Lana Del Rey Backlash: 'It's a Drag,' Says Jimmy Iovine

Everyone seems to have something to say about Lana Del Rey, be it her lips, her songs, her stage name or her Saturday Night Live performance. Some might even classify all of the above as tragic, but there’s no denying all the revved-up rhetoric is helping the much-hyped singer -- and her record label Interscope -- move units.

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Lana Del Rey's 'Born to Die': What the Critics Are Saying

This despite a spate of harsh reviews for Del Rey’s debut album Born To Die, which on the day of its release, topped the iTunes charts in 14 countries.

STORY: Lana Del Rey's 'Born to Die': What the Critics Are Saying

What does label chairman Jimmy Iovine make of it all, especially how divisive the album has been? “It's a drag,” he tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Maybe this is a new sport. It's something we've never seen before. Or maybe it's [like] the Giants and the Jets.”

Musically, insists Iovine, “her album is really good. Great lyrics and great songs. I don't care what anybody says, ‘Video Games’ is a great song. When she sings that song, it moves me. It’s how we signed her – we saw her, she sang and it was beautiful. I think she's really talented. Period.”

According to Billboard, Del Rey's Born to Die is expected to debut at No. 2 on next week's album chart, with projections that it will register sales of 60,000 to 70,000.

Twitter: @shirleyhalperin