LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – John Mayer is on track to debut at No. 1 on the US pop album chart next week, leading a seasonal onslaught of major releases.
The singer/songwriter could sell between 275,000 and 300,000 copies of ‘Battle Studies’ by week’s end on Sunday, according to industry sources.
It will be his second chart-topper, following ‘Heavier Things’, which opened to 317,000 copies in 2003. Mayer’s last studio set, “Continuum,” entered the chart at No. 2 with 300,000 in 2006.
Another nine albums are on track to debut inside the top 20 when the tally is published on Wednesday. Next in line could be Christian group Casting Crowns’ ‘Until the Whole World Hears’, with possibly as many as 175,000 copies.
After that, 50 Cent’s ‘Before I Self Destruct’ and Norah Jones’ ‘The Fall’ are vying for the third-highest debut, as each are estimated to sell around 150,000 copies.
Tween sensation Justin Bieber’s debut album, ‘My World’, could shift 100,000 copies, while “American Idol” winner Kris Allen may see his debut effort move about 90,000 copies. Rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures seems on track to sell about 75,000 with its first effort, and Leona Lewis’ second album, ‘Echo’, may sell 50,000 to 60,000, as will Paul McCartney’s new live set ‘Good Evening New York City’.
As for the big-selling holdover titles on next week’s list, the largest will be Andrea Bocelli’s ‘My Christmas’, which should sell another 100,000 copies. So far in two weeks, it has moved 285,000 copies.