You underestimate the money that goes in to a release...

Jay-z MADE 5 mil already and samsung paid for the ad spots...

Kanye spends Def Jam's money to project on walls, get it in stores and make videos.. he is at a loss before the album drops...

J cole spends money to get a song on radio 250k+, tour support, radio promo support, video, album production costs etc... He is WAY in the red.. not to mention "if" they bought a lot of those albums on release...

The traditional album release idea is broken because it is a huge loss money wise for artists to do it. In the end people only want the single anyway and why owe a company millions when you are the brand that makes them money anyway.

These numbers don't translate either. selling 300k first week and they still can't fill up a stadium. The idea of the album is some falsified numbers game. The hope that a successful first week makes people buy it the next week and so on.

jay-z doesn't have to play that game