One Direction is headed in only one direction: toward No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The British boy band will sell more than 500,000 copies of their new album “Take Me Home.” Fans appear to have read directly into that title.
Billboard says industry sources indicate a “best case” scenario of 575,000 sales of the SYCO effort by Sunday night, when the final tally is taken.
One Direction’s first album “Up All Night” started at No. 1 when it debuted earlier this year with 176,000. That album is currently the year’s third biggest first week seller. “Take Me Home” will take its place. Mumford & Sons’ “Babel” and Taylor Swift’s “Red” best those numbers, with 600,000 and 1.2 million, respectively.
Final numbers will be released through Nielsen SoundScan via Billboard next week.