SuperHeavy's self-titled first album debuts at No. 26 on U.S. chart

SuperHeavy's eponymous debut album landed with a commercial thud on the U.S. chart, as it entered the Billboard 200 album chart at No. 26, which is likely to be the album's highest position on the chart. (The album was released in the U.S. on September 20, 2011. The Billboard 200 album chart with SuperHeavy's debut position was published on September 28, 2011.)

For most new acts, it would be impressive to have a first album debut in the Top 30 of the Billboard 200 chart. But given that the members of SuperHeavy are stars who have had big hits with other albums, the No. 26 debut is far below what most people had expected for a group with this caliber of talent.

The members of SuperHeavy are Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger, Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart (who co-produced the "SuperHeavy" album with Jagger), Joss Stone, Damian Marley and Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" songwriter/composert A.R. Rahman.

The "SuperHeavy" album's chart performance in the U.K. was much better, having bowed on the U.K. chart at No. 13, as previously reported. Sales for the album were no doubt helped in the U.K. by radio airplay for "Miracle Worker," the album's first single. By contrast, commercial radio stations in the U.S. essentially ignored "Miracle Worker."

Billboard magazine had predicted that SuperHeavy's album would be a hard sell in the U.S., mainly because the album's blend of multicultural music (with reggae and Indian influences) is not very popular in the U.S., when it comes to album sales.

And in the United States, where touring and commercial radio airplay have major influences on how well an act's music sells, SuperHeavy had neither enough commercial radio airplay nor a tour to help promote the album. The band has not done any public performances. SuperHeavy also has no plans to tour on the forseeable future.

Publicity for the "SuperHeavy" album was limited to Internet marketing (mostly through Facebook) and select interviews by the band members. As previously reported, Jagger, Stewart and Rahman attended a SuperHeavy album release party in New York City on September 21, 2011. The event got some publicity.

SuperHeavy did a music video for "Miracle Worker," and as of this writing, it has gotten 2.7 million views on the band's Vevo channel on YouTube. By contrast, the music video for Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" (featuring Christina Aguilera), the current No. 1 song in the United States, as of this writing has 29.3 million views on Maroon 5's official YouTube channel and 25.7 million views on Maroon 5's Vevo channel on YouTube.

The "SuperHeavy" album got mostly mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, which may or may not have had an impact on word of mouth for the album.

Other albums released in the U.S. on September 20, 2011 that outsold the "SuperHeavy" album included:

• Tony Bennett's "Duets II" (No. 1 on the chart; 179,000 copies sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan)
• Demi Lovato's "Unbroken (No. 4 on the chart; 96,000 copies sold in its first week)
• NeedToBreathe's "The Recokoning (No. 6 on the chart; 49,000 copies sold in its first week)
• Mindless Behavior's "#1 Girl" (No. 7 on the chart; 36,000 copies sold in its first week)
• Gavin DeGraw's "Sweeter" (No. 8 on the chart; 34,000 copies sold in its first week)
• Pearl Jam's "Pearl Jam Twenty" soundtrack (No. 10 on the chart; 27,000 copies sold in its first week)

As previously reported, Stewart was directing footage for a possible SuperHeavy documentary, but it is unknown if any of that documentary will ever be released. Although Stewart told Billboard that he hopes to have the documentary released in movie cinemas, it will most likely be released directly to DVD and Blu-ray, if it is released