Surprise! (Except not really...) Beyoncé's new album, a self-titled record that dropped by total surprise on Friday (Dec. 13) at midnight is heading for a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 this week.
According to Billboard, Beyoncé is set to start at the top of the charts, selling between 550,000 and 600,000 copies in only three days (Billboard's tracking week ends on Sundays). That is setting Queen Bey for one of the top debut albums of the year, and sets her far past sales from her solo female pop contemporaries.
In comparison, Katy Perry's Prism sold 286,000 copies in its first week, Miley Cyrus' Bangerz moved 270,000 and Lady Gaga's Artpop sold 258,000. That means that Beyoncé will at least double those figures, and that's in half the time.
Never doubt the element of surprise.
Oh, and Beyoncé will be the singer's fifth No. 1 solo album on the charts, which means each one of her records debuted in the top spot.
Of course, the sales numbers for Beyoncé are helped by the fact that until Dec. 20, fans can only purchase the album in full on iTunes, alongside music videos to help create a "visual experience." Containing 14 songs and 18 videos, Beyoncé is selling for $15.99 in the iTunes store.
As of now, plans for a physical release of the album have yet to be revealed. But, knowing Beyoncé, the record could hit stores at any given moment.
The album will be led by singles "XO" and "Drunk in Love," which features her hubby Jay Z.
