Kanye West’s “Vultures 2” is a bust.
Released on Friday night, it’s over by Wednesday afternoon. No one is streaming it. The tracks haven’t caught on.
“Vultures 2” debuted on iTunes at number 1, but has quickly fallen to number 2. It’s been toppled by female phenom force that’s been building for months: Chappell Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess” — released last September — is now finally number 1.
What’s worse for “Vultures 2” is that is has no streaming. None of its tracks are on the iTunes top 100 for downloading. But on Spotify, the the numbers are sad. “Field Trip” has done the best, with 8.5 million streams. All the other tracks are way below. If this were a hit album, streaming business would be booming.
As I wrote a few days ago, “Vultures 2” is tepid and timid. The tracks are throwaway. The album sounds like sketches for an album that will never be heard.
But on a larger scale, the response to “Vultures 2” may have more to do with the public being done with West, his antisemitism, his right wing politics, and overall hubris. He’s photographed wife Bianca — who is almost completely naked — while his head is covered in masks or netting. No one takes him seriously, and he’s offended Blacks (“slavery is a choice”), Jews, and everyone else.
We’ll wait til hard numbers come in on Friday.
PS Wait til Taylor Swift wins at the Grammys next winter, and West is ignored once again.
