Mariah Carey’s New Album Debuts At Number 3 On Billboard Hot 200

Mariah Carey’s new album failed to give the singer another number one hit.

To say that Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse was highly-anticipated among a certain group of folks is definitely an understatement. The singer’s latest studio recording was famously delayed for many months, leading some fans to wonder if the batch of songs would ever see the light of day.

After The Art of Letting Go disappeared from release schedules, many people assumed the worst. None of the singles released by Mariah Carey and her record label caught fire, leading some to believe that perhaps Island Records had simply shelved the album altogether. Eventually, the tunes bubbled to the surface under a completely different — and somewhat peculiar — title. Sadly, it would appear the damage was already done.

According to Billboard, Mariah Carey’s new album didn’t sell enough copies to make it all the way to the very top of the Hot 200. The record sold approximately 56,000 copies during its first week of release, giving the singer her lowest first-week sales ever. Carey’s big comeback could end up becoming one of the year’s biggest duds.

Here’s the good news: Mariah Carey managed to top the R&B albums chart with her latest release, which is obviously the silver lining to this entire story. Even if that doesn’t make her happy, the fans seem thrilled about the situation.

@MariahCarey‘s album gives me life right now. Thank u Mimi, 4 this masterpiece, the soundtrack 2 my life #MeIAmMariah pic.twitter.com/5n8sSuBN6O

— Me. I Am Aaron (@aarondxD) June 4, 2014

Both Coldplay and country singer Brantley Gilbert’s latest endeavors managed to move more units than I Am Mariah last week. Although there’s a possibility that good reviews and positive word of mouth could bump up sales in the coming weeks, chances are Carey and her handlers were hoping to hit the top of the charts right out of the gate.

According to MTV News, Mariah Carey wasn’t the only artist whose recent album didn’t come out swinging. Austin Mahone’s The Secret landed in the number five spot after selling 46,000 copies during its first week on retail shelves, while Cher Lloyd’s Sorry I’m Late debuted at number 12. Considering Carey’s an established artist, she should have outpaced these newcomers by leaps and bounds.

Are you disappointed Mariah Carey’s new album The Elusive Chanteuse didn’t land at the top of the Billboard Top 200? Do you think the record could end up catching fire with some help from positive word of mouth and good reviews?

[Image via Ryan Seacrest]