Nicki Minaj To Outperform Album Sales Predictions + J. Cole Closing In On Going Gold

NICKI, COLE & D’ANGELO ALL LAND IN THE TOP 5

(AllHipHop News) Positive reviews and a week-long media blitz may have helped Nicki Minaj’s new album outdo early sales predictions. While the Queens rapper’s third LP The Pinkprint was looking at first week sales between 170,000-180,000, HitsDailyDouble reports the final numbers will be closer to 201,000. Add in streaming totals and Nicki will open with around 250,000 units.

[ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Nicki Minaj Talks Lil Wayne/Baby Drama & Being The Greatest Female Rapper During CRWN Interview]

That would put the Young Money representative in the runner’s up position behind Taylor Swift (376,000/331,000). Pentatonix just missed the top two (213,000/203,000), and J. Cole maintained a top 5 spot coming in at four (125,000/111,000). The total units for Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive now sits around 478,000 units.

R&B singer D’Angelo’s oft-delayed return to releasing music has appeared to be a commercially successful one. His surprise new album Black Messiah enters the chart at number 5 (109,000/104,000).

[ALSO READ: D’Angelo Releases Long-Awaited New Album: Black Messiah]