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

[Zoovation]

Originally posted by claytons edge
Could anyone please tell me how many albums coldplay have now sold in the U.S?

Haven't you read the post of Soldatti which is above you?

He will post the totals today.

[claytons edge]

Originally posted by Zoovation


Haven't you read the post of Soldatti which is above you?

He will post the totals today.

[claytons edge]

I meant to ask the total's for all 3 combined coldplay album's in the states and i'm too lazy to go back through this thread on the off chance i might get that info

[bonzo]

I have to put in my two cents to this ongoing discussion. I have been an avid reader of this MB since 2000 but rarely a poster (as you can see - I guess I mostly take interest in seeing what others have to say).

I think that the competition here between Coldplay and U2 is a great thing. If nothing else, U2 fans should at least be encouraged by the fact that both of these bands are in the marketplace competing against one another (along with Radiohead who was mentioned in a thread earlier). Overrated or not, if Coldplay is the next U2 as many critics deem them to be - SO BE IT. Thank God there is some future for innovative rock music that is not a manufactured product (contrary to what many may say, I do not think that X & Y is a "manufactured product" -Square One and Talk are pretty brilliant IMHO).

I guess the reason for my post is that I am a huge fan of U2, and Coldplay, and Radiohead (if that is possible). Being a fan of one will not prevent me from being a fan of another.

I realize this post may be out of place considering what has been previously posted. It's just that I read Radiohead MB posts, and Coldplay MB posts, and then posts on this MB and everyone is so quick to say that the other band sucks. Why? Even if Coldplay is not your thing, why knock them? They're taking a shot at making creative rock music in their own unique sound with the goal of having it played on the radio. I do think tracking the increasing sales of X&Y against HTDAAB is great - it shows that good music still has a fighting chance. But, as Bono said, the current state of the music business nowadays is making it impossible for good bands to survive (in the U.S., at least). So, I'll take Coldplay over the Backstreet Boys.

Let's face it, U2 will not be around much longer. Not as long as Coldplay, at least. I love it that Coldplay are even a topic of discussion, because otherwise who else is out there once U2 is gone? Green Day is fine, but for me at least, they aren't transporting me anywhere, as when I listen to Achtung Baby, Kid A or even X & Y (I know, that one is a bit of a stretch). There are other great new rock bands out there, such as Bloc Party, Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand, The White Stripes, etc., but they don't have a chance in hell of becoming as big (commercially) as I, at least, would want them to be. What is disturbing to me is that I have to wake up to Mariah Carey's awful music videos on VH1 instead of COBL. Or, I have the option of turning on MTV and watch other crap Hip-Hop music (I have to admit, though, that Speed of Sound certainly has received its share of airplay on both).

Just my two cents. I know this is probably just rehashing what others may have already said, and that there may be no point to this post other than to rant, but oh well - it's late.

[STING2]

Originally posted by bonzo

Let's face it, U2 will not be around much longer.

I think its difficult to say that with any certainty. I remember fans saying that U2 would probably not be around much longer and were done after Rattle and Hum as well as after Zooropa. The phrase, "I can't see U2 making another record after Zooropa" was often repeated back in 1993 by many people. The Rolling Stones have just started a new tour and their new album is coming out next week I think. With these things in mind, I think U2 could easily be around for another 10 to 20 years or even beyond that. The only thing we know for sure though is that they still have 3 more studio albums to do for their last album contract, and one more Greatest Hits album for the seperate GH contract.

Coldplay have released 3 albums now and have been around for half a decade now. Assuming they stay together and continue down this path they have blazed for themselves so far, they could be together for a long time. But being together as long as U2 is very rare, and chances are unfortunately, that in 5 or 10 more years, Coldplay will have gone their seperate ways. U2 have the band, family, and unity thing down better than any other group has in history. It remains to be seen if Coldplay will have the same sticking together and staying power as U2.

By the way, thanks for your interesting post!

[Zoovation]

223.000 for Coldplay this week

[fitz]

Week 11:
X&Y 223k / Bomb 124k

6:5 for Coldplay

but total

Bomb: 6.397 k
X&Y: 5.476 k

[ybird3k]

Originally posted by fitz
Week 11:
X&Y 223k / Bomb 124k

6:5 for Coldplay

but total

Bomb: 6.397 k
X&Y: 5.476 k

so even if X&Y continues to sell 100k a week more than bomb, its still going to take it 9 weeks to catch up!

[mkjc]

The smart thing for U2 to do would be to make videos without themselves in them.

[ybird3k]

Originally posted by mkjc
The smart thing for U2 to do would be to make videos without themselves in them.

i see where your coming from, but disagree.

[KUEFC09U2]

Originally posted by mkjc
The smart thing for U2 to do would be to make videos without themselves in them.

how does this work?

[Zoovation]

Hits:

32.33%

11,784 for X&Y

So it will be 40k at the end.

The bomb sold 39,648 in week 12.

[bonzo]

Originally posted by STING2


The Rolling Stones have just started a new tour and their new album is coming out next week I think. With these things in mind, I think U2 could easily be around for another 10 to 20 years or even beyond that.

By the way, thanks for your interesting post!

Upon further reflection, I agree with that. However, I'm not sure how I feel about it. A lot of folks are worried that U2 are becoming less adventurous, taking less risks, etc. because they are aging, and instead are taking the "safer" route by writing straight pop, borderline adult contemporary songs. And, if they are not blowing their minds and our minds with new colors, sounds, moods, etc. (as I think Bono or Larry said in an interview a few years ago), then they should not stay together because they would basically become the next Rolling Stones. I think that is the way I used to feel. Now, I think Chris Martin put it best in his recent interview in Rolling Stone (I recommend reading it, even if you are not a Coldplay fan) where, in response to being asked about the negative critical reaction to X&Y, he said something like "why - we're only writing songs here". I think that would be my response to the U2 are selling out, not being experimental, argument. If U2 is around for another 20 years, great - at least they are making music! And, it is not like they are going to turn into Rod Stewart (see his latest record) or even, dare I say it, Weezer (someone convince me that they did not take a plunge).

On a side note, Chris Martin also went on to say in the interview that they were ready to start branching out and experimenting because they have played out the piano ballads. It appears that they are reading straight from the primer on how to be the next U2 (i.e. transition from War to UF, when U2 first "experimented").

By the way, I'm glad everyone here takes an interest in this charting stuff (thanks to STING2, Doctorwho and BELIEVE (sorry if I missed someone) for keeping me informed - I do have to say, the numbers now are disconcerting when compared to those with ATYCLB). Sorry for the lengthy posts. Somebody shut me up.

[STING2]

Originally posted by bonzo


Upon further reflection, I agree with that. However, I'm not sure how I feel about it. A lot of folks are worried that U2 are becoming less adventurous, taking less risks, etc. because they are aging, and instead are taking the "safer" route by writing straight pop, borderline adult contemporary songs. And, if they are not blowing their minds and our minds with new colors, sounds, moods, etc. (as I think Bono or Larry said in an interview a few years ago), then they should not stay together because they would basically become the next Rolling Stones. I think that is the way I used to feel. Now, I think Chris Martin put it best in his recent interview in Rolling Stone (I recommend reading it, even if you are not a Coldplay fan) where, in response to being asked about the negative critical reaction to X&Y, he said something like "why - we're only writing songs here". I think that would be my response to the U2 are selling out, not being experimental, argument. If U2 is around for another 20 years, great - at least they are making music! And, it is not like they are going to turn into Rod Stewart (see his latest record) or even, dare I say it, Weezer (someone convince me that they did not take a plunge).

On a side note, Chris Martin also went on to say in the interview that they were ready to start branching out and experimenting because they have played out the piano ballads. It appears that they are reading straight from the primer on how to be the next U2 (i.e. transition from War to UF, when U2 first "experimented").

By the way, I'm glad everyone here takes an interest in this charting stuff (thanks to STING2, Doctorwho and BELIEVE (sorry if I missed someone) for keeping me informed - I do have to say, the numbers now are disconcerting when compared to those with ATYCLB). Sorry for the lengthy posts. Somebody shut me up.

One thing to remember about the numbers for ATYCLB vs. BOMB is that BOMB is selling in environment that has been much more heavily impacted by "file sharing", "other free downloading" and "CD burning" to an extent that ATYCLB was not back in the years it was selling. Sales for all albums in 2005 are sometimes as little as 60% of what they were back in 2000 and 2001.

Despite this, BOMB is still ahead of where ATYCLB was in total sales after 40 weeks of release. But it is unlikely that BOMB will match the final total sales of ATYCLB in its first 2 years of release.

[ybird3k]

week 12 hits final:

X&Y 49,151

bomb 39,648

[Zoovation]

211k for X&Y (mediatraffic)

[Zoovation]

35.26%

Coldplay #22 (12) with 11,672

So probably 40k again.

[Zoovation]

Coldplay down 16% to 41,104.

U2 sold 56,692 in Week 13, then only 26,532 in Week 14.

[Zoovation]

X&Y with 194k

What was the number for U2 in week 13?

[fitz]

Week 12:
X&Y 211k
Bomb 141k 7:5 for X&Y

Week 13:
X&Y 194k
Bomb 162k 8:5 for X&Y

But new total (after 13 weeks):

X&Y 5.881k
Bomb 6.700k