Of course, it’s extremely hard to tell what difference allowing the record to appear on Spotify from launch may have had on its fortunes.
But one thing’s for sure: the album, I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful But Unaware Of It, has just become a key case study for those who argue that windowing new blockbuster releases on non-freemium services is the way to go.
The album debuted at No.1 in both the US and the UK on Friday (March 4).
According to Billboard/Nielsen stats, it sold 108,000 album equivalents in its first week in the States – and 98,000 in ‘pure’ album sales.
And according to the UK’s Official Charts Company, the album scored a combined chart sale of 58,000 in the market.
It is the band’s second UK No.1 album – their self-titled debut hit the top spot in 2013. That record peaked at No.28 on the Billboard 200.
“The dream is to have a No.1 album in America and the UK at the same time. Whether or not that’s achievable, I don’t know.”
So, chart-wise, The 1975’s controversial Spotify decision definitely doesn’t appear to have hurt them.
But how did their 6m+ fans on Spotify react?
The Google chart below, depicting the popularity of the search for ‘The 1975 Spotify’ over two years, probably tells you all you need to know.
However, it’s worth saying that today (March 7) The 1975’s new album is nowhere to be seen in the upper echelons of The Pirate Bay’s latest most popular charts.
[Pictured: The 1975 with their UK Official Charts Company No.1 Award]Music Business Worldwide