mikeuk
War Child
according to the Radio competition this morning, the record company are saying sales are at 20.7 million.
Mike
Mike
STING2 said:As chart evidence from 1987 around the world and other precise evidence from the UK and Canada have shown, Joshua Tree is way ahead of sales of 20 million. According to the reports from the media at the time, the album sold 14 million copies in its first 10 months of release. The United States accounted for 4 million of that, Canada accounted for over 1 million, and the UK accounted for over 1.2 million of that in 1987. Even if the 14 million figure for the first year is off the mark slightly, we know that first year sales for Joshua Tree were higher than that for ATYCLB based on exact sales data from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In addition, chart performance in multiple European countries shows that the album sold better in those countries than ATYCLB.
So if one were to compromise with a 12 million figure for the first year, you then have 6 million more in sales in the USA up to 1995. Sales outside the USA from 1988 to 1995 based on what is known about the rate of exact sales in the UK would add another 4 million, if one considers the UK a model for countries outside the USA. So by 1995, the album was at 22 million. Certainly in the 9 years since then, sales for the album have not been nearly as high, but its most likely that the Joshua Tree is at 25 million plus at a minimum by now.
Consider that by 1995, combined exact sales in the USA, United Kingdom and Canada were 14 million alone! Sales in the United Kingdom of ATYCLB represented about 25% of the European total of more than 4 million. Its likely that the United Kingdom total of 2 million in 1995 was about 25% of the European total at that point as well.
So based on these facts, its easy to see that the album is above 25 million. Unless the record company comes out with precise info stating sales on an anual basis per country over the past 17 years, then the listing of 20.7 million as the sales is just another random figure brought up by someone there. I've seen the old figure from 1987 used several times this year as well as being the total sales to date which is of course wrong.
mikeuk said:
this is the same source who puts sales of ATYCLB at (to the nearest million) -14 million. would appear to be pretty up to date !
Mike