Hello,
This post is maybe a slight aberation of the original topic, but I think it's best in place here. The total, year-end, numbers of the Dutch charts have been published. The numbers are courtesy of the Mega Top 100 (
http://web.planet.nl/music/megaman/kwartaal.shtml ).
The good news is that U2 have some presence on the yearly chart. I will stick with the order of the weekly updates, so I'll start with the albums, with ATYCLB.
After the third quarter ATYCLB was at #5 on the chart. The last three months the album had to tolerate some competition by other bestsellers. Nevertheless, ATYCLB ends the year at #7. As the album was the #3 best selling record last year (and the best selling record by an international artist) this means that it has a top 10 position 2 years in a row! No actual sales data is given, but the top 10 does have an index compared to the #1 album. The index for ATYCLB is 47%. The reports say that the #1 album has sold more than 200,000 copies in 2001, so ATYCLB has sold at least 100,000 copies. As the album is certified double platinum since the end of last year I'm fairly sure the album would be at least 3x platinum when re-certified (a platinum record is equal to 80,000 in sales).
There is also another U2 record on the charts. By consistently selling through the whole year, The Best Of 1980-1990 occupies the #76 position. Not bad for a record that has been out for more than 3 years! Unfortunately, I have no info to estimate the total sales of this record.
The #1 album of 2001 is Bulletproof by Dutch act K-Otic. They were manufactured on TV (like O-Town, Hear'Say and Popstars in other countries). Notable absentees include N'Sync and Britney Spears. Britney is #101 on the chart. Her album is even outsold by REM! (disclaimer: I have nothing against REM, on the contrary, but Reveal wasn't really a big hit across the world)
Here is the top 10 of the Dutch charts in 2001:
1 K-OTIC Bulletproof
(Dutch act)
2 ALESSANDRO SAFINA Insieme a te
3 ANASTACIA Not that kind
4 DESTINY'S CHILD Survivor
5 K3 Alle kleuren
6 ANDREA BOCELLI Cieli di Toscana
7 U2 All that you can't leave behind
8 LIVE V
9 TWARRES Stream
(Dutch act)
10 MARK KNOPFLER Sailing to Philadelphia
U2 can also be found on the Single Top 100 of 2001. Elevation ends the year on the #24 position. I really don't have any other info regarding sales, etc. I'm glad, however, that they beat Geri Halliwel's It's Raining Men and J-Lo's I'm Real. Unfortunately, it is also the only U2 single at the year-end chart.
The #1 single of 2001 is by the same act as the #1 on the album chart. Before the group had decided on the name K-Otic they were known by the name of the TV programme: Starmaker. Their single Damn I Think I Love You outsold everyone this year. It was a close call, however, with #2, Kylie's Can't Get You Out Of My Head (apparently only 500 copies).
There are also no N'Sync singles on the year-end chart. Britney does make the top 100, her I'm A Slave For You is #78, on eplace below Drowning by the Backstreet Boys (also their only single in the top 100).
Here is the top 10 of the Dutch single charts in 2001:
1 STARMAKER Damn (I think i love you)
(Dutch act)
2 KYLIE MINOGUE Can't get you out of my head
3 ALICIA KEYS Fallin'
4 SHAGGY Angel
5 DEF RHYMZ Puf/Schudden
(Dutch act)
6 SHAGGY It wasn't me
7 ONE DAY FLY I wanna be a one day fly
(Dutch act)
8 ATOMIC KITTEN Whole again
9 DE POEMA'S Zij maakt het verschil
(Dutch act)
10 AGUILERA/MYA/PINK Lady marmalade
In the first three quarters there was also a chart based on airplay only. That chart isn't repeated now, so I can't tell anything about U2's airplay in the Netherlands. Sorry.
Based on the figures above, 2001 was a very good year for U2 in the Netherlands. They had 3 hit singles, 2 best selling albums and three sold out concerts. The concert attendance results aren't in yet, but I think the three Elevation concerts will be highest attended concerts this year. As there are now rumours of a new album and a new European (stadium) tour next year we might see another good U2 year in 2002.
C ya!
Marty
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People criticize me but I know it's not the end
I try to kick the truth, not just to make friends
Spearhead - People In Tha Middle