Rapper J. Cole is poised to explode onto the Billboard 200 next week as one of six artists premiering in the top 10.
Cole”s major label debut, “Cole World: the Sideline Story,” which follows his two mixtapes and an appearance on Jay-Z’s “The Blueprint 3,” has a commanding lead of around 100,000 units over Blink-182″s “Neighborhoods,” and is on track to sell up to 250,000, according to Hits Daily Double.
Four slots under Blink, Wilco”s new set, “The Whole Land,” should make its mark. Then the last three spots in the top 10 are reserved for debuting rockers: Switchfoot”s “Vice Verses” seems good for No. 8 with sales of up to 50,000; Chickenfoot”s “Chickenfoot lll” should come in at No. 9 and Mastadon lumbers on the chart at No. 10, as “The Hunter” snares sales of between 35,000-40,000.
This week”s No. 1, Tony Bennett”s “Duets,” looks like it will slip to No. 4 with a still robust 80,000-90,000 in sales, edged out of the No. 3 spot by Adele”s “21.”
Other Top 10 vets include Lady Antebellum”s “Own the Night,” at No. 5 and Lil Wayne”s “Tha Carter IV,” at No. 7.