Music Sales

I'm pretty fascinated by the sale of music. Specifically, I enjoy looking at the raw data of how much CDs sell on a certain basis. Which CDs sell huge their first week, which ones stick around selling for awhile.

Sadly, there doesn't appear to be much raw data on the internet for CD sales. This is because companies pay for that data, and if you can get it online for free, why bother paying for it? It's easy to find the weekly charts like Billboard, but they don't really contain much data.

A few years back I found the "Global Track Chart" which somehow manages to keep data for the top selling albums on a world wide level each week. I have no clue how accurate it is (seems silly to lie?), but the trends seem to matchup with the trends on legitimate charts. I follow it each week, and from time to time, I'm hoping to type up some thoughts about it. Here's my first crack.

Last Week's World Wide Album Sales

Dave Matthews Band debuted at number one this week. I'm not a fan of DMB, but it was pretty obvious this would debut at number one, as they're huge in North America. I am surprised to hear it's been 4 years since the last album. Seems like a long time for a band that could drop a new CD and have massive sales.

Eminem and Green Day are numbers 2 and 3, obviously.

Lady Gaga at number 4, based on the strength of her first two singles I'd have to think, as any other song I've heard off the album is garbage. But, in this era two legitimately great songs is enough to have a "Great" record, so I'll give her credit.

Nana Mizuki - Ultimate Diamond is at number 7. No clue, but I notice Japanese acts tend to have one huge first week, and then die off. It's rare to see a Japanese artist stick on that chart for more then one or two weeks.

Since it is world wide, it's fascinating for me to see artists in the top 40 who I've never heard of before. Eros Ramazzotti, Paul Potts, Wisin & Yandel, Christophe Williem, and Escala are all acts I've never heard of, but apparently are doing well, interesting.

Kings of Leon at 11 is amazing. That album's been on the charts for 37 weeks, and has sold easily over 2 million albums, yet it's still selling 60K a week world wide. Good for them, as they flew under the radar in North America for a long time, but their rise from obscurity to being one of the biggest bands in the world is amazing. I wonder if their next disc will be able to live up to the hype? Like Lady Gaga, they had two amazing songs (Sex on Fire and Use Somebody), and the album's lived off those two songs. Kings of Leon's future is really interesting right now - what comes next?

Rock and Roll debuts take up the second quarter! Rancid at number 10, 311 at 12, Taking Back Sunday at 14, and Chickenfoot at 15. I wouldn't have predicted that order. The thing is, 311 and Rancid have devoted fanbases, and after they've exhausted that, they'll drop off huge. Taking Back Sunday will get a lot more radio play and attention for their album, so I'd expect that disc to have more legs then 311 and Rancid. All three are really good discs from really good bands who have managed to carve out strong niches for themselves. The Chickenfoot thing is odd, that's a good number for a band that's only market seems to be people who cannot wait for new Van Halen music, but I'd expect it to die within a month. Has anyone heard a song off that disc?

311 and Rancid both outsold The Black Eyed Peas. I know that won't last, as BEP will sell more overall, but that really makes me love the world. Odd that a new BEP disc did so poorly. Weren't they one of the biggest pop acts in the world at one point?

Pink and Beyonce have really gotten good mileage out of their new discs, but not as good as Kings of Leon, which is amazing to me.

Elvis Costello had a new album out and it debuted at 30. Seems odd, but probably not. I think Elvis was always a bit more of a cool/edgy artist compared to a lot of the people who seem to be his peers as he gets older.

If Beyonce, Pink and Lady Gaga are her peers (pop females), then Kelly Clarkson's disc has to be a disapointment. Despite being out for a third of the time, its selling way less. Sucks for Kelly.

Number 1, DMB sold almost 440 000 copies. Number 40, Phoenix (a supeb album) sold 23000. That discrepancy seems huge to me, and is really indicative of how poor album sales are. Only four discs sold over a 100K this week, and only 15 could sell over 50K.

I know this is all useless, but my brain's shot and can't think of anything better.

Jesse.

It's Time to Play Everyone's Favorite New Game!!!!

Drunken Musical Blog Twitters
-------------------------------

Tomorrow is my only day off this week, and I work for all of the long weekend. I want to have some drinks tonight. I'm listening to some music. I don't have a Twitter, nor do I want one, but I do like the 140 characters rule, so I'm doing it here. I may never post this, but whatever musical thought enters my mind will go down here over the next few hours. If it sucks, it won't see the light of day. Haha!
---------------------------------
Start:

10:34 - Flo Rida really likes Strippers. A LOT. I think there's at least 7 songs on his album about strippers, which seems obscene.
10:35 - That being said, "Right Round" is just a fun song. About strippers.
10:38 - You know things are weird in the world when James Iha would rather be in a band with Taylor Hanson then Billy Corgan. (Tinted Windows)
10:39 - Hell, at this point I'd rather be friends with any of those Hanson ladies then Billy Corgan.
10:40 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-8nkkOA_AM /// Old but good.
10: 42 - I've always liked Bob Seger's Hollywood Nights, but had no clue I did until last weekend.
10:43 - I can't start thinking songs sound better on vinyl, I can't afford that transition.
10:44 - http://ask.metafilter.com/87914/The-awesomest-song // I just love the premise of the dude's question - "I need a really awesome entrance song."
10:49 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypCdGNe3Bvs // People will argue, but I love Roddy Walker’s voice.
10:51 – Eve 6’s Horrorscope is still one of my all time favourite albums. Pop punk can be so great, yet so very bad as well.
10:52 – Actually, not bad, just horribly generic/repetitive/annoying.
10:53 – Besides unnecessary cameo’s on rap songs, where the hell is Nelly Furtado? Hiding out where Eminem was until this year?
10:54 – If you can, find the Punisher-Eminem team-up comic. It’s ludicrous. (Not the rapper, the adjective)
10: 56 – Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl is a perfect song. If I connect to it, does that make me less of a man?
10:59 – Apparently Rubben Studdard has a new album out next week. Eminem better watch out on the sales charts!
11: 00 – The real battle is between Friday’s Green Day release and Wednesday’s Eminem’s release. Who wins? I say Eminem. Or Rubben Studdard.
11:01 – Rubben Studdard’s name might be spelled wrong. I don’t care, but sorry if that offends you. I’m shocked I even know who that is, let alone the spelling of his name!
11: 03 – On May 11th, both Marilyn Manson and Mandy Moore drop new albums. What are the odds that two double-M’d and completely obsolete artists would release albums on the same day?
11:05 – Three years later and Muse was still the most spectacular show I’ve ever been to. I’d love to see them again, but I’ll have to wait for their new album. Hopefully the album’ll be out this year.
11:06 – I love Muse.
11:07 - Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum // While I’m excited, that’s the worst album name in forever.
11:10 – As cool as “Silent Alarm Remixed” was, “Intimacy Remixed” is completely useless. I’m all for remixes, I just don’t like bands selling them as albums, even my favourite bands.
11:14 – I hate the Fast and the Furious movies, but wanted to see the new one, simply because they used a Does it Offend You, Yeah? song in the trailer. It’s even one of their shittier songs!
11:17 - http://www.chartattack.com/news/69663/are-rick-ross-shades-counterfeit // OH who gives a shit? How is this news?
11:19 – She’s a complete tramp who write’s dumb songs, but I absolutely love Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”. Shoot me in the wiener now please.
11:20 – I always thought wiener was spelled e before I, but Word tells me otherwise. Nothing to do with music, but it’s important for me to educate the children with this blog, and now they know.
11:23 – Passion Pit – Sleepyhead is such an awesome song. God bless capitalism, since I first heard them in a PSP commercial.
11:24 – I just got sad knowing TV commercials are better at breaking new music then terrestrial radio.
11:25 – I got happy again, knowing I listen to satellite radio, not terrestrial.
11:28 – I’m always shocked Motion City Soundtrack hasn’t blown up yet. I blame the moog.
11:29 – PS: Moog = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moog_synthesizer
11:32 – The chorus of The Hold Steady’s “Stay Positive” is epic. And true. You do gotta stay positive!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY3V4ObYRsA – cool video too!
11:37 – Maximo Park’s “The Kids Are Sick Again” is the best song that numerous people will love on whatever TV show designed for tweens plays it first, without knowing who the band is, so far this year.
11:45 – Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs is still one of my favourite songs. Great band, but that song’s going to be timeless.
11:47 – Where’s Dashboard Confessional been lately? Been two years since the last album and he’s really fallen off the face of the Earth.
11:48 – With that being said, Again I Go Unnoticed is one of my favourite songs. It’s an absolute sprint from start to finish. So simple, yet so amazing.
11:49 – The Enqueue commend in Winamp no longer works the same way. I am a sad panda.
11:50 – Thankfully American Names by Sebastien Grainger came on to make up for Winamp’s poor programming changes. He really beat Jesse in the “Who will do more interesting stuff post DFA-1979” contest.
11:52 – Apparently Enqueue now makes a second copy in the playlist, but doesn’t necessarily play the song next, especially if shuffle’s on. Stupid.
11:54 – I’m listening to Poker Face again, I need to be sterilized and/or killed. After the song though. I want to die happy/dancing.
11:55 – “I’ll get him hard, show him what I got!” – Awesome! You go girl!
11:56 – Out of all my favourite songs, Desktop Breaking, by Gob, is probably one of the least heard songs, which is a shame. It’s a gem.
11:58 – If the Mae Shi ever got Christian Bale to come to one of their shows to do the rant clips live from “R U Professional”, I’d fly anywhere in the world to see it.
11:59 – Goldfinger has gone for a shit in recent years, but last year’s disc, especially the track “War”, are really good. Don’t call it a comeback?
12:00 – I’ve been doing this for an hour and a half? Really?
12:08 – This is How it Goes, off of Billy Talent 1, is one of the most bad-ass first songs ever. They really kicked the world in the balls with that disc, and that song.
12:10 – Just for sheer originality, MC Lars is one of my favourite artists. No one else could write the songs he could/does/should/would
12:12 – Sometimes I think about whether or not my English degree is worth it, and since I get the Hamlet references in “Hey There Ophelia”, I think it is.
12:18 – Randomly, Passion Pit’s Sleepyhead came on again. Tis’ a good night.
12:21 – Alkaline Trio came on, awesome. No other comment, just awesome.
12:24 – Trent Rezner can rip on Weezer all he wants, I still love them, aside from Maladroit. I still love Nine Inch Nails too. I’m a lover, not a hater.
12:25 – “Hand me down to photographs, spread across the floor, ” - with that lyric, my musical world was expanded in grade 11.
12:28 - Maybe it was grade 12. Still, figure out what that song is, it’s great. That album’s one of my favourite too, even if the band went for a shit after that.
12:29 – I think “Float On” is my favourite song. I know that means nothing, but it’s officially timeless to my generation.
12:32 – Stockholm Syndrome is one of the most overused song titles of the last ten years. FACT!
12:34- That being said, Muse’ version of the song is epic, Bellamy’s falsetto is amazing on the song, it’s great live too.
12:37 – Ender is a great word, when used correctly. It’s also a pretty good slow song, that is over thirteen minutes long. Bang up job Finch!
12: 41 – The Weakerthans – Tournament of Hearts is the best song in the history of man about curling. It might also be the only song about curling...
12:45 – Muse’ – Time is Running Out, is such a smooth song at the start. Then it just explodes like an overheated pizza-pocket in your face. Awful analogy.
12:48 – Man Overboard, a track that was exclusive to their live album, is easily one of the best Blink 182 songs.
12:49 – The creepy thing is, when you listen to Man Overboard, it eerily matches the story of their breakup. DUN DUN DUN.
12: 53 - YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!
12:54 – Sorry, I was listening to The Loved One’s “The Inquirer”. The yeah’s part of the song. I swear.
1:01 – Good Ol’ Fashioned Nightmare is an excellent song name. Google it.
1:02 – I am excited that Hollywood Nights came on again. I think this exercise in writing and alcoholism is almost done.
1:05 – The Limousines – Very Busy People is the “Songs I’m Obsessed With” right now that I never wrote. I wanted to, but failed to.
1:06 – Gallows are super angry at the world, and are an awesome band for it. WOO!
1:08 – Poker Face is on for the third time (randomly, I SWEAR!). This thing’s done. I’m impressed with it. Aren’t you?
The night’s summary:
I like Muse a lot.
I’m probably not as funny as I think I am.
P-P- P-P- P-P- P-P- P-P-OKER FACE! Baby, when it’s love, if it’s not rough, it isn’t fun!

Jesse.

PS: My blog must be awful, since I think this is worth posting!