THE MARKET: Will Motley Crue’s upcoming album “Saints of Los Angeles” debut in the top 5 of the Billboard 200? If it does, shares are worth $100. If it doesn’t, shares are worth $0. The album will be released on June 24. Trading closes at 11:59 p.m. June 29. The market will be cleared when Billboard releases new charts on July 4.
THE DATA: One lesson: don’t underestimate the Crue. Their last album of new material released by the original members of Motley Crue was 1997’s “Generation Swine,” which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. But 2005’s “Red, White and Crue” - mostly comprised of the band’s “classics” - went to No. 6. Returning this summer with a new legion of fans drawn straight from the “Rock Band” games, will the Crue fight back into the top 5?
OUR TAKE: The music landscape these days is particularly friendly to artists who’ve been around the block and back. (It seems fans of certain acts haven’t moved past the antiquated notion of actually paying for music.) One might guess that older, long-time fans of the Crue fall into the first category. That should make a stronger debut than one might expect from, oh, 40-something guys whose blood donations would probably be prohibited substances under narcotics law.—Earl Munro

LEARN MORE:
Visit Motley Crue’s official site.
See Motley Crue’s Billboard chart history page.

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