Can 1st week sales of new Coldplay album (X&Y) match those of HTDAAB?

[MissVelvetDress_75]

[q]Coldplay's 'Speed of Sound' Shoots to No 1 on iTunes Music Store Overnight, Marking Incredible Worldwide Rise; 'X&Y,' Album Due in Stores June 7, 2005

LOS ANGELES (Capitol Records) - "Speed of Sound," the first single from Coldplay's forthcoming "X&Y," is No 1 on all iTunes Music Stores worldwide one short day after its release. "Speed of Sound" had an incredible rise globally on the iTunes Music Store achieving the No 1 position on all 15 stores. The iTunes Music Store is in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

"'Speed of Sound's' No 1 iTunes Music Store debut confirms that the worldwide anticipation for new Coldplay music is undeniable," said Andrew Slater, Capitol Records' President & CEO. "As great as expectations are for this release, excitement will be met with a career-defining album from Coldplay."

"Coldplay's 'Speed of Sound' has been a hit with music fans topping iTunes charts today in every country, only a day after its release," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of Applications. "With iTunes' extensive reach, there's no faster way to bring a pre-release track like this to fans around the world."

"Speed of Sound" went to radio on Monday; the companion video for the single will be directed by Mark Romanek. Coldplay will headline the first day of the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, CA on Saturday, April 30th. Following the release of "X&Y," Coldplay will embark on their biggest world tour yet, beginning with dates in Europe, the UK and Ireland. Plans are in the works for a 40-city North American summer tour.

Since forming in London in 1998, Coldplay - comprised of Guy Berryman (bass), Jonny Buckland (lead guitar), Will Champion (drums) and Chris Martin (vocals, guitar, keyboards) - has won four Grammy awards, including the prestigious Record of the Year award for "Clocks." The band's two previous releases, "Parachutes" (2000) and "A Rush of Blood to the Head" (2002), have sold a combined 20 million copies worldwide.[/q]

[q]Coldplay Scores Top 10 U.S. Debut 'Speed of Sound'
Fri Apr 29, 2005 06:37 PM ET
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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Coldplay became the first British band since the Beatles to score a single debut in the U.S. top 10 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, the music magazine said on Friday.

The single, "Speed of Sound," opened at No. 8 on the chart, which ranks sales and airplay, making Coldplay the only other U.K. band besides the Beatles to register such a hit.

The Beatles first graced the U.S. chart in the week of Sept. 14, 1968 when "Hey Jude," the Beatles' first single on their own Apple imprint, entered the chart at No. 10, according to Billboard.

A year later, the Beatles' "Get Back" also opened at No. 10. In 1970, the Beatles' "Let It Be" became the highest Hot 100 debut at the time when it bowed at No. 6.

The Beatles' "Free as a Bird" debuted at No. 10 in 1995.[/q]

 

[Squire]

Coldplay is a good band. And that's all.

You shouldn't even compare them to Oasis.
Oasis were the biggest band in the world in 95/96. There was a complete obssesion by the media, and to be honest, i really think they deserved. Noel is still a a terrific songwriter, but times have changed. Oasis are no longer relevant. But that's the difference between Oasis and Coldplay. Coldplay are not relevant... they never were either. They are just a band with good music, and lucky because nowadays any POP band can sell millions. They just "born" at the right time at the right place.

Don't compare Coldplay with Oasis.

Oasis are legends... who ruled the world in 95/96. What's the Story (Monring Glory) is one of the best albums of the 90's. Those two years belong to them.

 

[edge3]

[q] [q]Coldplay Scores Top 10 U.S. Debut 'Speed of Sound'
Fri Apr 29, 2005 06:37 PM ET
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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Coldplay became the first British band since the Beatles to score a single debut in the U.S. top 10 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, the music magazine said on Friday. /q]

BUT....Discoteque debuted at #10 on BB Hot 100 in 1997 - I s'pose U2 are counted as being Irish not British.

Also, Vertigo would have probably have done as well as, if not better than Speed Of Sound if the same charted was used 7 months ago.

 

[D'oh!]

u2 are definetely counted as irish.

But first since the beatles........... thats pretty staggering

 

[edge3]

I would also definately class U2 as being Irish as opposed to being British. But sometimes U2 are counted as being British as well as being Irish. The distinction isn't always clear & I don't wish for the performances of Discoteque & Vertigo on the US Hot 100 singles chart to be undermined in any way.

Still, it is indeed a great achievement for Coldplay to be at #8 with SOS & I'm very glad for them. Perhaps this will now help X&Y to debut at #1 on the US BB album chart with sales of 500K - who knows?

 

[04072511]

U2 are DEFINETELY irish. How can anyone even consider otherwise.

 

[STING2]

Coldplay is a good band. And that's all.

You shouldn't even compare them to Oasis.
Oasis were the biggest band in the world in 95/96. There was a complete obssesion by the media, and to be honest, i really think they deserved. Noel is still a a terrific songwriter, but times have changed. Oasis are no longer relevant. But that's the difference between Oasis and Coldplay. Coldplay are not relevant... they never were either. They are just a band with good music, and lucky because nowadays any POP band can sell millions. They just "born" at the right time at the right place.

Don't compare Coldplay with Oasis.

Oasis are legends... who ruled the world in 95/96. What's the Story (Monring Glory) is one of the best albums of the 90's. Those two years belong to them.

Oasis may have been the biggest band in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe in 1995/1996, but that was not the case here in North America. Oasis would struggle to fill small arena's here during that time or play theaters. They were not even close to trying stadiums here in the United States. In fact, a band like INXS was more popular here in North America in 1988 than Oasis was in 1995/1996.

 

[edge3]

True. But I believe Oasis recently sold out Madison Square Garden & I still think that Definately Maybe is one of the all time great debut albums. Coldplay's 'Parachutes' is quite a good debut album as well....& I still think X&Y could debut at #1 in US with sales of 500K

 

[Squire]

Oasis may have been the biggest band in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe in 1995/1996, but that was not the case here in North America. Oasis would struggle to fill small arena's here during that time or play theaters. They were not even close to trying stadiums here in the United States. In fact, a band like INXS was more popular here in North America in 1988 than Oasis was in 1995/1996.

I said Oasis were the biggest band in the world in those 2 years. North America is not the world.
Oasis belonged to a style of music whose media categorized it as "Britpop", and we all know how difficult it is for music made in UK to actually penetrate in USA market, not to mention a kind of music typically Britain.

Oasis were in fact the biggest band in the world in 95/96.
Now if you ask me if they were as successfull as they were in the rest of the world... my answer will be NO. But is it sufficient to not consider them as the biggest band in the world? My answer will be of course NO.

 

[fedeu2]

I agree with you in that Oasis in their hayday were a better band than Coldplay. I didnt like the new coldplay single, it sounds much like clocks in my eyes so I can´t see how on earth the new coldplay album will be an incredible success as everyone seems to believe. I even like Lyla (the new Oasis single) better than speed of sound. Go figure.

Having said that, I don´t think Oasis were the biggest band in the world in the 1995/1996 period. U2 still were the biggest band in the world at that time, even if they hadnt released new material in between 1993-1997 (I´m not counting Passengers or HMTMKMKM), the years when Oasis were truly a big band.
As Sting pointed out, they never were able to become really popular in the States (30 % of the world music market). Remember, in 1997, when Oasis were still a popular band worldwide they opened for U2 in Oakland during Popmart. Do you honestly think the biggest band in the world would do such a thing?

What I´m trying to say is Oasis were a flash in the pan pretty much the same as Coldplay will be.

They don´t have what it takes to dethrone U2 from their pedestal: the biggest baddest band in the world since 1987, thats 18 years in a row, a feat with no precedents in the history of rock music.

Bottom line: don´t believe british media hype!!! They would do anything in the world to have a british band taking the place of U2.

Coldplay is a good band. And that's all.

You shouldn't even compare them to Oasis.
Oasis were the biggest band in the world in 95/96. There was a complete obssesion by the media, and to be honest, i really think they deserved. Noel is still a a terrific songwriter, but times have changed. Oasis are no longer relevant. But that's the difference between Oasis and Coldplay. Coldplay are not relevant... they never were either. They are just a band with good music, and lucky because nowadays any POP band can sell millions. They just "born" at the right time at the right place.

Don't compare Coldplay with Oasis.

Oasis are legends... who ruled the world in 95/96. What's the Story (Monring Glory) is one of the best albums of the 90's. Those two years belong to them.

 

[04072511]

Whats the story morning glory was certified 4x platinum in the US and wonderwall peaked at #8 in the BB Hot 100, so they were pretty huge in america at that time, but their popularity soon dissapeared in the states with their third album which only went platinum.

 

[sue4u2]

So far I love Speed Of Sound. But then I love Coldplay for themselves and no one else. It doesn't matter to me who, what when, did more or less. I have both albums by them and will have this one as well. I have been waiting for it for a while now and it's based on the merit of "their" music not any thing or anyone else.

This is a good thing for music no matter which way you look at it.
Like them or not.
I'm happy for them and truly think they are phenomenal. They are an entity amoung themselves and I like that.
Can't wait to hear the rest of the tracks.

 

[edge3]

The box below, with the 'x' in the middle, is supposed to be a scan of the front cover of this months Q Magazine featuring Coldplay & U2 - but I'm not exactly sure how to post it. So I'm sorry if you can't see it.

 

[edge3]

BTW - I have already scanned the cover onto my computer. I just don't know how to post it onto this thread.

Can someone please explain how to do this? It would be much appreciated.

 

[Squire]

Fedeu2, i agree when you say British media would do anything to put a brith band on top.

Thanks 04072511. I didn't know Oasis did so well in the American market. 4xplatinum?? That's even better than Pop and Zooropa. Well Sting... it seems they were not unsucessfull as you thought.

So by that we can say they were the biggest in 95/96.

Fedeu2, they supported U2 in 97... and from what it is said, they were invited by U2 themselves. Why would they refused?

 

[04072511]

Here are Oasis' certifications in the US:
Definitely Maybe - Platinum
Whats The Story Morning Glory - 4x Platinum
Be Here Now - Platinum
There And Then (Video) - Gold

Here are their chart positions on BB:

1994 Supersonic Mainstream Rock Tracks 38
1994 Supersonic Modern Rock Tracks 11
1995 Live Forever Mainstream Rock Tracks 10
1995 Live Forever Modern Rock Tracks 2
1995 Morning Glory Modern Rock Tracks 24
1995 Rock 'N' Roll Star Modern Rock Tracks 36
1995 Wonderwall Mainstream Rock Tracks 9
1995 Wonderwall Modern Rock Tracks 1
1996 Champagne Supernova Adult Top 40 33
1996 Champagne Supernova Mainstream Rock Tracks 8
1996 Champagne Supernova Modern Rock Tracks 1
1996 Champagne Supernova Top 40 Mainstream 10
1996 Don't Look Back in Anger Modern Rock Tracks 10
1996 Don't Look Back in Anger The Billboard Hot 100 55
1996 Don't Look Back in Anger Top 40 Mainstream 33
1996 Wonderwall Adult Top 40 30
1996 Wonderwall Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 17
1996 Wonderwall The Billboard Hot 100 8
1996 Wonderwall Top 40 Mainstream 10
1997 D'You Know What I Mean? Mainstream Rock Tracks 36
1997 D'You Know What I Mean? Modern Rock Tracks 4
1997 Don't Go Away Adult Top 40 27
1997 Don't Go Away Mainstream Rock Tracks 36
1997 Don't Go Away Modern Rock Tracks 5
1997 Don't Go Away Top 40 Mainstream 35
1998 Acquiesce Modern Rock Tracks 24
1998 All Around the World Modern Rock Tracks 15
2000 Go Let It Out Modern Rock Tracks 14

 

[ybird3k]

Whats The Story Morning Glory - 4x Platinum
thats pretty good,
any1 know the global sales of it?

 

[edge3]

I would say about 14M (in 1997 it was certified 6xPlat IFPI Europe)

 

[Yahweh]

Coldplay will certainly get off to a very hot start but in the end there fanbase doesnt run near as deep as the U2 fanbase.

 

[04072511]

Morning Glory has sold 4.2 million in the UK, probably close to 5 million in the US at this stage as it was last certified in November 1996. It has been certified 8xPlatinum in Canada and was last certified in May 1997 so its probably at 900,000 by now. So between these 3 countries alone sales are at around 9.8 Million, so 14 Million sounds very conservative. At least 20 Million sounds a better estimate.

 

[edge3]

It would be great if Morning Glory had sold 20M but I'd be amazed if it has :

I know it's sold 4.2M in UK but this figure is included in the 6xPlat IFPI Europe certificate. So, rather like Coldplay's first 2 albums, this means that Morning Glory has only sold another 1.8M in rest of Europe. However it might have sold close to 7M in Europe & UK now so it's fair to say it's now sold about 6.5M in Europe & UK.

According to Soundscan it had sold 3.5M in US as at 2004. Soundscan accounted for about 70% of sales at this time so we can add 1M to this - that's 4.5M in US.

It's done v.well to go 8xPlat in Canada but it's not actually certified 9xPlat so it's fair to say it's now sold about 850K in Canada. I very much doubt it's done that well in any other country. However it was cerified 6xPlat in Australia in 1999 - that's sales of 420K.

So, that's 6.5M in Europe + 4.5M in US + 850K in Canada + 420K in Australia = 12270M.

As with U2's albums, these markets would have made up about 80-90% of Morning Glorys' worldwide sales. So we can add on another 2.5M to this figure for rest of the world sales - maximum. So thats 12270M + 2.5M = about 14,770,000 worldwide sales for Morning Glory to date.

Now, I've been a big fan of Oasis over the years & I've read a heck of a lot of music magazines about them & not one has ever said that Morning Glory has sold 20M - not even Noel Gallagher himself!! In 1998 Q magazine said Morning Glory had sold 12M & this is the figure I've heard most often quoted.

Over a similar period of time, the first Spice Girls album might have just passed 20M but that out-sold Morning Glory everywhere (except UK - just). It has sold 8M in Europe & 7M in US. Alanis Morisette's 'Jagged Little Pill' has sold over 20M worldwide but that's sold 7M in Europe & over 14M in US!!

 

[phanan]

So by that we can say they were the biggest in 95/96.

Oasis wasn't the biggest recording artist in the world in 95/96. Biggest rock band, yes, but not overall.

Morning Glory has worldwide sales of 18 million, which is incredible, but there were other artists whose records sold more during this same period.

Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill came out the same year, and it has worldwide sales of 29 million, far outpacing Oasis.

And as much as I hate her, Celine Dion had not one, but TWO albums during 95/96:

Fallen Into You - 29 million
Let's Talk About Love - 30 million

Yes, sick, isn't it? Why bother? But that's beside the point.

Shania Twain and The Fugees also had the same worldwide album sales as Oasis around this time too.

Even Hootie & The Blowfish's debut from 1995 comes in at 17 million.

So Oasis was the biggest rock band for those two years, but not the biggest overall artist, or even the biggest rock act. Alanis beats them there.

Just getting the specifics out of the way for argument's sake.

 

[phanan]

Oasis may have been the biggest band in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe in 1995/1996, but that was not the case here in North America. Oasis would struggle to fill small arena's here during that time or play theaters. They were not even close to trying stadiums here in the United States. In fact, a band like INXS was more popular here in North America in 1988 than Oasis was in 1995/1996.

Kick by INXS was perhaps bigger in the U.S. in terms of the success of its singles and videos, but in reality, the album sold about the same amount. It was certified 4x platinum in 1989, about two years after its release, whereas Morning Glory by Oasis was certified 4x platinum in the U.S. within a year.

Now, Kick has since reached 6x platinum in the U.S. (in 1997), so it has done better than Morning Glory as a catalog album.

In worldwide sales, it's not even close. Morning Glory (18 million) is way ahead of Kick (10 million).

Getting back to Coldplay, I'm a bit more optimistic at its first week sales potential than some of you. I think it will do around 400,000 - 500,000 units in the U.S. alone.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Oasis wasn't the biggest at all when Morning Glory came out..........Pearl Jam, for example, had a five million seller in Vitalogy.......Hootie and the Blowfish sold a bajillion records also around the same time here in the States.........maybe Oasis was huge in the rest of the world, but they were just a quick flash in the pan here in the US.

 

[phanan]

Oasis wasn't the biggest at all when Morning Glory came out..........Pearl Jam, for example, had a five million seller in Vitalogy.......Hootie and the Blowfish sold a bajillion records also around the same time here in the States.........maybe Oasis was huge in the rest of the world, but they were just a quick flash in the pan here in the US.

When you talk about just the U.S., you're absolutely correct. There were tons of artists who released albums in 1995 and 1996 that outsold Morning Glory. However, Squire was talking about worldwide sales combined, and in that sense, Morning Glory outsold Pearl Jam, Hootie, etc.

As I previously mentioned, Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill was the only rock album released around the same time that outsold Morning Glory worldwide. I don't count Celine Dion.

 

[STING2]

Kick by INXS was perhaps bigger in the U.S. in terms of the success of its singles and videos, but in reality, the album sold about the same amount. It was certified 4x platinum in 1989, about two years after its release, whereas Morning Glory by Oasis was certified 4x platinum in the U.S. within a year.

Now, Kick has since reached 6x platinum in the U.S. (in 1997), so it has done better than Morning Glory as a catalog album.

In worldwide sales, it's not even close. Morning Glory (18 million) is way ahead of Kick (10 million).

Getting back to Coldplay, I'm a bit more optimistic at its first week sales potential than some of you. I think it will do around 400,000 - 500,000 units in the U.S. alone.

INXS Kick was certified 3 times platinum within a year back in 1987/1988 which was more impressive relative to the market which was smaller in 1988 than it was in 1996.

EQUALLY important as album sales is concert ticket sales. INXS for example played multiple shows at 15,000 to 20,000 seat arena's in most cities in the United States in 1988. Oasis on the other hand played primarily single shows even in the big cities. INXS were a much stronger concert draw in the USA in 1988 than Oasis was in the USA in 1996, so even if you were to compare album sales from these two different years one for one, INXS would still come out on top overall in comparing the level of popularity achieved in each year by the two groups.

In addition, the current figure for Kick is higher than 10 million as the album hit the 8 million mark worldwide by the Summer of 1989. After this it would go on to sale another 2 million in the USA plus an unknown number in the rest of the world.

 

[STING2]

True. But I believe Oasis recently sold out Madison Square Garden & I still think that Definately Maybe is one of the all time great debut albums. Coldplay's 'Parachutes' is quite a good debut album as well....& I still think X&Y could debut at #1 in US with sales of 500K

Selling out Madison Square Garden is a something that a band without even a platinum record potentially has the capability of doing. I'm not knocking selling out the Garden, but if you can only sellout one night at the Garden, your unlikely to sellout out any other similar sized Arena in the USA. The reason of course is that New York City Metro area with its 15 million people makes it much easier to accomplish such a task than any other place in the USA.

A band that can only sellout one night at Madison Square Garden in New York City, will often be booked in a 4,000 seat theater in the city the size of Atlanta.

 

[STING2]

I said Oasis were the biggest band in the world in those 2 years. North America is not the world.
Oasis belonged to a style of music whose media categorized it as "Britpop", and we all know how difficult it is for music made in UK to actually penetrate in USA market, not to mention a kind of music typically Britain.

Oasis were in fact the biggest band in the world in 95/96.
Now if you ask me if they were as successfull as they were in the rest of the world... my answer will be NO. But is it sufficient to not consider them as the biggest band in the world? My answer will be of course NO.

Oasis was booked in Arena's, primarily single dates at each, for most of their tour in 1996. It was only in the United Kingdom and Ireland that Oasis were booked in Stadiums. In addition, of the 6 million copies of "Whats The Story Morning Glory" that were sold in Europe, 4.2 million, about 70% of all copies sold in Europe, were sold in the United Kingdom.

Overall worldwide in 1996, Oasis could only play single Arena shows in most cities around the world, while U2 could play stadiums with capacities that were on average were three times the size of most venues Oasis would play in.

While ZOOROPA sold about half of what Morning Glory did in its first year, as Concert Selling artist, Oasis were much further behind U2 worldwide to a degree that was much greater than the difference between ZOOROPA and Morning Glory, which is why U2 was still the biggest band during that time frame.

Obviously by the same criteria in the United Kingdom alone, no one was bigger than Oasis there. But worldwide, Oasis were not a strong enough concert selling act to be considered the biggest band, even though they did have the album sale part of the equation down. Both album sales and concert ticket selling strength are considered equally.

 

[STING2]

Whats the story morning glory was certified 4x platinum in the US and wonderwall peaked at #8 in the BB Hot 100, so they were pretty huge in america at that time, but their popularity soon dissapeared in the states with their third album which only went platinum.

Album sales are only half of the story, Concert ticket sales are the other half. While Morning Glory hit 4 million in sales, the tour did primarily single arena dates in various cities through out the USA. No big multi-night stands at 20,000 seat arena's and no Stadium shows at all in the USA.

 

[STING2]

Fedeu2, i agree when you say British media would do anything to put a brith band on top.

Thanks 04072511. I didn't know Oasis did so well in the American market. 4xplatinum?? That's even better than Pop and Zooropa. Well Sting... it seems they were not unsucessfull as you thought.

So by that we can say they were the biggest in 95/96.

Fedeu2, they supported U2 in 97... and from what it is said, they were invited by U2 themselves. Why would they refused?

I never said they were unsuccessful in the USA and I already know they sold 4 million of Morning Glory in the USA. But album sales are only half of the total picture. The other half is concert ticket sales, and the Morning Glory tour played only single Arena dates in most cities in the USA. The tour was not able to do mutli-night business or play in stadiums in the USA. The same holds true for most of Europe outside the United Kingdom.