Wow.
After just two weeks and 3 million albums, “The Tortured Poets Department” has been toppled.
The new number 1 album on iTunes is Dua Lipa’s “Radical Optimism.” Taylor Swift has been dethroned.
It does seem like Swift’s incredible first week and so-so second week have saturated her audience.
Dua Lipa — that is her real name — brings a gigantic hit with her on “Radical Optimism” in the form of “Houdini.” There are two other previously released singles including “Training Season.”
The whole album is filled with radio friendly pop singles. I particularly liked “Maria” and “End of an Era.” This album should be a hit all summer.
But fans are fickle now. Even recording superstars get just one or two weeks at the top before they’re supplanted by the release of the week.
Take Ariana Grande’s “Eternal Sunshine.” It’s sold about 125,000 actual albums, and a total of 700,000 which is mostly from streaming. In the old days, “Poets” would have gone on and on. But this week it sold 455,000 including 125,000 in hard sales. It’s over as quickly as it started. Now it’s Dua Lipa’s turn. We’ll see if she can hold on.
