Controversial Lou Reed collab album is set to sell just 15,000 copies in first week – Death Magnetic sold 490,000

First-week sales of Metallica’s collaboration album with Lou Reed are set to be just three percent of what their previous record, Death Magnetic, achieved.

Lulu is estimated to have shifted between 12,000 and 15,000 copies since it went on sale in the US on November 1.

But in 2008 Death Magnetic sold 490,000 in its first week, even though the time period was just three days because it was put out on a Friday.

Even the band’s 2003 fan-bating release St Anger generated 418,000 purchases in its four-day first week.

Lulu, which Reed admitted has got him death threats from Metallica fans, made its highest chart placing in Sweden, where it reached number nine. It made 11 in Norway, 17 in the Netherlands, 20 in Finland, 30 in Belgium, 33 in Australia and 36 in the UK.

Meanwhile, a rare 2010 copy of Metallica’s Black Album pressed on white vinyl sold for $1145 on eBay last week. It’s one of just 50 discs which were made available to a select audience of fans.