Through the past few weeks, media reports focused on how poorly the Dixie Chicks were being received on
country radio. Sales expectation were initially pegged to be somewhere around 300,000. Early this week,
Variety noted that sales were picking up and raised estimates to over 400,000.
As it turns out, the Chicks have busted all expectations, hitting #1 on the pop and country music charts and moving well over
500,000 units. It's the second highest country debut of the year (behind blander than bland Rascal Flatts), and far more (200,000 or so) than (ahem) Toby Keith's last album.
An important victory for freedom of speech and the general state of sanity in America, and a blow against the small-minded tyrants running country radio.
Buy the album, and the purchase need not only serve as a political statement. It's an excellent disc.