Rihanna’s new album has sold fewer than 1,000 physical copies in the United States, according to Nielson, the global marketing research company.
Anti surfaced last Wednesday after a lengthy build-up, but The New York Times has reported that the actual number of 'hard' copies sold in the first week amounted to no more than 460.
That, however, is only part of the story! The album has generated some 484,833 downloads on Tidal, where it was made available for free. The service, which was set up by Jay-Z – and in which Rihanna is a partner – has understandably hailed it as a massive success.
Physical sales of the LP were doubtless also affected by the fact that a million copies are being given away to fans as part of a sponsorship deal with Samsung.
The Recording Industry of America immediately certified Anti as a platinum release, owing to the huge volume of online downloads the album has racked up. Anti has also gone to the top the iTunes charts in America. Meanwhile, it currently stands at No. 4 on the Irish iTunes charts.
The critical reaction to the record has been mixed, with Kitty Empire in The Observer giving it a lukewarm review. It is reviewed in depth in the new issue of Hot Press by Edwin McFee. ""Many old school/long-term Rihanna fans may complain that it isn't the anthem-laden album they were hoping for," he says. But that isn't all. "A different, more genuinely mature artist is emerging into the full light of day here," he adds before offering the definitive verdict.
While the release of the album may have caught fans by surprise, the Barbados-born pop princess has given plenty of warning in relation to her tour. She plays the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on June 21. Now there's one to really look forward to...