Few people are having a better week than Sabrina Carpenter. The singer marked one of the most complete ascents to pop stardom in recent memory with the release of her latest album, Short N' Sweet — the culmination of an extended campaign in which she was able to build her career brick by brick, single by single, into the upper echelons of pop music and culture — which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 362,000 equivalent album units , the best week of her career and the third-highest debut week of the year so far.
This type of success doesn't happen by accident: Carpenter's team worked from all sides on this project, which included radio (two songs, “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” are in the top 10 of Bulletin boardRadio Songs Map), stream (Short N Sweet also debuted at No. 1 on Bulletin boardStreaming Songs chart, with 233 million official on-demand streams) and sales (with nine vinyl variants, it sold 105,000 vinyl records, its second-biggest week of the year and good for No. 1 on Bulletin boardvinyl album chart). Four digital album variants, available for a limited time, brought in 45,000 units, while five different CD versions added another 33,000 to the total. And all this activity and great success helps Island Records' Senior Agent/Chief Commercial Strategist Marshall Nolan win his title Bulletin board's Executive of the Week.
Here, Nolan follows the strategy that led to Carpenter's career-best debut. “The plan from the beginning was that every detail mattered,” says Nolan. “We knew how to double down on its strengths, in areas like e-commerce, and once we built a rhythm there, it gave us the time to cultivate elements that still had room to grow.”
This week, Sabrina Carpenter landed her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Short N Sweet. What key decisions did you make to make this happen?
Sabrina's ability to build worlds alongside her incredible creative team is unparalleled. We challenged ourselves to take this world and integrate it into every e-commerce experience, creating a range of carefully curated collectibles for her super fans.
In many ways, the release of this album was very traditional: single built upon single, radio play and streaming, all leading up to the album's top release. Was that the plan from the beginning or did things evolve along the way?
The plan from the beginning was that every detail mattered. We knew how to double down on it, in areas like e-commerce, and once we built a rhythm there, it gave us the time to cultivate elements that still had room for growth.
How did the success of her radio singles help the digital campaign for the album?
Constant communication with our best-in-the-business promotion team allowed us to narrate every move and development in real time. As a group we never focused on the hits of a single single. The intention was always to build Sabrina as an artist and a brand first. We welcomed any success that came with it.
The album had nine vinyl variants, five CD versions and two cassettes available — what was the natural strategy for releasing the album and what was behind the success of vinyl specifically?
The variations are first and foremost a reflection of the incredible creative team surrounding Sabrina, who crafted products that fans immediately embraced as must-have collectibles. From the packaging finishes to the stylized content it was promoted with, her passion for each variation stood out in every detail. Each product paid special homage to the many layers of Sabrina's sharp sweet world.
How much does fan demand factor into your commercial plan for any album?
This was another important factor in the decision to offer a wide range of album variations. Sabrina created a world we are lucky to be a part of. We ensured that every album offering was an extension of it.
What did you learn from this release that you can bring to other projects in the future?
It all starts with trust — learning to build it, continuing to maintain it, and working to strengthen it every step of the way. We never take for granted the role we are fortunate enough to play in maximizing and achieving an artist's wildest dreams. Sabrina taught us all to allow time for a slow rise, there is so much to learn and look forward to along the way.
