Beck’s “Morning Phase” Is the Lowest Selling Album of the Year Winner Since 2008

Image Courtesy of Capitol RecordsJust going by the numbers, it appears that a lot of people would agree with Kanye West that Beck should not have beaten Beyonce for Album of the Year at Sunday night's Grammy Awards. Billboard reports that Beck's Morning Phase is the lowest-selling Album of the Year winner since 2008.

Morning Phase has sold 301,000 copies since its release through February 1, 2015, reports Billboard. That figure is the lowest for an Album of the Year winner since jazz artist Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won the prize despite selling only 56,000 units between its release and the 2008 Grammys.

For comparison, seven out of the last 10 Album of the Year winners moved more than 500,000 copies, with Arcade Fire's The Suburbs falling just short of that mark.

Billboard speculates that Beck's surprise win was more of a "lifetime achievement" award than an award for Morning Phase's individual merits. Beck has been nominated for Grammys throughout his career, including 1996's Odelay and 1999's Midnight Vultures for Album of the Year.


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