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Prince and Keith Urban Battle for Number One on the Charts

4/2/09, 9:16 am EST

Photo: Lovekin/Getty(Urban), Mazur/WireImage(Prince)

It’s going to come down to the wire for the top spot on the charts next week as Prince and Keith Urban are locked in a close race for Number One. According to Reuters, “industry prognosticators” anticipate Urban’s Defying Gravity will edge out Prince’s triple attack of LOtUSFLOW3R, MPLSoUND and Bria Valente’s Elixer. Both albums are expected to sell in the neighborhood of 150,000 copies, though Urban might top out at 160,000.

LOtUSFLOW3R would be Prince’s fifth U.S. chart-topping album, following Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day, the Batman soundtrack and, most recently, 2006’s 3121. Even if it doesn’t claim the top spot, the LOtUS package will undoubtedly sell more than the 96,000 copies Prince’s previous album Planet Earth mustered in 2007. Urban has never claimed a Number One spot, settling for Number Three on both of his previous albums.

If Prince does win the sales race, the victory will likely come with some kind of industry asterisk: The LOtUSFLOW3R package was released on Sunday, March 29th, giving Prince an additional two days of sales and a nine-day debut week. However, Keith Urban isn’t leashed to an exclusive deal with Target like Prince is, making Defying Gravity more widely available. Plus, the amount of copies purchased via membership to Prince’s newly launched LOtUSFLOW3R Website likely won’t be included in his final tally. One thing is for certain, and that’s that Now! 30 probably won’t be topping the charts again.

For more on the LOtUSFLOW3R package, check out this week’s New Music Report for Rolling Stone’s take on the Purple One’s three-disc set.

Related Stories:

• Prince Pulls Out Three Different Sets for L.A. Triple-Gig Marathon
• Prince Launches “Lotusflow3r” Website With New Albums, Riddle
• Prince Breaks Out Beatles, Rolling Stones at Oscar Party

Daniel Kreps

More General, Rock News


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Comments

mike | 4/2/2009, 10:26 am EST

Keith urban’s album was also on sale for a mere $4 on amazon.com

AShleigh | 4/2/2009, 11:14 am EST

Keith you are so cool you know that !!!!!

1 | 4/2/2009, 11:46 am EST

‘ having 1=1 –

bre | 4/2/2009, 11:46 am EST

Team keith!

Anonymous | 4/2/2009, 4:23 pm EST

Keith offered the album on amazon for $3.99 for the first day. He is also thinking of the economy with a select number of cheaper tickets to shows this summer. I like both artists and think that more should lower prices especially this year to help out! I’m pulling for Keith though :)

gloria | 4/2/2009, 8:06 pm EST

Keith Urban = Taylor Swift pop.

eddie | 4/2/2009, 11:31 pm EST

come on keith urban sucks prince rules he is one of a kind

Shari | 4/3/2009, 5:43 am EST

Keith’s album is simply fantastic. I can not stop listening to it.
Go Keith!

Cindy | 4/3/2009, 11:30 am EST

Go Keith Go!! Love Defying Gravity, it’s over the top great!

Montana girl | 4/3/2009, 11:52 am EST

Love it! Love it! Love it! You are an amazing artist Keith. Your album is AWESOME!!! Can’t wait to see you in concert!

Anonymous | 4/3/2009, 1:40 pm EST

Interesting to say the very least. Prince’s new record stinks. It just goes to show that America allows itself to be a victim of hype and Prince is great at generating it. If the record was amazing it could stand on it’s own and there wouldn’t be the circus surrounding it’s release. Rolling Stone’s review was to the point and right on the money.

Kayla | 4/3/2009, 5:07 pm EST

woooo!! Go Keith! Defying Gravity rocks! and 2 eddie Prince SUCKS!!!

Lauren | 4/3/2009, 5:29 pm EST

I’m a fan of both Keith and prince. I haven’t heard Keith’s new album though. Lotusflow3r is one of princes best! I’m voting for prince all the way

KB | 4/3/2009, 5:50 pm EST

Keith’s album is fabulous. It was available on amazon for 4 bucks on release day only, and only for download. I hope Keith wins this one.

Prince1111 | 4/3/2009, 7:19 pm EST

I love both Prince and Keith Urban !!! Both albums are EXCELLENT!!!!!

Country Bumpkin | 4/4/2009, 5:50 am EST

I can’t believe anybody buys country music. But then again, they all voted for Bush and McCain, too.

Ronn W | 4/4/2009, 11:26 am EST

Keith and Prince are my favorite artists, so this is very interesting to me. I think 3 cds was a bit much for Prince to release. Yea, there are some songs on it that I could have done without, but all in all, its a good album! Theres definately enough material on it to make one EXTREMELY great album. And hey, for 11.98, who cares that theres some mediocre material on it. Keiths album, is good, but the main disappointmet for me is that theres no “stand out” guitar solos that he’s famous for. He dropped the ball on that. But its worth buying. My vote, however, goes to Prince cause he totally rocked the guitarand ive been a fan for 29 years!

isaac | 4/4/2009, 8:07 pm EST

Come on now people Prince is not only genius but simply amazing! Listen to lyrics and meanings! The man has been trying to bring reall music to reall music lovers! Now Keith may be good and its hard to compare apples to oranges but when it comes to overall talent there is no comparison! Go Prince go, sorry country kids but Keith is no #1!

isaac | 4/4/2009, 8:14 pm EST

Not only is Prince genius but he is simply amazing! The man has been trying to bring reall music to reall music lovers! Its hard to compare apples to oranges but when it comes to overall talent there is no comparison! Go prince go sorry country kids but get reall!

il psalms75 IZE | 4/5/2009, 4:56 pm EST

Hey all you Prince fans out there go and buy this sick with it, off the chain 3 cd set! We will see the Kid drop keith like the”wall of Berlin”! This is for my country bumpkin buddy Jimbo! You know your my buddy but you cant mess with the best! lol #1

Ann | 4/5/2009, 6:29 pm EST

Keith gets my vote every time – what a fabulous performer and guitarist! Can’t wait to cross the Atlantic from UK to see his show in June!

beleaveitorknot | 4/5/2009, 9:02 pm EST

So I agree with Isaac. Prince is amazing he really does want us to have hope in this dying music industry! Im not a hater but for real Prince hands down can take the number one spot! ‘ Let it be known Prince has 5 or more number one’s under his belt and Keith doesnt have one, and again I think Prince is worthy of what he is entiteled! number one, he has never let us down and other music artists would agree. Just ask his allstar band or other huge artists like Alisha keys, Lenny Kravits etc.

Ronn W | 4/6/2009, 8:49 pm EST

Unfortunately its looking like Keith is gonna win. Keith is great, but I was pulling for Prince on this one. But hey, at least it’s another top 10! And thats actually 4 albums in a row that have made the top 10! Not bad for a 50 year old with over 30 studio albums, and 31 years and into his career!

Ronn W | 4/6/2009, 8:49 pm EST

Unfortunately its looking like Keith is gonna win. Keith is great, but I was pulling for Prince on this one. But hey, at least it’s another top 10! And thats actually 4 albums in a row that have made the top 10! Not bad for a 50 year old with over 30 studio albums, and 31 years and into his career!

Jennifer A Johnson | 4/7/2009, 12:34 am EST

Go Keith.

beleaveitornot: Keith has had 10 number ones. Do your research.

Country Bumpkin: why do you have such a username and rag the genre?

JJ | 4/7/2009, 12:34 am EST

Go Keith.

beleaveitornot: Keith has had 10 number ones. Do your research.

Country Bumpkin: why do you have such a username and rag the genre?

Jen | 4/7/2009, 12:35 am EST

Go Keith.

beleaveitornot: Keith has had 10 number ones. Do your research.

Country Bumpkin: why do you have such a username and rag the genre?

unicon blue | 4/8/2009, 11:07 pm EST

Keith I love your new album. You won my vote and This one is the best one I heard yet.

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