MEGADETH's 'Dystopia' Projected To Sell 43K-48K First Week

According to music industry web site Hits Daily Double, MEGADETH's new album, "Dystopia", is likely to sell between 43,000 and 48,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The SPS figure is expected to be between 44,000 and 49,000.

SPS, a practice used by Billboard magazine, stands for "sales plus streaming," which includes album sales and converted track sales plus converted streaming data.

For those interested: 10 tracks sold equal one album sale (since $1.29, the cost for an individual track, multiplied by ten gives you $12.99, a common price for an album, and 1,500 streams is equivalent to one album sale.

While SPS is at the moment only a practice seen with The Billboard 200 and a couple other international album charts, it is not currently used by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) to determine how albums should be certified; the RIAA relies solely on pure album sales and shipments.

MEGADETH's previous album, 2013's "Super Collider", sold 29,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart. The disc followed up "TH1RT3EN", which opened with 42,000 units back in November 2011 to enter the chart at No. 11. The band's 2009 CD, "Endgame", premiered with 45,000 copies to debut at No. 9. This was slightly less than the 54,000 first-week tally registered by 2007's "United Abominations", which entered the chart at No. 8. 2004's "The System Has Failed" premiered with 46,000 copies (No. 18) while 2001's "The World Needs A Hero" moved 61,000 units in its first week (No. 16).

Featuring 11 brand new tracks, "Dystopia" was released on both CD and LP, as well as digitally through all online partners on January 22 on Universal Music Enterprises / Tradecraft / T-Boy Records.

With musical architect and band visionary Dave Mustaine at the helm, "Dystopia" was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee and mixed by Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA).

The rest of the MEGADETH lineup is comprised of new member Kiko Loureiro (of ANGRA),David Ellefson on bass, and drummer Chris Adler, who took time away from LAMB OF GOD to record "Dystopia".

Recently, MEGADETH announced the details for the North American leg of their "Dystopia" world tour, which will kick off in Dallas, Texas on February 20. The North American leg will take them across the U.S, visiting 12 states and throughout Canada.