‘Empire’ Soundtrack Might Block Madonna From Number One On The Billboard 200
According to early predictions, Madonna’s Rebel Heart LP might have to settle for number two on the Billboard 200. The diva’s 13th album faces stiff competition from the soundtrack of hit TV show Empire, which features contributions artists like Courtney Love, Rita Ora and Jennifer Hudson. Hits Daily Double reports that the Queen of Pop is expected to sell more copies (the current projection stands at 100,000 — 110,000 copies), but Empire could trump it when digital track sales and on-demand streaming — both of which now count towards the Billboard 200 — are taken into consideration.
If Madonna does pull it out of the bag, Rebel Heart will become her 9th number one LP. That would move the “Living For Love” diva closer to Barbra Streisand, who recently landed her 10th chart-topper with Partners, on the all-time list. And if she misses out, those infuriating leaks take on added significance. While it’s not unusual for albums to surface online a week or two prior to release, the 56-year-old’s opus arrived in full a month early.
Billboard is expected publish their (more reliable) chart prediction shortly. Would the race be this close without those pesky leaks? Have your say in the comments below.
[Via Hits Daily Double].
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