Earlier this month, nu-metal pioneers Korn released their 14th studio album, Requiem. Now, the record’s chart positioning has been released, and hey, the band reached a chart placement that most other acts would be proud of…but which didn’t quite meet their own standards.
Korn’s Requiem debuted at #14 on this week’s Billboard charts, nestled between Taylor Swift’s Red and Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. Unfortunately, as The PRP points out, this is the first time that the band’s new record hasn’t broken Billboard’s Top 10 in the U.S. since the release of 1996’s Life Is Peachy. Even 2011’s The Path of Totality came in at #10 upon its release.
Obviously, the #14 spot is no joke for any band, so it’s not as if Korn failed. The album also hit #1 in Australia, which is the first of their records to obtain that spot since 1999’s Issues. But it’s worth noting that this is a drop off for the band, which seems especially interesting given that they appear to be having a bit of a moment right now.
So what do we think did it? The cover, with its weird baby head? The songs, which went a little more mainstream hard rock than nu-metal? The swiftness with which the band announced and then released the album? It’s hard to say.
Anyway, cheer Korn on at one of their upcoming tour dates with Chevelle and Code Orange:
3/4 – Springfield, MO @ JQH Arena
3/5 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
3/7 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
3/8 – Evansville, IN @ Ford Center
3/10 – Knoxville, TN @ University of Tennessee – Thompson-Boling Arena
3/11 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex
3/13 – Huntington, WV @ Mountain Health Arena
3/15 – Hershey, PA @ Giant Center
3/16 – Providence, RI @ Dunkin Donuts Center
3/19 – Manchester, NH @ SNHU Arena
3/20 – Albany, NY @ Times Union Center
3/22 – Rochester, NY @ Blue Cross Arena
3/23 – Saginaw, MI @ Dow Event Center
3/25 – Moline, IL @ TaxSlayer Center
3/26 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
3/28 – Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena
3/29 – Madison, WI @ The Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center
3/31 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
4/1 – Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena