UPDATE: The numbers are in. The album sold 175,441 pure sales and if we include streaming numbers, that’s 277,601.
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JAY-Z’s thirteenth studio album 4:44 (peep the full credits here) is now available across multiple streaming services and digital retailers with Spotify serving as the only exception. This development is followed by a week long exclusive window for the album on Hov’s own service, TIDAL. 4:44 CDs, featuring three bonus songs are now also out on Amazon, Best Buy and more stores.
Although the album came out last week, JAY-Z and TIDAL decided to withhold the streaming numbers from Nielsen Music which led to the album not charting on the Billboard 200 this week. Instead, it is eligible for a debut on the charts next week, following its wide release yesterday (July 7). According to HDD, 4:44 is expected to move 250-275k copies in the first week with 150-175k out of that coming through pure sales.
In comparison, Hov’s last LP Magna Carta Holy Grail moved 528k copies in the first week back in 2013 which was largely attributed to the Roc Nation head honcho’s business deal with Samsung. The title song from 4:44 serves as the first single on the radio while the album is already certified platinum by the RIAA courtesy its deal with Sprint customers.