#MusicBusinessMonday: Nielsen Mid-Year Report
Nielsen is a data analytics and global measurement company that provides market analysis of consumer trends worldwide. In the music industry they do this by tracking radio airplay, digital sales, and online streaming. They also track physical sales throughout the world by utilizing Nielsen Soundscan (the barcode you see on the backs of CDs and vinyl); registering songs with Soundscan is also the sales source for how songs are placed on the Billboard Music Charts.
This past weekend Nielsen released their mid-year reporting for the tracking period of December 29, 2017, through June 28, detailing and ranking the most successful tracks of 2018 so far. Post Malone’s album beerbongs & bentley’s is the most album in the U.S., selling 461,000 albums its first release week, and 1.791 million album unit equivalents at the half-year mark. The Greatest Showman soundtrack is the second most popular album with 1.602 million units, and the top-selling album of the year so far. This is followed by Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy at 1.113 million units. The top selling vinyl LP is Boarding House Reach by Jack White, which has sold 37,000 units. Drake’s “God’s Plan” is the most streamed song of 2018, with more than one billion streams!
Album unit equivalent sales have increased 13.8% since 2017, on-demand streams have risen 42% and music’s most popular music genre is R&B/hip-hop with a 31% market share. While album equivalent sales have gone up, overall albums sales have declined by 17.6%. For a full breakdown of what’s topping the charts look below for a few of Nielsen Music’s Mid-Year Charts.
2018’s Mid-Year Top 10 Albums (Based on Overall Equivalent Album Units*)
1. Post Malone, beerbongs & bentleys (1,791,000)
2. Soundtrack, The Greatest Showman (1,602,000)
3. Cardi B, Invasion of Privacy (1,113,000)
4. Migos, Culture II (1,088,000)
5. Soundtrack, Black Panther: The Album (1,058,000)
6. Ed Sheeran, ÷ (Divide) (845,000)
7. J. Cole, KOD (794,000)
8. Post Malone, Stoney (788,000)
9. XXXTentacion, ? (769,000)
10. Justin Timberlake, Man of the Woods (664,000)
2018’s Mid-Year Top 10 Selling Albums
1. Soundtrack, The Greatest Showman (1,064,000)
2. Justin Timberlake, Man of the Woods (403,000)
3. Jason Aldean, Rearview Town (328,000)
4. Dave Matthews Band, Come Tomorrow (316,000)
5. P!nk, Beautiful Trauma (287,000)
6. Post Malone, beerbongs & bentleys (258,000)
7. Ed Sheeran, ÷ (Divide) (254,000)
8. J. Cole, KOD (241,000)
9. Soundtrack, Black Panther: The Album (209,000)
10. Keith Urban, Graffiti U (199,000)
2018’s Mid-Year Top 10 Selling Digital Songs
1. Ed Sheeran, “Perfect” (1,013,000)
2. Drake, “God’s Plan” (959,000)
3. Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant to Be” (846,000)
4. Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug, “Havana” (658,000)
5. Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey, “The Middle” (621,000)
6. Imagine Dragons, “Whatever It Takes” (618,000)
7. Bruno Mars & Cardi B, “Finesse” (592,000)
8. Imagine Dragons, “Thunder” (579,000)
9. Camila Cabello, “Never Be the Same” (510,000)
10. Jason Aldean, “You Make It Easy” (493,000)
2018’s Mid-Year Top 10 On-Demand Audio Streams
1. Drake, “God’s Plan” (654,993,000)
2. Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign, “Psycho” (381,742,000)
3. BlocBoy JB featuring Drake, “Look Alive” (361,484,000)
4. Drake, “Nice for What” (339,141,000)
5. Post Malone featuring 21 Savage, “Rockstar” (331,468,000)
6. XXXTentacion, “Sad!” (270,821,000)
7. Migos, “Stir Fry” (269,060,000)
8. Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant to Be” (259,401,000)
9. Kendrick Lamar & SZA, “All the Stars” (258,404,000)
10. Bazzi, “Mine” (256,663,000)
2018’s Mid-Year Top 10 On-Demand Video Streams
1. Drake, “God’s Plan” (466,032,000)
2. Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug, “Havana” (285,013,000)
3. Ed Sheeran, “Perfect” (225,446,000)
4. Bruno Mars & Cardi B, “Finesse” (223,913,000)
5. 6ix9ine, “Gummo” (221,117,000)
6. Lil Pump, “Gucci Gang” (211,876,000)
7. Post Malone featuring 21 Savage, “Rockstar” (210,718,000)
8. Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign, “Psycho” (194,482,000)
9. Migos featuring Drake, “Walk It Talk It” (191,922,000)
10. Lil Dicky featuring Chris Brown, “Freaky Friday” (191,670,000)
Have any questions? Want me to cover a specific topic? Email me at musicbizmondays@gmail.com