While superstar coupling in the movie world generally helps both parties – celebrity mathematicians say the fame of, say, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie grows exponentially because of their union – it has mixed results in the music world, according to Billboard magazine.
On the occasion of B-and-Jay’s – still unconfirmed – wedding earlier this month, the magazine took a look at how other superstar music couples fared sales-wise after they tied the knot and the news was mostly bad.
Take Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony as an example. Before their 2004 wedding, Lopez’s three previous albums sold a total of 8.1 million and Anthony’s seven albums sold a total of 2.5 million, including 2002's "Mended," which sold 680,000 copies. Since then, Lopez’s three albums have sold about 1.1 million, while neither of Anthony’s two albums have broken the 200,000 mark.
Nas and Kelis have seen a similar decline, though in the Tim McGraw-Faith Hill relationship, McGraw has not reached the pre-marriage heights of his six-times-platinum "Not a Moment Too Soon," while Hill’s six-times-platinum "Breathe" came post-marriage.
Obviously, there are other factors at work with these artists, as well as the industry as a whole, beyond their marriages. After all, musicians generally see a decline in sales as they grow older, while actors’ careers are generally more tied to their projects.
Of course, for Beyonce and Jay-Z, his $150 million deal with Live Nation – also still unconfirmed – should provide them both a nice nest egg to weather and post-wedding sales slips that may occur.
PHOTO: Jay-Z and Beyonce at the Armani show in Milan. By Luca Bruno for Associated Press.