Slow sales for Sean Paul

TWO weeks after its release in the United States, Sean Paul's fifth studio album Tomahawk Technique, has returned paltry numbers.

Released by Atlantic Records, it debuted and peaked at number two on Billboard's Reggae Album chart. The disc was initially released in Europe early this year.

But Tomahawk Technique has not showed up on any of Billboard Magazine's major charts and is currently number four on the publication's Reggae Album chart.

It is the 39-year-old artiste's lowest charting album in the US.

Figures obtained from Soundscan, which tracks music sales in that country, indicates that Tomahawk Technique sold just over 1,200 copies in its opening week.

This figure pales in comparison to Sean Paul's previous releases.

He debuted in 2000 with the VP Records set Stage One. To date, that album has sold over 500,000 copies and contained the hits Deport Them and Hot Gal Today (Haffie Get Da Gal Deh) featuring Mr Vegas. Both singles entered Billboard's R&B Singles chart.

His 2002 major label debut, Dutty Rock, sold 65,000 copies in its first week. The album went on to sell two million copies in the US and four million copies globally.

The Trinity, his third album, was released in September 2005 and set a record for first-week sales by a Jamaican reggae artiste. It opened with 107,000 copies and debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 Album chart.

Fuelled by the singles Give it up to Me, We Be Burning and Temperature, The Trinity sold more than four million copies.

The 2009 album, Imperial Blaze sold well outside of the US, charting in Japan, France, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany.

Tomahawk Technique has also fared better outside of the US. Two singles, Got 2 Luv U featuring Alexis Jordan and She Doesn't Mind, were chart-toppers in Switzerland and figured on several European charts.

(from Jamaica Observer)