A tipster researches and discovers...

in 1994, REM had the No1 album and sold 40,000 copies in a week.

AC/DC will do 200,000 physical albums this week.
Kings of Leon did over 200,000 physical albums four weeks ago.
Oasis did over 200,000 physical albums 2 weeks ago.

Recession? They will be buying music and going to films for the next couple of years like nobody knows.

Doom and gloom? Forget it, mate!

I think this goes to prove how in times of depression (and lets face it with all the doom and gloom that is going down it is a depressing time) people turn to music for relief from being bombarded by a continual flow of bad news.

Look at how in the early to mid 70s in the era of continuous Union turmoil with power cuts and strikes, that pop music became great fun, with the glam rock acts and indeed JK regularly releasing novel records for the singles market and rock and prog bands, along with singer songwriters cleaning up on the album side. The music industry flourished with millions of records - singles and albums - being sold weekly.

So it comes as no surprise that sales seem to be increasing at this time. Not that the major labels will be in a hurry to admit or acknowledge it since they keep telling us that the CD "is dead"!

I think that may be why Peter Kay is doing so well... there's a big gap in the market for records of a fun and novel nature! It would be helpful and great if we had something fun for this years Christmas number one instead of the usual bland X Factor slop, but no matter what that will be, that is guaranteed to sell well.

Surely then, the BBC should bring back Top Of The Pops. Let's see and hear all these bands and acts and let newer ones have their chance.

And what is more JK, the three of which you speak , are great records, full of excellent songs which fans and new punters alike can relate to. Duffy and Neil Diamond are two more from earlier in the year.
Probably the most valid comment /thread for weeks.

JK2006 wrote:
A tipster researches and discovers...

in 1994, REM had the No1 album and sold 40,000 copies in a week.

AC/DC will do 200,000 physical albums this week.
Kings of Leon did over 200,000 physical albums four weeks ago.
Oasis did over 200,000 physical albums 2 weeks ago.

Recession? They will be buying music and going to films for the next couple of years like nobody knows.

Doom and gloom? Forget it, mate!

In 1994, REM had a number 1 album with "Monster". It sold 128,500 in it's first week. It went on to sell a further 43,200 in its second week.

[quote]"Monster" (...) sold 128,500 in it's first week. It went on to sell a further 43,200 in its second week[url]

Worldwide sales were 2.9 million.

How many albums released this year will reach even half of that?

I think the point is that the music marketplace is pretty healthy - if just one of the three mentioned goes on to sell over a couple of million, you cannot knock it.

Loads of people seem to like Kings of Leon (I don't).
I love the AC/DC but then I'm a big fan.

And I was surprised by how many physical CDs they all sold. The download scene appears at present to be merely enhancing the albums market, though not the singles one.

Overall album sales down around 12% year-on-year. Same trend observed 2006-2007 so that's around 23% drop in two years.

The problem JK is how do we get these numbers for an new brilliant unknown talent. The acts mentioned are already known. Oasis had better be able to sell 200k.

I was just telling my lawyer that people now need entertainment more than ever.

All acts start off as unknown!

I reckon, if AC/DC end up over 200,000 hard copy physicals this week (as expected), it will be a very welcome indication and I'm delighted it will be with one of my very favourite bands (right back to quality standard)...

AC/DC is going to be No. 1 on physical sales only. The last act to do that in the Artist Album Chart was Embrace - This New Day.

My point being those acts when unknown, came from an industry that no longer exists, an industry where filters existed, and M&P could propel them, as long as the quality was there.

GG (producer) wrote:
My point being those acts when unknown, came from an industry that no longer exists, an industry where filters existed, and M&P could propel them, as long as the quality was there.

Very true GG and I think I know what you are getting at.

AC/DC, REM, Oasis... come on, all those bands are well established and are guaranteed a career for the rest of their lives.

The problem now is, how can a new act be able to reach audiences like these established acts can when the entire industry has gone into chaos? It is vital newer acts be allowed a similar chance to progress and develop. Problem with the tired old model is, newer acts stood less chance... even if you sold 100,000 copies of an album you could still get dropped for "not selling enough". It takes time to nurture and develop an act... after all, look at JK at Eurovision... it took 3 years to get that winner.

Yes, Duffy may be one of the brightest new stars at the moment but will she still be popular in 10 years time? Is she going to be given a fair chance if her next album doesn't sell as well as the first?

And yes... we need entertainment more than ever now the economy is in meltdown and much misery is certain for many people.

Check out the awful EMI figures for 2006-2007, just before Terra Firma took over.

www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/oct/25/...usic-losses-internet

JK wrote:
the awful EMI figures for 2006-2007, just before Terra Firma took over

These are the awful figure for 2007-2008 - and include seven a half months of Guy Hands' rule over the company.

"In a letter to shareholders, Lord Birt, Maltby chairman and former BBC director general, said the loss had been caused by "operational poor performance" combined with a revaluation of the company's balance sheet. The revaluation accounted for a charge of