“Weird Al” Yankovic’s new album, Mandatory Fun, is set to take the number one spot on the music charts, making it his first number one of his career. Take that Internet parody creators!
It’s fitting that “Weird Al” would claim his first number one album on the Billboard 200 here and now. Not only is his popularity booming thanks to last week’s onslaught of media coverage, but it is also the 25th anniversary of UHF (something we will be celebrating tomorrow).
It would seem that Yankovic is going to have a lot to digest in celebration of this achievement, but it doesn’t mean he’s doing it alone. Mandatory Fun is being reported to have sold somewhere around 104,000 to beat all other artists and take the top spot, with most of the success being attributed to the viral marketing online. From NY Daily News:
It’s interesting to note the savvy marketing campaign that gave the 54-year-old Yankovic his coup. Thanks to an onslaught of eight videos released in as many days, his viral presence shot through the roof in the tight period preceding the release of “Fun.” The exposure Yankovic earned via mobile and social networks leaped an astounding 3,391% between the weeks of July 7-13 and July 14-20.According to Kontera, the Amobee Brand measurement company for web analytics, Yankovic’s video exposure in that period obliterated not just Mraz’s, but that of every other major music star. His closest competition, Beyonce, had roughly half as much exposure as the satirist. Yankovic also dwarfed the viral play of stars as big as Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z in the last week.
So what I’m getting at is that you folks, the fans and curious individuals of the Internet, are responsible for propelling “Weird Al” Yankovic to the top of the charts. Give yourselves a bit pat on the back and prepare yourself for some cake. And ice cream. And a hug, lots of hugs.
(Via NY Daily News / Billboard)
