I got an email about the Robbie Christmas album earlier - I thought it was being updated this year but it looks like it’s the same bundles etc., as last year. I’m sure it will do well this year but can’t see it pulling in massive numbers?

I got an email about the Robbie Christmas album earlier - I thought it was being updated this year but it looks like it’s the same bundles etc., as last year. I’m sure it will do well this year but can’t see it pulling in massive numbers?

The new single already leaked.

It will be released tomorrow. It's called Can't Stop Christmas and added to at least digital version of album.

https://music.apple.com/jp/album/the-christ...1539183426?l=en

I went for the safe choice of Michael Buble but like last year there will probably be a surprise (it was Rod Stewart last year). It depends if any act can attract a large amount of physical sales to pull clear of the albums doing well on streaming.

 

I can’t remember was there a specific reason Rod won the day last December - promo or anything?

I can’t remember was there a specific reason Rod won the day last December - promo or anything?

 

His concert at the O2

 

Would that have had such a big effect?

Would that have had such a big effect?

He had a number of big arena concerts in December 2019 which culminated with three concerts at the O2 Arena in London in the week before Christmas. The publicity generated by his UK tour and the O2 concerts plus appearances on The One Show and TV advertising all provided an invaluable boost in sales during December and in the run up to Christmas. His album exceeded all sales expectations and seemed to become the album people wanted to buy in the run up to Christmas:

 

29/11/19: #3 37,823

06/12/19: #2 35,096

13/12/19: #1 44,776

20/12/19: #1 71,330

27/12/19: #1 47,495

03/01/20: #3 11,875

10/01/20: #6 7,551

 

Those sales are as good as album sales get these days and the vast majority (probably over 99%) were physical sales. I'd imagine the industry and record shops / supermarkets will be hoping at least one album can do the same this year.

^that was incredible for Rod Stewart, selling so much for 5 weeks in a row and even beating the ones of Harry Styles and Stormzy on their release week

those albums with the Philharmonic orchestra always seem to do well

Voted Ball & Boe but now think it's between them and McCartney if I'm honest. Can't see Buble selling enough physicals as it's been around a few years now.

 

Are there any Ball & Boe Christmas TV specials this year?

There normally is! Is the RVS still being shown after Xmas?

Are there any Ball & Boe Christmas TV specials this year?

There's nothing in the ITV Christmas Highlights package. Gary Barlow has his own show on 6th December though.

 

On the week of sales that go towards the Christmas chart (18th-24th), Michael Ball & Alfie Boe are performing on the Graham Norton Show and Robbie Williams is performing on the Strictly final. Robbie also has Jonathan Ross the week before.

 

I'm guessing the Christmas #1 will be between these three acts and Paul McCartney.

Here’s how this week panned out then and we have Gary Barlow, Steps and Miley to be thrown into that mix this week. Have to say AC/DC held up better than I though considering how they slowed at the end of last week!

 

1 Michael Ball & Alfie Boe 32,882 28,857 107

2 BTS 19,562

3 AC/DC 17,239

4 Taylor Swift 14,199 (11,426 physically)

5 Neil Diamond 12,691

6 Little Mix 11,112

7 Iron Maiden 11,094

8 Andre Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra 9,977

9 Andrea Bocelli 9,368

10 Kylie Minogue 8,885 (Total: 78,973)

Ball and Boe selling consistently this week so far!

I think Ball & Boe will take it for sure now, it's crazy how well they're doing, nearly 4-5k a day now...

I think Ball & Boe will take it for sure now, it's crazy how well they're doing, nearly 4-5k a day now...

 

 

It'll all depend how well first week McCartney does.

Yeh it will I still think they will beat McCartney especially if the shops are open Xmas week. Albums doing 4-5k a day is and should be normal at this time of year, we just aren’t used to it!

There's nothing in the ITV Christmas Highlights package. Gary Barlow has his own show on 6th December though.

 

On the week of sales that go towards the Christmas chart (18th-24th), Michael Ball & Alfie Boe are performing on the Graham Norton Show and Robbie Williams is performing on the Strictly final. Robbie also has Jonathan Ross the week before.

 

I'm guessing the Christmas #1 will be between these three acts and Paul McCartney.

Just adding to this, there's an hour long special titled 'Idris Elba Meets Paul McCartney' on BBC 1, Saturday 19th December.

Here’s this week update - Boe/Ball looking like the steadiest sellers at this point

 

1 Gary Barlow 46,406 00,000 00,000

2 Steps 37,394

3 Michael Ball & Alfie Boe 35,050

4 Miley Cyrus 15,318

5 AC/DC

6 Little Mix

7 Kylie Minogue 10,903

8 Andre Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra

9 Michael Buble 10,609

10 Shakin Stevens 10,447

 

Surprised Buble is coming second here!!

Tbf it is starting to look like a possibility. He's #7 in the current mids but looks like he'll climb to #4 and be within 5k of #2 by the end of the week. Presumably he can only increase between now and Christmas.

What did he do last Christmas week, 25k?