The Smiley Smile Message Board

BWPS missed the top 10 and TLOS just cracking the top 20. How will this latest offering do? ???

Who knows?  It depends on the promo.  I like what I've seen in print so far--articles in high-profile publications.  We know that Brian had dinner with a guy from Rolling Stone, so anything from a review to a feature article could be in the works.  We'll find out very soon what kind of TV promo Disney is rolling out for release week...I'm hoping for Letterman (since Dave loves Brian), Today or GMA, maybe Jimmy Kimmel (since he provides a nice space for musical guests).  It also depends on how the album is displayed in stores and if it's featured in sales circulars.
But the climate is very different now than in 2004, and even in 2008.  This week, the #50 album sold under 8000 copies.  Only the top two albums broke 100K.  The #10 album this week sold only 21K.  Most of the national music retail chains that existed in 2004 are gone now.  People go on-line to buy music, or go to independent stores that may or may not report to Soundscan.  Even the music offerings at retailers like Target and WalMart aren't what they used to be.  Digital downloads are now where it's at, but the sale only counts for Billboard if the entire album is purchased as a whole.  if you only want certain tracks, that doesn't count. 
With good promo, Brian could have a debut at a respectable place on Billboard.  But does that sort of measure even matter anymore?  It doesn't hold the same weight that it did 20, 40, or even just 5 years ago.

BWPS had something like 37 years of publicity (including landmark live shows), charted at #13 but still hasn't gone gold some six years later.

TLOS had similar live shows (albeit not domestic) to boost it, charted at #21 but only sold 21,000 in the first week.

BWRG is a horse of an entirely different color. I think it'll chart respectably but, more importantly, will have legs: I see this as being a steady seller over the years.


From what I've seen on iTunes, you can only download the whole album: not sure about amazon.

I predict a debut somewhere between #50 and #68, but hope for higher than that.  Interesting about TLOS...I don't remember it charting that high...that's impressive!  I remember GIOMH spent one week on the chart at #100 (or thereabouts) and was never seen again.  From what I remember IJWMFTT and OCA didn't chart.

Just looked at Andrew's site and IJWMFTT and OCA indeed did not chart.  Neither did LATR.  WIRWFC barely made it at #200 for one week.  BW88 went to #54, and Imagination #88.

Sage decision.  :)

I noticed on iTunes there is a track that concludes the album titled "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off".  Bonus track for iTunes purchase or is this one available on all releases?  I thought "Rhapsody In Blue" was the final track.

Exclusive iTunes bonus. IMHO, bad idea.

Less of a bad idea if iTunes would let you buy just the bonus track.

#1!!!  No, people aren't that smart.

Top 20 hopefully...

But this isn't a commerical album. How many albums like this are charting in the top 50 these days.

I'm just hoping it will fare better than his album, Mid Life Crisis: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mid-life-crisis/id352484724

17

I'm going to completely guestimate that it will appear at #38, then slip.  Like Andrew said though, I feel it'll be a good seller for years to come.  Albums like this don't really get dated, as long as they're still getting pressed it'll still sell steadily. 

Haha! What the heck is that?

My guess: somewhere around #30.

I don't know if there's anything like a steady "fanbase" for Gershwin material nowadays... But unlike BWPS and TLOS, this album is sure to also reach an audience that doesn't particularly care for Brian or the Beach Boys. That's pretty cool.

#42 with a bullet.   :P

It was the little-known period where Brian posed as a 42-year-old doofus with a cowboy hat.  'Twas a very interesting time indeed...

Looks like you were the closest...it debuted at #26 and is now at #53

I only downloaded the bonus track from iTunes (UK site) but there's some thing wrong with it* - how does one return a download?

* It's not very good!