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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Depeche Mode

  • Chart Chat 5/7/09: Chillin’ Like Bob Dylan

    dylanSurprising no one, Bob Dylan makes his second straight entry at the top of the Billboard charts with his latest album “Together Through Life”. The album scans just under 125,000 units in it’s first week. The remainder of the chart is pretty mellow, with a couple of baby bands (Playing for Change and Heaven & Hell) debuting at #10 and #8, respectively, and the remainder of the Top 10 remaining relatively static.

    Lady GaGa continues her upward momentum, as “The Fame” rises to #5 this week with a 1% increase to 40K scanned. With 775,000 copies having crossed record store shelves (or the virtual equivalent), GaGa should be crossing Platinum territory very soon.

    “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars” continue to drive sales, as three of the four biggest increases of the week are due to performances on those shows. Taylor Hicks’ “The Distance” re-enters the chart at #180, with a 148% increase over the previous week’s sales. Robin Thicke and Jamie Foxx also make big increases, and Foxx’s “Blame It” single reaches a new peak on the singles chart, landing at #2 behind The Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow”.

    The biggest drop of the week comes from Depeche Mode, whose “Sounds of the Universe” falls from 3-18 on a 73% decrease to 22,000 units. However, this week’s epic fail has to go to Mike Jones (who??). The Texan rapper, who scored platinum sales several years ago with his debut, “Who is Mike Jones?” can only manage a #12 debut with his latest album, “The Voice”, which opens with a weak 25K.

    Next week, expect Ciara and Chrisette Michele to challenge for the #1 spot. Ciara might have an edge due to the fact that she’s performing on “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. The week after that, the real fireworks start, as Green Day’s album will hit the charts, followed by Eminem a week after that.

  • Chart Chat 4/30/09: Seriously, Rick Ross???

    rickross

    If you’ve been following our Twitter page lately, you’ve noticed that I’ve been wondering who the hell buys Rick Ross albums. ‘Cause I know folks who like all kinds of music, and not one person I talk to on a regular basis will admit to owning one of the dude’s records. But someone’s buying ’em right? For the third consecutive album, Rick Ross has debuted at #1 on the Billboard Album chart. “Deeper Than Rap” opens with 158,000 units, significantly ahead of the “Hannah Montana” soundtrack, which is #2 with 104K.

    If you are a Rick Ross fan, please step to the plate and let us know why you buy his records. Seriously. I won’t even laugh at you or question your musical taste in public.

    Then again, maybe he just has a lot of buddies at the corrections facility he was working in.
    There are two other debuts in the Top 10 this week. Depeche Mode is one of those bands that just never goes out of style (not to mention the fact that they should be in the R&R Hall of Fame), and they take the #3 spot on this week’s chart with “Sounds of the Universe”. Meanwhile, suburban rapper Asher Roth enters at #5 with “Asleep in the Bread Aisle”, an album that features my current guilty pleasure, “I Love College”.

    The Top 200’s biggest percentage increase this week goes to Jack Johnson, whose year old “Sleep Through the Static” moves to #170 on a 53% increase. Not far behind him is “Dancing with the Stars” performer Robin Thicke, whose “Something Else” jumps over the 400K mark on a 48% increase down at #180. The biggest drop comes from alt-rock band Silversun Pickups, who slide 7-33 on a 68% decrease to 14,000 units.

    Next week, it’s all but given that Bob Dylan will debut at the top of the charts for the second consecutive time. Better him than Rick Ross. And that will lead to a very interesting May, during which Eminem and Green Day will challenge U2 for the year’s biggest first-week total. Stay tuned!

    This week’s Top 20 Albums:

    1) “Deeper Than Rap” Rick Ross

    2) “Hannah Montana Soundtrack” Various Artists

    3) “Sounds of the Universe” Depeche Mode

    4) “Unstoppable” Rascal Flatts

    5) “Asleep in the Bread Aisle” Asher Roth

    6) “Twilight Soundtrack” Various Artists

    7) “The Fame” Lady GaGa

    8) “Forever in a Day” Day26

    9) “Now That’s What I Call Music 30” Various Artists

    10) “Last Kiss” Jadakiss

    11) “Fearless” Taylor Swift

    12) “Wide Open” Jason Aldean

    13) “Dark Horse” Nickelback

    14) “In a Perfect World…” Keri Hilson

    15) “Only by the Night” Kings of Leon

    16) “Shallow Life” Lacuna Coil

    17) “Defying Gravity” Keith Urban

    18) “Quiet Nights” Diana Krall

    19) “Lotusflow3r/MPLSound/Elix3r” Prince/Bria Valente

    20) “I Am…Sasha Fierce” Beyonce

  • New Release of the Week 4/21/09: Tinted Windows

    tinted-windowsWho the hell are Tinted Windows, you ask? Well, they’re the latest pop/rock supergroup to form, consisting of Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick, James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins/A Perfect Circle (was he in Zwan too?), Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger and…wait for it…Taylor Hanson. Nope, I’m not kidding.

    Anyway, as a super-fan of Fountains of Wayne and someone who appreciates if not loves the other three bands, I’m pretty excited about this record. With Adam and Bun E. on board, there’ll definitely be some cool power-pop action here. Hopefully, Tinted Windows will end my streak of buying mediocre albums that’s lasted me all of 2009 so far.

    Here’s what else you’ll find in stores this week.

    Rick Ross “Deeper Than Rap”-Do you think the knowledge of Rick Ross’s stint as a corrections officer will hurt the sales of his third album? Probably not, because most gangsta rap is fake anyway, as are most of the people who listen to it (wannabes of the world, unite!). It’s completely unclear why someone as talented as John Legend would align themselves with this fool, but there he is on the album’s first single, “Magnificent”. Needless to say, if you go anywhere this record, I’ll be forced to make fun of your musical tastes for the duration of our friendship. And this is coming from a guy who freely admits to liking New Kids on the Block.

    Cage the Elephant “Cage the Elephant”-Like Kings of Leon? Well, you’ll fucking love Cage the Elephant. These dudes were born in Bowling Green, KY and raised in a religious hippie commune. What is it about these cults (let’s call a spade a spade here) that produces good bands? Anyway, this album was released in the U.K. last year and their current single “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”, is already in the Top 20 of Billboard’s Modern Rock charts.



    Depeche Mode     “Sounds of the Universe”- If this was 1994, I’d be in front of the record store now to buy the new DM CD. (actually, that’s a lie. I worked in a record store in 1994, so I would have either bought it after I got to work or would have gotten a promotional copy, but saying that I would’ve been in a record store just sounds better). However, in 2009, I’m just not so sure. I mean, I still love the band, but I love them more as a relic from my teenage years than as a still-relevant band. The last album of theirs I bought was Songs of Faith & Devotion, and I’m on the fence here. If you buy it, leave a comment and let me know how it is, k?

    Pet Shop Boys “Yes”-Another band that I would have been much more excited about if this was 1994. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have quietly inched up to their 25th year as a performing duo. Hell, who’d have thought PSB would still be around when “West End Girls” came out in ’86? I haven’t heard much about this one, but if you’re buying this album, I’d imagine you already know what you’re getting, yes? Here’s some classic Pet Shop Boys for ya.

    Bonus Release: Asher Roth “Asleep in the Bread Aisle”-Here’s another white rapper, so the Eminem comparisons are inevitable. For what it’s worth, I like “I Love College”, but not sure if I like it enough to buy a whole album of the guy’s. Sounds a little novelty-ish to me. I saw this guy on MTV2 a couple weeks ago (or maybe it was MTV Hits…it’s the one that actually plays videos), and Asher was guest hosting. Seemed like a pretty nice guy, except that he had an unnecessary blac-cent. I honestly hate when white folks adopt traditionally black mannerisms and speaking styles. Well, I guess I can tolerate it if you grew up in a particular environment, but this guy’s name is Asher Roth. Ain’t one ounce of hood in this character.

    For a more exhaustive list of this week’s releases, you know what to do. Click here.