Week21

[Irishteen]

Ireland

Wrong week, that's week 22

 

[Irishteen]

Best Selling Albums Released in 2009
U2 No Line On The Horizon 3137000
Eminem Relapse 2381000
Soundtrack Hannah Montana: The Movie 2017000
Green Day 21st Century Breakdown 1911000
Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. 1551000
Bruce Springsteen Working On A Dream 1532000
Lily Allen It s Not Me, It s You 1314000
Kelly Clarkson All I Ever Wanted 1155000
Depeche Mode Sounds Of The Universe 946000
Rascal Flatts Unstoppable 921000


Best Selling Albums Since 2006
1 Amy Winehouse Back To Black 11218500
2 Justin Timberlake FutureSex / LoveSounds 8885500
3 Soundtrack High School Musical 8174000
4 Nelly Furtado Loose 7809500
5 Coldplay Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends 7787500

13 AC/DC Black Ice 5943000

25 U2 18 Singles 4849500

34 Kings Of Leon Only By The Night 4280000
35 Michael Jackson Thriller (25th Anniversary Reissue) 4214500

39 Metallica Death Magnetic 4152500

54 Madonna Hard Candy 3455500
55 Nickelback Dark Horse 3403000

57 Lady Gaga The Fame 3355000

61 Soundtrack Twilight 3260500
62 Britney Spears Circus 3245500
63 The Fray How To Save A Life 3197500
64 Rihanna A Girl Like Me 3194000
65 Bon Jovi Lost Highway 3169500
66 Carrie Underwood Carnival Ride 3155500
67 U2 No Line On The Horizon 3137000
68 Celine Dion Taking Chances 3119500
69 Josh Groban Awake 3055000
70 Hinder Extreme Behavior 3043000
71 Chris Brown Exclusive 3029000
72 Paul Potts One Chance 2968000

 

[Danny Boy]

Must... Pass... Nickelback

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Must... Pass... Nickelback

For 2009, they already have passed them:


Best Selling Albums in 2009 WORLDWIDE as of WEEK 31

1. U2 No Line On The Horizon 3,137,000
2. Lady Gaga The Fame 2,990,000
3. Eminem Relapse 2,381,000
4. Kings Of Leon Only By The Night 2,203,000
5. Taylor Swift Fearless 2,141,000
6. Beyoncé I Am... Sasha Fierce 2,064,000
7. Soundtrack Hannah Montana: The Movie 2,017,000
8. Green Day 21st Century Breakdown 1,911,000
9. Soundtrack Twilight 1,876,000
10. Michael Jackson Thriller 1,832,000
11. Michael Jackson Number Ones 1,757,000
12. Nickleback Dark Horse 1,692,000
13. Pink Funhouse 1,687,000



The only reason Nickleback has a lead overall is because they put their album out in 2008 when the economy and music business was stronger, and it was the Christmas buying season.

 

[u2search]

Please stop blaming the econonomy for everything that's not a U2 sale. Nickelback is *way* in front of U2 in the current iTunes top 100 (#21 vs. #68. Kings of Leon is at #3 AND #4. And that is today.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Nickelback have had loads of hit singles, U2 havent, nickelback had rocks thrown at them on stage, U2 havent.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Nickelback have had loads of hit singles, U2 havent, nickelback had rocks thrown at them on stage, U2 havent.

Now I will admit I do like a few of Nickelbacks songs (only a few)

but this was the quote of the year! You made my night

 

[hasin73]

Nickelback have had loads of hit singles, U2 havent, nickelback had rocks thrown at them on stage, U2 havent.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Please stop blaming the econonomy for everything that's not a U2 sale. Nickelback is *way* in front of U2 in the current iTunes top 100 (#21 vs. #68. Kings of Leon is at #3 AND #4. And that is today.

Its a fact that Dark Horse, the Nickleback album was released, Not in 2009, but in 2008 and during the Christmas season. Better economic conditions, less music industry decline at that point, plus Santa. Were talking
GLOBAL SALES of albums, not what singles are selling on the itunes chart in the United States, which is essentially irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

U2 has the biggest selling album of 2009 WORLDWIDE at this point, just as they did back in 1987 at this point with the Joshua Tree.

 

[rollingbob]

Its a fact that Dark Horse, the Nickleback album was released, Not in 2009, but in 2008 and during the Christmas season. Better economic conditions, less music industry decline at that point, plus Santa. Were talking
GLOBAL SALES of albums, not what singles are selling on the itunes chart in the United States, which is essentially irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

U2 has the biggest selling album of 2009 WORLDWIDE at this point, just as they did back in 1987 at this point with the Joshua Tree.

Yes but TJT was a lot further ahead of the competition at this point in '87 than NLOTH is now & kept it up for the rest of the year (& beyond).

 

[rollingbob]

up to #11 on Euro Top 100 albums :

15-1-1-1-1-1-1-2 (1m IFPI-Q1 '09)-3-4-5-5-6-10-11-15-17-18-20-15-12-11 (22 woc)

can't believe it hasn't re-entered the top 10 though what with so many big climbs this week

 

[rollingbob]

& on Music Charts.net WW Top 50 it's up 4 to #26 with a 15% increase in sales to 53,300 bringing the total above the 3.5m mark (World Top 50 Albums) :

5-1-1-1-2-3-4-4-5-6-6-7-10-15-20-25-24-31-32-33-30-26 (22 woc)

117.2k+1.141.4m+390.6k+293.4k+226.8k+186.4k+167.1k (2.522.9k-7 woc)+128.2k+120.6k+90.8k+89.1k+76.3k (3.027.9k-12 woc)+72.2k+53.4k+45.6k+40.8k+42.7k+36.1k+40.3k+42.4k+46.5k+53,300

22 wk total = 3,501,200 (YTD 1st)

 

[Irishteen]

& on Music Charts.net WW Top 50 it's up 4 to #26 with a 15% increase in sales to 53,300 bringing the total above the 3.5m mark (World Top 50 Albums) :

5-1-1-1-2-3-4-4-5-6-6-7-10-15-20-25-24-31-32-33-30-26 (22 woc)

117.2k+1.141.4m+390.6k+293.4k+226.8k+186.4k+167.1k (2.522.9k-7 woc)+128.2k+120.6k+90.8k+89.1k+76.3k (3.027.9k-12 woc)+72.2k+53.4k+45.6k+40.8k+42.7k+36.1k+40.3k+42.4k+46.5k+53,300

22 wk total = 3,501,200 (YTD 1st)

I take it we should start taking these sales as MAX sales and the mediatraffic ones as MINIMUM sales, as opposed to adding 7.5% to mediatraffic, we'd hopefully have a better max figure

 

[rollingbob]

^Yes fair enough.

 

[fedeu2]

I take it we should start taking these sales as MAX sales and the mediatraffic ones as MINIMUM sales, as opposed to adding 7.5% to mediatraffic, we'd hopefully have a better max figure

Precisely that´s what I proposed a few days ago. We could also consider the average of both numbers as a more accurate estimation of global sales unless we have good reasons to think one of them is closer to the real number.
Judging from predictions over the last couple of weeks I would say MusicCharts trends make more sense than MediaTraffic ones although sales in excess of 50 K, as MusicCharts claims, might be a bit too high.

In any event, I think it is safe to say that NLOTH global sales have crossed the 3.3 M mark as of now.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Yes but TJT was a lot further ahead of the competition at this point in '87 than NLOTH is now & kept it up for the rest of the year (& beyond).

Actually, I think the reverse is true, NLOTH has a bigger lead over most of the competition than Joshua Tree did back in 1987. NLOTH has a 31% lead over Eminem at #3. Did the Joshua Tree have such a lead over the #3 album of the year back in 1987?

Yes, Lady Gaga is getting closer every week, but Whitney Houston's Whitney album did similar in comparison to Joshua Tree back in 1987. In fact, Whitney Houston's Whitney actually outsold the Joshua Tree in the United States for 1987.

 

[fedeu2]

Actually, I think the reverse is true, NLOTH has a bigger lead over most of the competition than Joshua Tree did back in 1987. NLOTH has a 31% lead over Eminem at #3. Did the Joshua Tree have such a lead over the #3 album of the year back in 1987?

Yes, Lady Gaga is getting closer every week, but Whitney Houston's Whitney album did similar in comparison to Joshua Tree back in 1987. In fact, Whitney Houston's Whitney actually outsold the Joshua Tree in the United States for 1987.

The problem is Lady Gaga will outsell NLOTH in a matter of three or four weeks. At this point I can´t think of anything that would prevent this from happening.

 

[vaz02]

Not even her death will slow down sales. WE ARE FUCKED.



Sorry.

 

[solar]

 

[Native_Son]

Not even her death will slow down sales. WE ARE FUCKED.



Sorry.

if michael jacksons sales are anything to go by, gaga's death could mean an album actually sells 10M this year

 

[u2search]

Its a fact that Dark Horse, the Nickleback album was released, Not in 2009, but in 2008 and during the Christmas season. Better economic conditions, less music industry decline at that point, plus Santa. Were talking
GLOBAL SALES of albums, not what singles are selling on the itunes chart in the United States, which is essentially irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

U2 has the biggest selling album of 2009 WORLDWIDE at this point, just as they did back in 1987 at this point with the Joshua Tree.

No, they have not. Lady Gaga passed them, a couple of weeks ago.
Also, the itunes chart I'm referring to is an album chart so I don't see what singles have to do with this (other than promotion for the albums). I also don't see what Christmas has to do with today's or this weeks sales.

No Line is still the second best selling album this year world wide, and the best selling album this released this year, but many older albums are selling better on a weekly basis, easily 2-3 times as many, even now that U2 are on tour.

I'm not speculating about causes or looking into the future (sales may go up when U2 hit the UK or the US), but I do look at the facts and those are not in favor of U2 at the moment.

 

[u2search]

Things seem to have turned slightly better this week, but Lady Gaga is still outselling U2 by more than a factor 2 (116 900 vs 53 300), week 20.07.2009-26.07.2009.

Music Charts World Top 50 Albums

Total sales - This year sales - Artist - Album

3834300 - 3769000 - Lady Gaga - The Fame
3501200 - 3501200 - U2 - No Line on the Horizon
5000800 - 2751400 - Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
2559700 - 2559700 - Eminem - Relapse

Current iTunes chart (this is probably US only) :
Apple - iTunes - Browse the top 100 album downloads

Kings of Leon is at #1 and #3, Lady GaGa at #9, Nickelback at #21, Viva la Vida at #43, ABBA Gold at #61 and No Line is at #64.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

How many of them are on tour in the US at present?, or promoted heavily through radio?

 

[rollingbob]

Actually, I think the reverse is true, NLOTH has a bigger lead over most of the competition than Joshua Tree did back in 1987. NLOTH has a 31% lead over Eminem at #3. Did the Joshua Tree have such a lead over the #3 album of the year back in 1987?

Yes, Lady Gaga is getting closer every week, but Whitney Houston's Whitney album did similar in comparison to Joshua Tree back in 1987. In fact, Whitney Houston's Whitney actually outsold the Joshua Tree in the United States for 1987.

TJT had dominated the WW charts far more impressively than NLOTH has at this point : it was still top 2 in Europe, top 5/10 everywhere else. In UK, it was way ahead of the competition with sales around 900k, in US ~2.5m & WW 7-9m - equivalent to probably 5-6m today. The Whitney album had only been out 6 weeks at this point & by the end of the year it had done ~9m WW compared to ~12m for Bad & anything from 12-15m for TJT.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

No, they have not. Lady Gaga passed them, a couple of weeks ago.

Think again,

Best Selling Albums in 2009 WORLDWIDE as of WEEK 31

1. U2 No Line On The Horizon 3,137,000
2. Lady Gaga The Fame 2,990,000
3. Eminem Relapse 2,381,000
4. Kings Of Leon Only By The Night 2,203,000
5. Taylor Swift Fearless 2,141,000
6. Beyoncé I Am... Sasha Fierce 2,064,000
7. Soundtrack Hannah Montana: The Movie 2,017,000
8. Green Day 21st Century Breakdown 1,911,000
9. Soundtrack Twilight 1,876,000
10. Michael Jackson Thriller 1,832,000


As of right now, No Line On The Horizon is the biggest selling album of 2009, just as the Joshua Tree was at this point back in 1987.

Also, the itunes chart I'm referring to is an album chart so I don't see what singles have to do with this (other than promotion for the albums).

Doesn't matter, and individual week here or there is not how the annual performance of the album will be judged.

I also don't see what Christmas has to do with today's or this weeks sales.

No one claimed that it had anything to do with that. But it is relevant to point out that albums that were released in 2008, as well as during the Christmas season, have built sales advantages over albums released in 2009.

No Line is still the second best selling album this year world wide, and the best selling album this released this year, but many older albums are selling better on a weekly basis, easily 2-3 times as many, even now that U2 are on tour.

Thats incorrect. Here are the best selling albums worldwide to date in 2009:

Best Selling Albums in 2009 WORLDWIDE as of WEEK 31

1. U2 No Line On The Horizon 3,137,000
2. Lady Gaga The Fame 2,990,000
3. Eminem Relapse 2,381,000
4. Kings Of Leon Only By The Night 2,203,000
5. Taylor Swift Fearless 2,141,000
6. Beyoncé I Am... Sasha Fierce 2,064,000
7. Soundtrack Hannah Montana: The Movie 2,017,000
8. Green Day 21st Century Breakdown 1,911,000
9. Soundtrack Twilight 1,876,000
10. Michael Jackson Thriller 1,832,000



If you went back to 1992, you could find certain weeks of the year where there were albums selling 2 to 3 times as much as Achtung Baby. You could do the same in 2005 with HTDAAB. Does not matter. Overall sales for the year, and how it finishes is what matters, not a week here or there that no one will remember.

I'm not speculating about causes or looking into the future (sales may go up when U2 hit the UK or the US), but I do look at the facts and those are not in favor of U2 at the moment.

Well, when it comes to the biggest selling albums of 2009 to date, you have not had the facts.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Things seem to have turned slightly better this week, but Lady Gaga is still outselling U2 by more than a factor 2 (116 900 vs 53 300), week 20.07.2009-26.07.2009.

Music Charts World Top 50 Albums

Total sales - This year sales - Artist - Album

3834300 - 3769000 - Lady Gaga - The Fame
3501200 - 3501200 - U2 - No Line on the Horizon
5000800 - 2751400 - Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
2559700 - 2559700 - Eminem - Relapse

Current iTunes chart (this is probably US only) :
Apple - iTunes - Browse the top 100 album downloads

Kings of Leon is at #1 and #3, Lady GaGa at #9, Nickelback at #21, Viva la Vida at #43, ABBA Gold at #61 and No Line is at #64.

Not a good idea to be using a music chart that over inflates sales levels. Lady GaGa by the way just recently went platinum in Europe according to the IFPI. The music chart your using as a source would suggest that nearly half of GaGa's sales come from outside the United States and Europe.


With only 5 months left in 2009, NLOTH is the only album released in 2009 to have sold 1 million or more copies in Europe.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

TJT had dominated the WW charts far more impressively than NLOTH has at this point : it was still top 2 in Europe, top 5/10 everywhere else. In UK, it was way ahead of the competition with sales around 900k, in US ~2.5m & WW 7-9m - equivalent to probably 5-6m today. The Whitney album had only been out 6 weeks at this point & by the end of the year it had done ~9m WW compared to ~12m for Bad & anything from 12-15m for TJT.

Its not about chart positions in various countries but overall sales at x point or the end of the year. 9 million worldwide for Whitney is probably to low, considering that she sold nearly 6 million in the USA alone in 1987. Whitney was certified for 5 million sales in the USA months before the end of the year. Bad was released at the end of the year and 12 million before the end of 1987 was probably a little to high.

But still, even using the worldwide totals you gave for 1987, its not really any different than 2009 in terms of the margin. Plus, its certainly better than 1992 when Achtung Baby finished the year in 5th place, at a time widely regarded by many as one of U2's most popular years.

 

[u2search]

~~ sleep comes like a drug ~~

Sleep well, Maoilbheannacht

 

[Tallarico]

Croatia - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 3 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 8 - 14 - 2 - 2 - 4 - 7 - 9 - 3

 

[doctorwho]

~~ sleep comes like a drug ~~

Sleep well, Maoilbheannacht

LOL!

I don't really care who has the #1 album for the year. I doubt NLOTH will remain the #1 album for the year. On some charts, it's already #2. On others, it remains #1, but again, it may fall soon. Still, I enjoy the fact that U2 is near the top - that's enough. U2 do not have to be #1 in a given year to be considered a success. Given their career, I think at this point to have an album near the top is brilliant. Because we all know that none of those other artists could sell out stadiums around the world. The tour and album success are key for U2 - they always have been. Single success is good too, but often not a real indicator of U2's overall popularity (U2 have concert favorites with songs that were never singles - yet ALL fans seem to know those songs, thus further proving U2 is really more of an album band).

If the timing of the tour, the success of "Crazy" (and any other song), and the holidays is just right, we could see NLOTH sell 4-5M copies worldwide and 1.5-2M copies in the U.S. Given how successful the tour is already, clearly this is a success for U2. No, the album hasn't sold as well as past U2 albums, but this is also true for every other artist. We cannot compare 2009 to other years.