Promotion

The Lionel Richie Country duets album sold because Lionel worked his butt off promoting it.  Plus Lionel is a likable star.  It was a gimmick album, for sure.  Typical Record Company strategy of having an over-60 artist do either a duets or covers album.
The Madonna album isn't selling because she didn't work her butt off.  Yes, she's going on tour, but those people will show up for the spectacle and the hits.  She did the Super Bowl this year.  But that was 2 months before the album came out.  And she's also a more polarizing figure than Lionel ever will be.
And I like her album.  But she should have done more than an online Fallon interview.