The Jay Z executive-produced soundtrack to “The Great Gatsby” is a hit. Currently, it’s blazing up the iTunes chart. Over on amazon.com, where sales skew older, customers have put two editions of the soundtrack at numbers 2 and 3 respectively (the second one is a deluxe edition).
But what’s keeping “Gatsby” from the top spot on amazon? None other than TV star Zooey Deschanel’s new album with partner M. Ward. They call themselves “She and Him.” It’s their third edition of songs together. Interesting–that the likeable Deschanel is holding Jay Z and friends back.
In physical sales of CDs, amazon has “Gatsby” at number 12. Combined with iTunes and whats left of record stores, “Gatsby” should finish in the top 3 when sales are added up beginning tomorrow.
What’s interesting about the “Gatsby” soundtrack: many of the tracks are only available if you buy the whole album for download. Customers can’t cherry pick nine of the 14 tracks and call it a day. I often wonder why this isn’t usually the case for albums. This was a smart move on the part of Interscope. And so while you can get Lana del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful” off of “Gatsby” as a single, tracks by Florence and the Machine, will.i.am, Beyonce, Jay Z and Emeli Sande are “album only.”
PS all the “She and Him” tracks are available singly or as a collection.
