WATCH THE THRONE DEBUTS AT #1 ON THE TOP 200 ALBUM AND DIGITAL CHARTS BEST ONE WEEK SALES TOTAL FOR DIGITAL ALBUM IN CANADIAN HISTORY
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 (Toronto, ON) - Watch The Throne (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/Roc Nation/Universal Music Canada), the critically acclaimed album from superstars Jay-Z and Kanye West has debuted at #1 on the Nielsen Soundscan Album and Digital Album chart. With over 25,000 albums and nearly 22,000 digital albums sold first week, Watch The Throne sets the record for the highest one week sales total ever for a digital album in Canada.
Watch The Throne is also #1 on the rap, r&b and iTunes® Top Albums Chart, capping off a groundbreaking launch campaign which began on August 8 when two versions of Watch The Throne were released exclusively through iTunes®, followed by the physical album available yesterday. For Kanye West, Watch The Throne is his second straight #1 album, following 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and fourth chart-topper to date. For Jay-Z, it is his second #1 album, following 2009’s Blueprint 3.
Watch The Throne’s lead track “Otis” boasts a sample of the legendary Otis Redding’s “Try A Little Tenderness”. The video, directed by Spike Jonze, is in “power” rotation at MuchMusic and MuchMore. Over a year in the making, Watch The Throne was a truly global affair, as Jay and Kanye recorded in London and Bath in the UK, Abu Dhabi, Sydney, Paris, and New York City. Shrouded in secrecy prior to its release, the album has now been heralded a ‘masterpiece’ by those who have heard it. Producers include the RZA, Swizz Beatz, Q-Tip, The Neptunes, Pete Rock, and Kanye’s longtime collaborator Mike Dean. The short list of featured vocals includes Odd Future singer Frank Ocean, Beyoncé, La Roux’s Elly Jackson, and Mr. Hudson.
Jay Z and Kanye have also announced their much-anticipated Watch The Throne tour which starts Oct 28 in Atlanta and finishes at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on December 18.
Nov 22 – Montreal, Bell Centre
Nov 23/24 – Toronto, ACC
Dec 17/18 – Vancouver, Rogers Arena