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[Kaladin]

Following Prince’s death on April 21, his The Very Best of Prince and Purple Rain soundtrack return to the chart at Nos. 1 and 2, earning 179,000 equivalent album units (up 10,872 percent) and 69,000 units (up 2,540 percent), respectively, in the week ending April 21, according to Nielsen Music. The Very Best of Prince sold 100,000 in traditional album sales (up 11,232 percent), while Purple Rain sold 63,000 copies (up 3,101 percent).

Another Prince album, the best-of collection The Hits/The B-Sides, re-enters the chart at No. 6 (a new peak) with 41,000 units (up 8,203 percent). The set sold 24,000 in pure album sales (up 10,351 percent).

At No. 3 on the new Billboard 200, the highest debut of the week is from singer/songwriter Sturgill Simpson, as his new Sailor’s Guide to Earth enters with 55,000 units (52,000 in pure album sales). It’s the first top 40-charting album for the singer-songwriter, who previously went as high as No. 59 the week his last album, Metamodern Sounds In Country Music, debuted (May 31, 2014).

It is also #1 in the country music charts this week.

It would be #1 on the Billboard overall this week, but when an icon as big as Prince dies, you can kind of expect something like this.

Still, it's the best selling new album in the country and I think he's still ignored by mainstream country radio.

If you want to hear what all the fuss is about, he performed the whole record live on Morning Becomes Electric:

http://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/morning-becomes-eclectic/sturgill-simpson

Source:
http://www.billboard.com/articles/c...impson-and-santana-billboard-200-top-10-debut

 

[Yaboosh]

That's surprising to me. The new album is pretty good but i feel like it has less mainstream appeal than his last two.

I wonder if the nirvana cover is driving some of it.

 

[Kaladin]

That's surprising to me. The new album is pretty good but i feel like it has less mainstream appeal than his last two.

I wonder if the nirvana cover is driving some of it.

Possibly.

I find the album is growing on me, though it isn't as memorable overall as Metamodern Sounds. Call To Arms and Keep It Between The Lines are the shit though.

I love the horns on this record.

 

[lunchtoast]

He was on JRE recently
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2KP8-zV9mc

Also check out Wheeler Walker Jr. Another country singer who won't be getting any airplay with his hit song "Fuck you Bitch."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31phykl9D_E

 

[karmaforgotme]

Well deserved. I can't wait to see him next month.

 

[see5harp]

I grabbed it before heading off to Coachella and honestly I think it's pretty good. I've never listened to him before and I was pleasantly surprised when the first song had all of the horns and the crazy changes. I thought it was just gonna be a heartfelt twangy sorta thing like the Chris Stapleton album.

 

[Kaladin]

I grabbed it before heading off to Coachella and honestly I think it's pretty good. I've never listened to him before and I was pleasantly surprised when the first song had all of the horns and the crazy changes. I thought it was just gonna be a heartfelt twangy sorta thing like the Chris Stapleton album.

It's a different sound from his other stuff. His two previous albums are more outlaw country like Waylon or Haggard than Stapleton's heartfelt country blues.

That being said, I enjoy the change even if it can be challenging to get into at first.

 

[vacantseas]

Fantastic album. Seeing him in Milwaukee and Chicago in early June. One of the better musicians out there.

 

[see5harp]

I feel like all of the horns and diverse sounds make it EASIER to go into, at least from an outsiders point of view. That's the one thing I really hate about genre and categorization. Guys like Sufjan Stevens went from full on folk music to off the wall electronic rock music and I don't feel like his fans even bat an eyelash. In country, guys like Sturgill or Jason Isbell write a song that isn't about Jesus or America and people flip their fucking lid.

 

[Blue Calx]

Amazing album. One of my favorites of the year so far. Call to Arms might be my favorite Sturgill song.

 

[Kaladin]

I feel like all of the horns and diverse sounds make it EASIER to go into, at least from an outsiders point of view. That's the one thing I really hate about genre and categorization. Guys like Sufjan Stevens went from full on folk music to off the wall electronic rock music and I don't feel like his fans even bat an eyelash. In country, guys like Sturgill or Jason Isbell write a song that isn't about Jesus or America and people flip their fucking lid.

I think the challenge comes more from the format than the sound. It's not an album of hits and it's more of a concept album that is meant to be listened to continuously.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

Was lukewarm on the album when I first listened, but I've found myself going back to it a lot.

 

[wenis]

I'm still not entirely on board with the album. It's ok, not great or even good by any means. Just ok.

 

[backflip10019]

I just heard him for the first time yesterday. He has a damn good voice and a few really good songs. Really enjoyed it.