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

[Soldatti]

A little bit from Billboard chart alert:

Coldplay Is Hot As "X&Y" Debuts At No. 1

With 737,000 units, Coldplay earns its first No. 1 album on The Billboard 200 and the second-best opening week of the year ... Black Eyed Peas and the White Stripes both see new chart highs and their best sales weeks ... Shakira sets a record for the best debut for a Spanish-language album ... The latest Vans Warped tour compilation moshes its way onto the chart, as does a number of acts that will play the traveling show ... Paul Anka opens at No. 2 on Top Jazz Albums with his unique rock covers set ... Pat Benatar lands her highest-charting album since 1991 and her best sales week since Billboard began using Nielsen SoundScan data that same year.



* Coldplay blasts onto The Billboard 200 at No. 1 with its "X&Y" selling 737,000 units. The massive debut week gives the band its first chart-topping album and its best sales frame ever. This is 2005's second-biggest debut, following 50 Cent's 1.14 million opener with "The Massacre" in March. It's also the biggest week for a rock band since U2 debuted with 840,000 units when "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" was released in November 2004. In fact, since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales data in 1991, only seven rock bands have managed bigger sales weeks (U2, Guns N' Roses, Pearl Jam, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Creed and the Beatles).

COLDPLAY
* The band recorded concerts that aired on MTV (June 5) and AOL Music (June 10), and a "VH1 Storytellers" that debuted June 8. On May 12, the quartet played the season finale of "Saturday Night Live." Additionally, it took part in the Coachella festival April 30 and played a series of semi-surprise gigs throughout April and early May. The album's first single, "Speed of Sound," gathered 25.3 million in radio audience for the week ending June 12, according to Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. It was the most-played video at VH1 with 54 airings, and was ranked top 10 at MTV and MTV2. The single is No. 10 this week on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album was available as the first-ever pre-order at the Apple iTunes Music Store beginning in mid-May. The pre-order edition at iTunes included two exclusive bonus tracks. In turn, the set moved a staggering 60,000 units as a digital album in its first week. (That number combines all digital reporters, including iTunes and its pre-orders.) The 60,000 total instantly makes "X&Y" the year's second best-selling digital album, next to Jack Johnson's "In Between Dreams" (79,000) ... About 15% (113,000) of the first-week sales for "X&Y" came from nontraditional music sellers, including coffee giant Starbucks ... The last time a Capitol act was No. 1 on The Billboard 200 was when the Beastie Boys' "To the 5 Boroughs" opened in the top slot in June 2004 ... Over on Top Pop Catalog albums, the Coldplay party continues. The band has the top two spots on the chart with "A Rush of Blood to the Head" (25,000) and "Parachutes" (15,000). The last time an act claimed the top two was in the chart dated March 15, 2003, when the Dixie Chicks did it with "Fly" and "Wide Open Spaces."

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

you are right sting2. Even here in the netherlands colplay's concert at gelredome (27000) isn't soldout yet while u2 sold 3 concerts at amsterdam (52000) in 1 and half an hour. They even could sell 4, so that's 200.000 against 27.000 for coldplay and tickets still available

 

[Tallarico]

Do you think Coldplay can win the race against u2 in the first week in Wc?

mi prediction is : coldplay with 1 700 000 copies on mediatraffic....300 000 less u2's first week!

 

[edge3]

HTDAAB Vrs. X&Y...so far :

HTDAAB :

US - 842K
UK - 200K
Germany - 130K
Canada - 95K
Australia - 48K
Japan - 84K
Total = 1,399,000

X&Y :

US - 738K
UK - 464K
Germany - 70K
Canada - 105K
Australia - 40K
Japan - 32K
Total = 1,449,000

So, X&Y, so far, has a lead of 50K from these 6 countries, so it's gonna be damn close!!

But I still think X&Y will end up with around 1,950,000 overall compared to around 2,034,000 for HTDAAB (phew!).

 

[Tallarico]

no numbers about france?

 

[U2girl]

840 000 to 737 000.

U2 wins this round.

 

[ChargedVT]

The result is in, as Mediatraffic has been updated:

Coldplay's X&Y sold 1,643,000 copies

 

[Tallarico]

Do you think Coldplay can win the race against u2 in the first week in Wc?

mi prediction is : coldplay with 1 700 000 copies on mediatraffic....300 000 less u2's first week!

yes!!!!!! I had a reason!!!!!

near 300k to difference!!!!

(sorry for coldplay 's fans but I'm very happy to see u2 very very competitive after 25 years of a big career!!!!!)

1643000 coldplay vs 1854000 for u2.....(on mediatraffic nnumbers!)

 

[edge3]

Phew!! So Coldplay didn't beat U2 afterall - I really thought they might.

Final, 1st week, result for Coldplay at Mediatraffic :

1,643,000 sold + 32K from Japan last week + 5% extra sales = around 1,755,000 copies of X&Y sold, worldwide, in '1st week'.

From Mediatraffic :

ALBUMS WITH BIGGEST SALES IN A WEEK

1. NORAH JONES - FEELS LIKE HOME 1.920.000 COPIES (09/2004)
2. U2 - *HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB 1.854.000 COPIES (50/2004)
3. COLDPLAY - X&Y 1.643.000 COPIES (25/2005)
4. LINKIN PARK - METEORA 1.560.000 COPIES (15/2003)
5. ELVIS PRESLEY - 30 NUMBER 1 HITS 1.480.000 COPIES (41/2002)
6. EMINEM - ENCORE 1.475.000 COPIES (49/2004)
7. HIKARU UTADA - SINGLE COLLECTION VOL.1 1.404.000 COPIES (16/2004)
8. USHER - CONFESSIONS 1.390.000 COPIES (15/2004)

*HTDAAB really sold : 1854M + 84K (Japan, previous week) + 5% extra sales = around 2,034,000 copies sold in '1st week'.

ps - well done to Coldplay for giving U2 some decent competition!

 

[caylan]

I think word of mouth, as many have reviewed the CD here, will slow down sales considerably.

I already sold my copy on eBay.

Phew!! So Coldplay didn't beat U2 afterall - I really thought they might.

Final, 1st week, result for Coldplay at Mediatraffic :

1,643,000 sold + 32K from Japan last week + 5% extra sales = around 1,755,000 copies of X&Y sold, worldwide, in '1st week'.

From Mediatraffic :

ALBUMS WITH BIGGEST SALES IN A WEEK

1. NORAH JONES - FEELS LIKE HOME 1.920.000 COPIES (09/2004)
2. U2 - *HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB 1.854.000 COPIES (50/2004)
3. COLDPLAY - X&Y 1.643.000 COPIES (25/2005)
4. LINKIN PARK - METEORA 1.560.000 COPIES (15/2003)
5. ELVIS PRESLEY - 30 NUMBER 1 HITS 1.480.000 COPIES (41/2002)
6. EMINEM - ENCORE 1.475.000 COPIES (49/2004)
7. HIKARU UTADA - SINGLE COLLECTION VOL.1 1.404.000 COPIES (16/2004)
8. USHER - CONFESSIONS 1.390.000 COPIES (15/2004)

*HTDAAB really sold : 1854M + 84K (Japan, previous week) + 5% extra sales = around 2,034,000 copies sold in '1st week'.

ps - well done to Coldplay for giving U2 some decent competition!

 

[bsp77]

I think word of mouth, as many have reviewed the CD here, will slow down sales considerably.

I am guessing that word of mouth will be a lot stronger than seen here at Interference. Just look at Amazon, 4 stars overall for X&Y versus 3 stars overall for HTDAAB.

In the end, I am guessing that X&Y will outsell HTDAAB (at least in the US).

 

[ybird3k]

i cant see X&Y outselling the legend that is - HTDAAB.

 

[bsp77]

i cant see X&Y outselling the legend that is - HTDAAB.

Well, HTDAAB is only at 2.8 million in the US and appears to be free-falling w/o anything to boost it back up in the near future. Certainly not bad, but Coldplay's last album has sold 3.8 million in the US, so there is definitely a window of opportunity in the US. Also, Coldplay is off to a MUCH better start in the UK (over twice as much first week sales).

The rest of the world, I have no idea.

 

[fedeu2]

Are there any people that judge an album based on Amazon reviews?
My God ...
Most of the reviews there are made by morons, providing no arguments at all, like "I love it!!", "It sucks", etc, etc.

I am guessing that word of mouth will be a lot stronger than seen here at Interference. Just look at Amazon, 4 stars overall for X&Y versus 3 stars overall for HTDAAB.

In the end, I am guessing that X&Y will outsell HTDAAB (at least in the US).

 

[VALE69]

but Coldplay's last album has sold 3.8 million in the US, so there is definitely a window of opportunity in the US.

Stop one second!
A Rush Of Blood To The Head has been released in august 2002; the first platinum certification came in january '03, the second one came in june '03 and the third one came in december '03.
That's a rythm not faster than ATYCLB, released in late october '01 and certified for four platinum in february '04 and not faster than HTDAAB that has been certified triple platinum in only one month and that has sold, anyway, more copies than ATYCLB in the same period.
Don't forget that in three months will arrive a massive second leg in the States.
And now, let's see how many copies X&Y will sold in the next four weeks in USA : we shall rebember that HTDAAB has sold in the first five weeks 2.060.000 copies...

 

[mosquito]

.
That's a rythm not faster than ATYCLB, released in late october '01 And now, let's see how many copies X&Y will sold in the next four weeks in USA : we shall rebember that HTDAAB has sold in the first five weeks 2.060.000 copies...

ATYCLB was released in november 2000
Htdaab sold 2 million copies in chrismas time

 

[bsp77]

Stop one second!
A Rush Of Blood To The Head has been released in august 2002; the first platinum certification came in january '03, the second one came in june '03 and the third one came in december '03.
That's a rythm not faster than ATYCLB (cane out in released in late october '01 and certified for four platinum in february '04 and not faster than HTDAAB that has been certified triple platinum in only one month and that has sold, anyway, more copies than ATYCLB in the same period.
Don't forget that in three month will arrive a massive second leg in the States.
And now, let see how many copies X&Y will sold in the next four weeks in USA : we shall rebember that HTDAAB has sold in the first five weeks 2.060.000 copies...

True, but that's because Coldplay had to slowly earn the sales as they were not established enough, while U2 will sell a ton in the beginning due to pent up demand. After that U2 needs singles to keep the momentum going and City of Blinding Lights is not going to do anything in the US market. I hope I am wrong here but I doubt it. As for a 5th single, well it is hard to get radio stations to play a 5th single after the 2nd and 3rd were only minor hits and the 4th single did nothing. Once again, I honestly hope I am proven wrong.

As for the massive second leg, why would it help sales more than the massive first leg? It was only averaging around 20,000 a week for the first leg, and this was while Sometimes was on the radio and right after the Hall of Fame. Maybe the Grammy's will help next year but I doubt U2 will win much, maybe Rock Album, I seriously doubt they will get Album of the Year.

Now, as for Coldplay, there was a lot of pent up demand for the album, so it sold a lot at first and may freefall now. But I think Fix You could keep sales up, and if they have a brain, they will release Talk as a single, which could take off as well. I am not definitely saying Coldplay will outsell U2, just that there is a definite window of opportunity.

 

[The OOTS]

Of 38 shows for North America, only 8 are soldout! Most shows that are not soldout have thousands of tickets available at very low ticket prices.

This is misleading because Coldplay has chosen to play mostly ampitheaters again where reserved seats are sold out and only crappy lawn 'seats' remain. I'd love to go see Coldplay, but I'm not paying to sit on the grass.

And to the person who said Radiohead was highly over-rated, I agree.

 

[tackleberry]

This is misleading because Coldplay has chosen to play mostly ampitheaters again where reserved seats are sold out and only crappy lawn 'seats' remain. I'd love to go see Coldplay, but I'm not paying to sit on the grass.

And to the person who said Radiohead was highly over-rated, I agree.

What's so wrong with sitting in the grass. I'd much rather pay $25 for tickets, than have crappy upper reserved seats for more than double that. Besides Lawn seats can be fun....

 

[The OOTS]

There is nothing wrong with sitting in the damp grass on a hillside...miles away from the stage, if that's what you are into.

 

[STING2]

This is misleading because Coldplay has chosen to play mostly ampitheaters again where reserved seats are sold out and only crappy lawn 'seats' remain. I'd love to go see Coldplay, but I'm not paying to sit on the grass.

And to the person who said Radiohead was highly over-rated, I agree.

#1 Go look at the list again and you'll see multiple venues where one can still get multiple reserved seats inside or near the Pavalion and not on the lawn.

#2 There is nothing misleading about the ticket demand level here at all. U2 could sellout ANY of these venues multiple times, in record time, at high prices. If Coldplay could have done better in Arena's with attendance and ticket prices, they would have booked more arena shows. There are a few that they did in fact like in Atlanta. The show is not soldout and the average ticket price is under $50 dollars and it does not appear that they are selling seats behind the stage like U2 does.

In contrast, U2 soldout two shows at this same venue in minutes using the full capacity of the arena, at an average ticket price of $100 dollars. U2's GROSS for their two shows there at a minimum will be 5 times that of what Coldplay will GROSS and unlike Coldplay, U2 will still not have completely exausted the demand to see them in the Atlanta market.

 

[STING2]

Well, HTDAAB is only at 2.8 million in the US and appears to be free-falling w/o anything to boost it back up in the near future. Certainly not bad, but Coldplay's last album has sold 3.8 million in the US, so there is definitely a window of opportunity in the US. Also, Coldplay is off to a MUCH better start in the UK (over twice as much first week sales).

The rest of the world, I have no idea.

This is true, but its a much tougher market in 2005 to sell albums than it was in 2002. The expansion of the internet and file sharing is taking a much bigger chunk out of album sales today than it was back in 2000-2002. Just take a look at what the album at #20, #35, or #50 is selling today and compare it to what an album at those same chart positions was selling 4 years ago and you''ll see a huge difference. In the 2001 market enviroment, HTDAAB would already past the 4 million mark in the USA.

Its not going to be easy for X&Y to match the sales "A Rush of Blood To The Head" or HTDAAB,in the USA.

 

[phanan]

This is misleading because Coldplay has chosen to play mostly ampitheaters again where reserved seats are sold out and only crappy lawn 'seats' remain. I'd love to go see Coldplay, but I'm not paying to sit on the grass.

I'd bet that most people would pay for lawn seats to see U2 at the current Vertigo tour rates.

There is no possibly way to even categorize Coldplay in the same breath as U2 when it comes to ticket sales, and quite frankly, I don't know if there ever will be. They are so far apart.

 

[phanan]

Its not going to be easy for X&Y to match the sales "A Rush of Blood To The Head" or HTDAAB,in the USA.

To my ears, while I don't think X&Y is nearly as good as A Rush Of Blood To The Head, there are several songs that will be radio hits, and I think this will spur the album on for a while.

I agree that matching sales to Blood will be very difficult, but I think we'll see X&Y more or less follow along the same tangent that HTDAAB has taken, and possibly bypass it, albeit not by very much.

 

[phanan]

According to Hits, X&Y has sold approximately 335,000 units in its second week in the U.S. By comparison, HTDAAB sold just over 288,000 units. So it made up some ground.

It will be interesting to see how X&Y's legs hold up over the next few weeks.

 

[edge3]

According to Hits, X&Y has sold approximately 335,000 units in its second week in the U.S. By comparison, HTDAAB sold just over 288,000 units. So it made up some ground.

It will be interesting to see how X&Y's legs hold up over the next few weeks.

Yeah, that's pretty amazing, esp. at this time of year. It also sold 238K in 2nd week in UK. I reckon it'll sell around 800K worldwide in 2nd week thus bringing it's cumulative 2 week worldwide total to around 2,600,000 (using the same criteria, Bomb sold around 2,900,000 after 2 weeks).

X&Y also shipped 5M in 1st week (Bomb shipped 5.6M in 1st week).

However, despite such an incredible start, I do think it will be hard for X&Y to, ultimately, match the sales of AROBTTH (about 11M) or ATYCLB (about 12M). I think it'll end up selling 8-10M.

 

[Tallarico]

According to Hits, X&Y has sold approximately 335,000 units in its second week in the U.S. By comparison, HTDAAB sold just over 288,000 units. So it made up some ground.

It will be interesting to see how X&Y's legs hold up over the next few weeks.

HTDAAB in the world solds 862k in the second week!
X&Y 843K!!!

 

[fitz]

2:0 for the Bomb

 

[edge3]

2:0 for the Bomb

Yeah...good stuff...but I do think that if X&Y was released at the same time as Bomb (when album sales are usually higher) then it would be closer.

 

[Zoovation]

An important point is that Coldplay are touring at the moment. The sales of the bomb were as good as those of X&Y without a tour.
U2 are touring at the moment and we see the effect it has on the charts. So Colplay profit also from that at the moment. What do you think of that? I think it's very important!