technology industry: Will Beyonce's 4 Be #1 Again?

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Will Beyonce's 4 Be #1 Again?

Experts think B needs a hit single soon, but her latest album seems poised to top the charts again next week.
By Jocelyn Vena

Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia

As a contender for 2011 Summer Diva, Beyoncé is certainly making great strides to rule the airwaves this summer. After B's fourth solo LP, 4, debuted at #1 last week, it's looking likely that she'll top the charts on next week's Billboard albums chart as well.

A rep for SoundScan hadn't responded to MTV News' request for an exact number of units expected to be sold by next week, but Billboard is reporting that a lack of high-powered new releases should secure a repeat top spot for Beyoncé's latest.

The buzz around B and the album will probably only continue to grow, since she's slated to debut a video for her next single, "Best Thing I Never Had," very soon. But her album's success comes as a bit of a surprise, seeing as "Run the World (Girls)" nor any other single has really resonated with fans or radio so far.

"Beyoncé, I love her, but none of her singles thus far off 4 seem poised to be doing huge numbers," Perez Hilton told MTV News.

But we should not count B out in the singles department just yet, Us Weekly senior music editor Ian Drew said.

"You've got to remember that Beyoncé, being typical Beyoncé, her albums generally are anchored by really big hits; this album doesn't have those hits yet," Drew told MTV News. "It's not to say that it won't. There are some very strong songs on the album, but they have not been released yet. There are those songs on it, but they have not come out yet and they haven't struck yet. Beyoncé is coming out at a time when radio is very crowded."

Despite those obstacles, B is definitely marching to the beat of her own drummer. "She's going in a different direction," Drew said. "She's taking control of her own career."

Have you checked out Beyoncé's new album? Share your reviews in the comments!

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