony that is also part of the UMe universe. But you knew that.
(5/7a)
YOUR VERY EARLY NUMBERS: Lots of caveats go with these early numbers on some key releases streeting this week.
Could the hit-stuffed Now 50 pose a threat to Frozen's #1 status? We're not ruling it out. How will Mother's Day factor in? Did we mention that these are really early numbers?
Now 50 (NOW) 90-110k
Hunter Hayes (Atlantic) 70-80k
Sarah McLachlan (Verve) 35-45k
Lily Allen (Parlophone/Warner Bros.) 20-25k
Tech N9ne Collabos (Strange Music) 20-25k
Speaking of Mother's Day, anything dubstep is always in good taste.
(5/6p) 
