Though it made for good headlines and shock value, the lack of proper promotion leading up to the ‘surprise’ release of Avenged Sevenfold‘s latest album, “The Stage“, on October 28th may have hurt the band’s first week sales. The album just debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, with 76,000 copies ‘sold’. 72,000 physical copies of the album were sold in the U.S. during release week while the rest consisted of streaming.
The number is an impressive feat for any band no doubt, but when given that their last album, 2013’s “Hail To The King“, sold 159,000 copies in its first week and 2010’s “Nightmare” sold 163,000 copies during its debut bow, with both opening at no. 1 on the Billboard 200, it might sting a bit.
There’s more variables to consider than just a lack of traditional promotion however. “The Stage” also represented the band’s first album since their shift to Capitol Records among an ongoing legal dispute with their former label home of Warner Bros. Records. Interestingly though, the lessened first week numbers could also work out in the band’s favor in regards to their upcoming trial with Warner Bros. Records.
A recent report spelled out that Warner Bros. Records will have to successfully argue what “The Stage” would have earned them if it was released on the Warner Bros. Records label to establish damages to be awarded should they win. With the lessened numbers, it may be harder for Warner Bros. to convince the court/jury of any exorbitant sum.
