Hip Hop Collector’s Item “The Deandre Way” Copy 1 of 13,360 & Video “A Day In The Life Of Soulja Boy…Album Release Concert In NY”



By: That Retail Chick

Twitter was all abuzz among the industry yesterday about Soulja Boys’ new album “The Deandre Way” selling a little over 13,000 units in the first week of its release.  The only twitter page that was silent was that of @SouljaBoyTellem.  After a major promo tour with concerts and videos on MTV & WSHH, I believe this was a major blow to the marketing & sales departments at every major label that left them wondering, “What if this happens to us?”  Especially when execs like UMG’s own Cameo Carlson, an EVP at Universal Motown Republic Group that used to work for Itunes says things like…

“We would certainly like fans to buy more than just a track, so we’re trying to look at ways we can get that interaction to be more significant… We’re not going to make up for falling physical sales 99 cents or $1.29 at a time.”

What baffles me the most in all of this are the number of fans that are visibly involved in Soulja Boy’s daily world via social networks and performances that did not purchase his album?  To date, he has over 2.5 million fans following him on twitter and with only 13,360 units sold that means it’s possible that only a little over 0.5% of them bought the album.  Of those sales, 85% purchased it from a store and 15% purchased it online.  Now factor in the 60% sales drop that an album see in the 2nd week of sales and the music industry has a real problem.

Soulja Boys’ hit single “Pretty Boy Swag” has sold over 500,000 digital units, and that’s still only a possibility of 20% of those same fans making a purchase.  Although that’s a better percentage, can the music industry survive like that?  Even the nearly 5 million “Pretty Boy Swag” Youtube views had no bearing on Soulja Boys’ single sales whatsoever, considering that’s where he got his multi-platinum start.

The only question that remains now that the music industry is even more aware of the problem is how to find a solution.  Do the execs at the top “playing musical music industry chairs” have the expertise to fix this?  Can they stomach another week of first week numbers like these?

Tell us what YOU think!  Leave your comments and make sure you check out @THATRETAILCHICK on twitter.




4 responses to “Hip Hop Collector’s Item “The Deandre Way” Copy 1 of 13,360 & Video “A Day In The Life Of Soulja Boy…Album Release Concert In NY””

  1. michael says:

    so, lets round this up….

    Nicki Minaj sold……Drake sold….Wayne sold…..Jay sold…. Kanye sold….. hell, r&b acts sold.
    Even if they didn’t go platinum in the first three weeks, they went gold within two. But for some reason, Soulja Boy only sold less than 14, 000? That doesn’t translate to an industry problem. That translates to what happens when a marketing team puts all their effort into a hip hop artist that sucks at his craft. If it was an industry thing, Nicki Minaj wouldn’t have gotten rich off of mixtape and Drake would have been a “has been” before his first album dropped.

    Chris Brown beat the hell outta his ex and still sells out shows and gets bread and more people will buy his new project that Rihannas, so its not the industry. Tell SOulja boy to sit his little ass down.

    Courtney, make me a writer.

  2. Ladina Jones says:

    I think when an artist is not humble and throws up in peoples faces how rich they are and is clearly not a good role model. The parents are the ones who have the last say in where the money is spent. Soulja boy needs to grow up and be more selective of the company he keeps and the image he portrays to his younger fans…..

  3. Kim says:

    I think he is getting a little played out and i also have to agree with Michael. He has a book out on how rich he is and the lateset and dumbest chain he just brought. I havent heard or read anything about him giving back. he doesnt rap about anything positive.” Pretty Bot Swag” thats why half the kids in school is wearing a uniform there worried about their swag. But it’s his time to sit down he has opened doors for other youngsters doing the Doggie and Cali Swagg District. He is 20 now and i dont see him rapping about anything serious.

  4. droppin it like its hot since 86 says:

    I told y’all so…welcome to the life of a has-been Soulja Fool i knew these young fans of yours would of gotten smart someday..lmao @the fact that you got 2.5 million followers on twitter and not even 1/1,000,000th of them went out and bought your album. sit your ass down behind a desk in school and get your diploma…better off gettin out the industry now..lmfaooo @him

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