Britney Spears' new album "Britney Jean" is on course to score the highest debut on next week's Billboard 200 chart.
Industry forecasters suggest the album, released on Dec. 3, might sell around 115,000 to 120,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on Sunday, Dec. 8.
That will like make the album debut around Nos. 2-4 on next week's chart. The new Billboard 200's top 10 will be revealed on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
The likely new No. 1 will be Garth Brooks' box set, "Blame It All On My Roots," which could sell upwards of 150,000. The six-CD/two-DVD set, which is exclusively sold through Walmart stores, debuted at No. 3 on this week's chart after less than four days on sale. It bowed with 164,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The package was released on Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving day), and the most recent tracking week ended on Sunday, Dec. 1.
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"Britney Jean" will also have to contend with the continuing success of One Direction's current No. 1, "Midnight Memories," and the Robertsons' "Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas" album.
If "Midnight Memories" declines by a typical 75% (or so) in its second week, it could sell around 135,000. The Robertson family -- of the hit TV show "Duck Dynasty" -- sold 136,000 of its album this week. As many Christmas albums are building in weekly sales now, the set could see a gain next week. Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP 2" is also in the mix. This week, it's No. 2 with 199,000.
Spears' last studio album, 2011's "Femme Fatale," debuted at No. 1 with 276,000. Before that, 2008's "Circus" opened at No. 1 with 505,000.
"Britney Jean" is Spears' eighth studio album. All seven of her previous studio sets have reached the top two rungs, with only 2007's "Blackout" missing the top. (billboard)
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