Paul McCartney is set to become the first artist ever to debut at number one on sales from coffee shops alone.
McCartney's 'Memory Almost Full' album is on track to come in at number one next week with sales of around 180,000 units, according to Hitsdailydouble.The strategy is simple. 'Memory Almost Full' went on sale in the US this week exclusively through Starbucks stores.
The album is tipped to sell around double was his previous album 'Chaos and Creation In The Big Backyard' did in the first week two years ago.
In a down-turned industry, new and innovative ways to reach the fan are essential. The Starbucks strategy certainly worked for McCartney.
However, 'Industry Bitch' Bob Lefsetz seems to still have it in for McCartney, criticizing him today after yesterday's tirade for actually selling records. "That Ray Charles CD sold at Starbucks, and then a few discs in reasonable numbers thereafter, but now the coffee chain is just another outlet, whose imprimatur is close to worthless" he writes. "If they sold ONE ALBUM A YEAR, and it wasn't on their own label... Hell, they're selling COFFEE, not music. And what sells their coffee is quality and word of mouth."
Grow up Bob, who cares where the music is sold as long as music is sold.
