Bruce Springsteen’s “Letter to You” should have been sent certified by Sony Music’s Columbia label in New York.
In a bitter chart race, “Letter to You” finished 2nd today for the week in its debut. The album sold around 83,000 copies with all but 3,000 CDs and downloads. The remainder was gained from streaming.
But what was number 1? Surely it came from another record company? Alas, no, it was Sony’s Nashville branch. In a deal they made with Nashville’s River House, country artist Luke Combs finished above Bruce with 106,540 copies of his “What You See is What You Get.”
Yes, “What You See is What You Get” is the name of a famous 1973 hit by the Dramatics on Stax Records. But country is famous for lifting titles of pre-existing hits and making them over into a new horse and saddle.
But Ouch! If Sony had just postponed Combs or moved it up a week, Bruce might have been numero uno. But he was undone by his own record company. And it’s the only one he’s ever had. Bruce has been on Columbia Records since 1972. Only Barbra Streisand can say that. I do think that Tony Bennett and Bob Dylan each wandered off and returned. But Bruce has always been there.
“Letter to You” sold in its first week more than Bruce’s last album, “Western Stars,” sold in its first three weeks. There’s nothing like adding the E Street Band that won’t put some pep in your step! Bruce is nevertheless number 1 on the charts this week for this writer. I don’t use combs!
