The first U. S. shipment of Michael Jackson's posthumous album, "Michael," will be 900,000 according to retail sources. Sony is projecting first-week CD sales of 340,000 and digital album sales of 60,000. Those numbers are similar to debut-week sales of Jackson's album "This Is It," though that album had the marketing strength of a major motion picuture behind it.
Second week projections for "Michael," are set at 280,000 units, while digital sales are expected to slip from its debut week percentage of 15% to 8%. However, both of those percentages are better than the digital sales garnered by "This Is It" in its first week when the format accounted for only 5.6% of total sales.
Many music merchants say the controversy surrounding the single "Breaking News" should fuel awareness and interest in the album.
"I think people will come out to buy the album, especially with the controversy," Edge Entertainment Distribution music buyer Danny Cohen says.
The debate over song quality and vocal authenticity will likely be a moot point by Nov. 15, when the Jackson website is scheduled to debut "Hold My Hand," which features Akon. That first commercially available single from "Michael" will be made available for sale that same day at digital stores like iTunes.
Some merchants worry that the quality of the first song streamed from Jackson's site may not inspire consumers to rush out and buy the whole album on street date. One merchant described "Breaking News" as "an interesting choice to sell an album." However, many merchants say that Sony sales representatives have told them the single was chosen more because of the lyrical content as a way to herald the news about the upcoming album.
Second week projections for "Michael," are set at 280,000 units, while digital sales are expected to slip from its debut week percentage of 15% to 8%. However, both of those percentages are better than the digital sales garnered by "This Is It" in its first week when the format accounted for only 5.6% of total sales.
Many music merchants say the controversy surrounding the single "Breaking News" should fuel awareness and interest in the album.
"I think people will come out to buy the album, especially with the controversy," Edge Entertainment Distribution music buyer Danny Cohen says.
The debate over song quality and vocal authenticity will likely be a moot point by Nov. 15, when the Jackson website is scheduled to debut "Hold My Hand," which features Akon. That first commercially available single from "Michael" will be made available for sale that same day at digital stores like iTunes.
Some merchants worry that the quality of the first song streamed from Jackson's site may not inspire consumers to rush out and buy the whole album on street date. One merchant described "Breaking News" as "an interesting choice to sell an album." However, many merchants say that Sony sales representatives have told them the single was chosen more because of the lyrical content as a way to herald the news about the upcoming album.
Girlfriend
I'm gonna tell your boyfriend (yeah)
Tell him (woo hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (yeah)
Tell him what you do to me
Late at night when the wind is free
Girlfriend
I'm gonna show your boyfriend (yeah)
Show him (woo hoo)
The letters I've been savin' (yeah)
Show him how you feel inside
An' how love could not be denied (oh no)
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do, etc.
Girlfriend
You better tell your boyfriend (yeah)
Tell him (woo hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (yeah)
Tell him what he needs to know
Or he may never let you go
Yeah we're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do ...... ad lib to fade
I'm gonna tell your boyfriend (yeah)
Tell him (woo hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (yeah)
Tell him what you do to me
Late at night when the wind is free
Girlfriend
I'm gonna show your boyfriend (yeah)
Show him (woo hoo)
The letters I've been savin' (yeah)
Show him how you feel inside
An' how love could not be denied (oh no)
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do, etc.
Girlfriend
You better tell your boyfriend (yeah)
Tell him (woo hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (yeah)
Tell him what he needs to know
Or he may never let you go
Yeah we're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do ...... ad lib to fade
All you gotta do is just walk away and pass me by
Don't acknowledge my smile when I try to say hello to you, yeah
And all you gotta do is not answer my calls when
I'm trying to get through
To keep me wondering why, when all I can do is sigh
I just wanna touch you
Chorus
I just wanna touch and kiss
And I wish that I could be with you tonight
You give me butterflies inside, inside and I
All I gotta say is that I must be dreaming, can't be real
You're not here with me, still I can feel you near me
I caress you, let you taste us, just so blissful listen
I would give you anything baby, just make my dreams come true
Oh baby you give me butterflies
Chorus x 2
If you would take my hand, baby I would show you
Guide you to the light babe
If you would be my love, baby I will love you, love you
'Till the end of time
Chorus x 3
Don't acknowledge my smile when I try to say hello to you, yeah
And all you gotta do is not answer my calls when
I'm trying to get through
To keep me wondering why, when all I can do is sigh
I just wanna touch you
Chorus
I just wanna touch and kiss
And I wish that I could be with you tonight
You give me butterflies inside, inside and I
All I gotta say is that I must be dreaming, can't be real
You're not here with me, still I can feel you near me
I caress you, let you taste us, just so blissful listen
I would give you anything baby, just make my dreams come true
Oh baby you give me butterflies
Chorus x 2
If you would take my hand, baby I would show you
Guide you to the light babe
If you would be my love, baby I will love you, love you
'Till the end of time
Chorus x 3