But again all I can keep doing is pointing to the complete lack of promotion for the album over here, very strange
Songs of Experience - Let The Chart Speculation Begin
- Thread starter womanfish
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
But again all I can keep doing is pointing to the complete lack of promotion for the album over here, very strange
jakehu
The Fly
5 in the UK. Unbelievable. Even if half the people who saw them in 2 nights at Twickenham had bought the album it would be number 1. Madness.
Super Yo
New Yorker
Bono is currently regretting turning down that David Hasselhoff duet.
Super Yo
New Yorker
Charts Analysis: Sam Smith surges to albums summit
by Alan Jones
Leadership of the album chart changes hands for the 15th week in a row – but instead of heralding U2's 11th No.1 album with Songs Of Experience, as most would have expected, we are instead welcoming back Sam Smith's The Thrill Of It All, which debuted in pole position four weeks ago, and returns to the summit with sales up 35.00% week-on-week at 58,299 (including 4,974 from sales-equivalent streams).
Five weeks into its chart career, The Thrill Of It All has never been out of the top two, and has sold 290,292 copies – enough for it to already rank as the year's sixth biggest-selling artist album. Smith's 2014 debut, In The Lonely Hour – which opened its account with 69 straight weeks in the Top 10 – bounces 44-37 this week, with sales of 5,748 copies raising its cumulative tally to 2,381,034, eclipsing Take That's Progress to become the fifth biggest-selling album of the 2010s.
U2's 14th studio album, Songs Of Experience posted a lead of 14,000 sales on the first of the week's sales flashes but that advantage was quickly eroded, and with many of its rivals apparently boosted by Christmas gift-buying, it eventually debuted at No.5 on sales of 40,669 copies. U2 last topped the chart in 2009, when No Line On The Horizon debuted at the summit on sales of 157,928 but missed out with 2014 follow-up Songs Of Innocence, which debuted and peaked at No.6 on sales of just 15,998 copies, having been available for more than a month as a free download from iTunes before being released physically and in expanded download form. Their best ever first week sale – and the highest by any album to that point – came in 1988 when their sixth studio album, Rattle And Hum raced to a first-week sale in excess of 360,000.
by Alan Jones
Leadership of the album chart changes hands for the 15th week in a row – but instead of heralding U2's 11th No.1 album with Songs Of Experience, as most would have expected, we are instead welcoming back Sam Smith's The Thrill Of It All, which debuted in pole position four weeks ago, and returns to the summit with sales up 35.00% week-on-week at 58,299 (including 4,974 from sales-equivalent streams).
Five weeks into its chart career, The Thrill Of It All has never been out of the top two, and has sold 290,292 copies – enough for it to already rank as the year's sixth biggest-selling artist album. Smith's 2014 debut, In The Lonely Hour – which opened its account with 69 straight weeks in the Top 10 – bounces 44-37 this week, with sales of 5,748 copies raising its cumulative tally to 2,381,034, eclipsing Take That's Progress to become the fifth biggest-selling album of the 2010s.
U2's 14th studio album, Songs Of Experience posted a lead of 14,000 sales on the first of the week's sales flashes but that advantage was quickly eroded, and with many of its rivals apparently boosted by Christmas gift-buying, it eventually debuted at No.5 on sales of 40,669 copies. U2 last topped the chart in 2009, when No Line On The Horizon debuted at the summit on sales of 157,928 but missed out with 2014 follow-up Songs Of Innocence, which debuted and peaked at No.6 on sales of just 15,998 copies, having been available for more than a month as a free download from iTunes before being released physically and in expanded download form. Their best ever first week sale – and the highest by any album to that point – came in 1988 when their sixth studio album, Rattle And Hum raced to a first-week sale in excess of 360,000.
Super Yo
New Yorker
Despite vinyl making a comeback, ....... Madison, WI has 2 record shops. One of them posted something thanking customers for showing up for Record Store Day because they finally went into the black on that day (2 weeks ago???). Gives you an idea of what record sales are these days.
Outside of the UK I think the album is doing very well
Yes, number one in the world on iTunes for the 8th straight day. Not too shabby.
jakehu
The Fly
Agreed. The BBC special should have been timed for the week of release. Would have showed the songs off & casual fans may have thought to buy the album. Needed more TV & radio interviews as well.
Yep, maybe even a surprise concert type thing, but it honestly feels like they weren't really bothered about the UK so much
OP
OP
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Where do you see U2 getting more streams than Taylor Swift??
I am stupified that people are stupified that people don't buy albums anymore
If U2 are not going to promote the album with the best songs as its singles nor do next to no promo material in the UK and the rest of Europe, they have no right to be surprised that the sales figures are bombing by their high expectations. Putting up The Edge for a 2 minute phone interview with Simon Mayo on his drivetime Radio 2 is about as hard as they've tried.
jakehu
The Fly
Adam did a bit with Chris Evans & that has been it. Even with SOI they went on Graham Norton, which is a pretty big mainstream show in the UK.
I remember a Top of the Pops special live from BBC TV Centre just before they released HTDAAB. NLOTH they had a BBC Presents special from the top of Broadcasting House in Regent Street London. SOI as you note they were on Graham Norton, they were also on Jools Holland, all of these appearances released during album week.
Super Yo
New Yorker
The BBC show is out on the 19th, really don't get why it's that date. It's 11 days away. By then the album will be dead here. Already dropped to 17 on uk iTunes.
BBC show should have been this week
What does everyone think soe will do in sales this week? 500k? I originally said 2 million overall would be a success, theve got no chance of getting 2 million. Over a million max now I reckon
BBC show should have been this week
What does everyone think soe will do in sales this week? 500k? I originally said 2 million overall would be a success, theve got no chance of getting 2 million. Over a million max now I reckon
macphisto54
The Fly
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2009
- Messages
- 105
Over 10 years without a hit single doesn't help. Promo in the UK has been very weak, a very low key release. I really hope that the BBC show boosts sales of the album.
I expected a top 3 chart position in the UK at least. Very disappointed.
I expected a top 3 chart position in the UK at least. Very disappointed.
You guys are silly gooses
Native_Son
Acrobat
The biggest advertisement is radio play of singles - they just dont seem to be getting this in the UK anymore (exception of Radio 2 to an extent). That said, they have easily gotten to #1 in the US without much radio play. I thought the size of their fan base would have easily carried them to #1 in the uk, I would have expected them to get to #1 even if they continue releasing albums way into their 70's, purely on their reputation and fan base.
jakehu
The Fly
The way sales are today I still thought 2-2.5 million because of the big market that the band have worldwide . However, the promotion of TBT was shocking. With no strategy for a follow up single & video & the scattergun album promo approach, I doubt they will get near my initial estimate.
patternshirt170
Acrobat
Man, to be beaten to the #1 spot by the fucking Beige Brothers is pretty galling. P!nk, she's fun and has some great songs, but tedious omnipotent Eddy and Sam Smiffy? Dear God, I mean, it's not new, we've alway had some really shit acts back home rise to the top, but just now we have so few if any huge great ones to counteract or balance the wheat from the chaf. Plus I assume these older albums winning the Top 4 was a series of X Factor 'bounces' as per usual because it's this time of year again?
I was always of the mind that they should just dedicate 2017 to The Joshua Tree's 30th, toast it and put on ice any new album until the new year, have the end of this year off (but keep Edge away from studios!!!) refresh the page and start anew in 2018 - with the single and the album in early to mid February ala 2009 and then the tour (as it is) in May onwards, but with the tickets going onsale post Christmas. Yeah, yeah I know it would have been a longer gap between Experience and Innocence, but two months isn't that big a deal and it would also probably mean a better chance at a #1 album at a quieter time in music, because going up against the UK's "finest" mass appeal acts around Christmas isn't a battle they are gonna win at this point in their career, but - maybe releasing the album post Festive season and sans the X Factor omnipotence and hype and it's appearance bounces might prove more fruitful on several levels. You get the bragging rights of the #1 record.
But.... they chose to add Songs of Experience onto the tail end of JT 2017 and well, here we are. And I know they have thick skins and are a tad seasoned to all of the ups and downs but they must be disappointed at some level at this number from what they always regarded as their 'second home".
I was always of the mind that they should just dedicate 2017 to The Joshua Tree's 30th, toast it and put on ice any new album until the new year, have the end of this year off (but keep Edge away from studios!!!) refresh the page and start anew in 2018 - with the single and the album in early to mid February ala 2009 and then the tour (as it is) in May onwards, but with the tickets going onsale post Christmas. Yeah, yeah I know it would have been a longer gap between Experience and Innocence, but two months isn't that big a deal and it would also probably mean a better chance at a #1 album at a quieter time in music, because going up against the UK's "finest" mass appeal acts around Christmas isn't a battle they are gonna win at this point in their career, but - maybe releasing the album post Festive season and sans the X Factor omnipotence and hype and it's appearance bounces might prove more fruitful on several levels. You get the bragging rights of the #1 record.
But.... they chose to add Songs of Experience onto the tail end of JT 2017 and well, here we are. And I know they have thick skins and are a tad seasoned to all of the ups and downs but they must be disappointed at some level at this number from what they always regarded as their 'second home".
