DSOTM is no longer #1 top selling album of all time? [Archive]

goraman

30-03-2012, 04:12

prestonchipfryer

30-03-2012, 06:07

Hi Jeff, similar post here:

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16764&highlight=adele

It's certainly surprising that DSOM has been usurped.

John

Alex_UK

30-03-2012, 06:56

Don't forget though that the Telegraph list is UK only - DSOTM has sold 50 million Worldwide and is #2 to Thriller - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_selling_albums#Best-selling_albums_by_country

Audioman

30-03-2012, 09:58

"The formula for counting album sales in the UK has changed over time. Until the end of 1977, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) counted the monetary value received by the manufacturer of a given album. Starting in 1978, the BPI counted the number of units of an album delivered to retailers. Since 2004, they have included the units of an album that had been purchased as a digital download. Since 1978, the BPI certifies an album as platinum for 300,000 units shipped in the UK. and in 1987, they introduced the concept of multi-platinum albums to signify multiples of 300,000 units delivered. Certifications in the UK are for shipments to retailers and are updated only on request by the labels, so also included here are retail sales, compiled by The Official Charts Company (OCC) weekly since 1956 to draw charts".

Adele is top of the BPI chart (which goes up in units of 300,000 shipped) and 6th in the OCC chart for recorded sales. Queens Greatest hits is top in this with DSOTM 8th. Hence the confusion. Also note older releases with large sales pre 1987 do not figure (or partly figure) in the BPI chart.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_in_the_United_Kingdom

SCIDB

30-03-2012, 21:15

I heard on the radio today that Dark Side of the Moon has been out sold by ADELE21 today during the morning drive.
I had never heard the album my self and wondered how such a relativity new album could outsell a classic sold in stores for over 20 years.
So off I went to get a copy and load it into the music server.
After hearing it twice I just don't get it,it's not bad but not all that impressive.
Anyone here know more?
http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/180524/adeles-21-has-sold-more-copies-than-the-dark-side-of-the-moon/

I just read this link DSOTM was not #1 any more so the radio got it wrong, but Wow! Really...?

Hi,

DSOTM has not been the best selling album for a long time. Thriller has out sold it for years.

The thing is that most Pink Floyd fans have many copies of DSOTM. Every time there is a new pressing, they go out and buy it. A very good mate of mine and a big Pink Floyd fan, has six copies of it.

Adelle has appealed to a wide audience both here and in the states. She cracked the USA with her first album. She has sold 20 million copies in 14 months. Not bad going!

She has now over taken Dire Straits "Brothers in arms" in the UK album sales list.

Beechwoods

30-03-2012, 21:32

Tim

30-03-2012, 22:15

Pink Floyd have their own pressing facility in Germany and DSOTM alone apparently makes the band $10,000,000 per annum, don't know where I read that, but it was about 5 years ago?
I don't think DSOTM has ever been the #1 selling album of all time Jeff?

SCIDB

30-03-2012, 22:35

And *this* is why measurement is useless!

I'm willing to bet good money that Pink Floyd will still be raved about in 30 years. Adele on the other hand may be sipping Bacardi's and singing in Las Vegas, but I doubt anyone will remember her.

Hi,

Why are measurements useless? She has sold alot of albums in a short space of time. People like her music. She has made herself, her record company and this country alot of money.

As for who will be raved about in 30 years time, it could be neither. Pink Floyd's fan base is aging and if young fans don't start buying they may dip.

As for Las Vegas, you can earn more money than most doing Las Vegas. Ask Elton John, Tom Jones & Celine Dion.

I have no idea how Adele's career will pan out but she is doing alright for herself at moment.

Alot of people don't give a stuff about Pink Floyd and alot don't give a stuff about Adele. All you need is enough people to give stuff about the artist in question then you make money.

YNWaN

31-03-2012, 02:46

This isn't going to go the same way as the other thread and just become an opportunity for people to winge incessantly about how 'music aint what it used to be', is it (hope not)?

Beechwoods

31-03-2012, 07:50

Why are measurements useless?

:lol: Just a little audio subjectivist joke, Dean :)

You may well be right, I just don't have any time for Adele. Not my cup of tea. I'll go back to trying to be constructive in a minute :D

Alex_UK

31-03-2012, 08:04

A very good mate of mine and a big Pink Floyd fan, has six copies of it.

I've got 5 different versions and I'm not even that big of a Floyd fan!

Marco

31-03-2012, 08:29

I'll go back to trying to be constructive in a minute :D

Aw, that's no fun! :eyebrows:

Marco.

YNWaN

31-03-2012, 11:03

I've got 5 different versions and I'm not even that big of a Floyd fan!

Indeed, I'm partial to a bit of Floyd, but I wouldn't say I was a big fan either - I also have three or four copies of DSotM (not sure why).

Stratmangler

31-03-2012, 11:07

Indeed, I'm partial to a bit of Floyd, but I wouldn't say I was a big fan either - I also have three or four copies of DSotM (not sure why).

They breed when you're not looking :eyebrows:

Tim

31-03-2012, 11:09

Mine are starting to border on the ridiculous :o

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/darkside.jpg

Stratmangler

31-03-2012, 11:27

Mine are starting to border on the ridiculous :o

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/darkside.jpg

Jeez, I thought I was bad - you have it far, far worse my friend :eyebrows:

Edit: I've just checked my lot, and I'm up there with you when I factor in my vinyl copies :eek:

RichB

31-03-2012, 11:48

Does this mean my band (PF Tribute) is going to have to change our setlist tonight to play all of Adelle's album instead?

That will confuse our regular punters:lol:

Dominic Harper

31-03-2012, 12:03

Bazil

31-03-2012, 12:58

Just going back to the world top seller, very surprised to see AC/DC Back in Black at No.3. I've never even heard it.

Stratmangler

31-03-2012, 13:00

Just going back to the world top seller, very surprised to see AC/DC Back in Black at No.3. I've never even heard it.

I'm shocked :eek:

Bazil

31-03-2012, 13:07

I'm shocked :eek:

Not doubt heard a couple of tracks but never the album. It seems out of place in the list must be massive seller in the far east/ Australasia.

Audioman

31-03-2012, 13:26

Don't all shoot me down at once, but I think Adele's 21 is really good and very unusual for someone of her age. She is popular and has a very wide variety fan base, young, old and middle age. I don't think she going to be a flash in the pan. I think she might be around for quite some time. BTW, in another 20 or 30 years, there will be people on these forums saying Adele 21 has been out sold by some future pop band or soloist.

Natalie;)

If you look at world album sales chart only 3 albums have reached 20m in the last decade including 21. The conclusion with falling sales and lack of universaly popular music genres this is likely to be the last album to achieve this. The other 2 have also been rather surprising and unpredictable successes.

I would include Usher in my WTF list as well as In-a-Gadda-da-Vida, Back in Black and Bon Jovi. How this bland R&B and Rock sells so much, is more of a mystery than the high selling ear grating Divas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums

Macca

31-03-2012, 13:38

Hmm - of all the Led Zep albums only 'IV' sold more than 20 million? That can't be right can it? I would ahve thought that 'Hotel California' shifted more than 19 million as well. :scratch:

The Black Adder

31-03-2012, 14:37

And *this* is why measurement is useless!

I'm willing to bet good money that Pink Floyd will still be raved about in 30 years. Adele on the other hand may be sipping Bacardi's and singing in Las Vegas, but I doubt anyone will remember her.

+1+1+1+1+1... +1

I'm not shocked about this really... Adele.. well, she's got some good lungs and yes the bird can sing but I'm afraid the album is of a time when marketing is king and exposure to the public is of a magnetute never seen in the 60's 70's 80' 90' and early 2000's. Floyds success was from a very different time, musically and economically to which I hold as more coherently solid than current times because of the freedom of cheap throwaway marketing behaviors that tenuously mean something to a minority, bigged up to the hilt and yet short lived only to be succeeded by another 'cookie cut' pop star who is squeaky clean and appeals to parents more than the kids.

Not only that but record companies have been reaching for Floyds 'grail' for a long time, times change and the grail will be easier to reach but alas it will be like winning a Blankety Blank cheque book and pen in the next 5 years, a tin cup full of spin.

Macca

31-03-2012, 14:56

+1+1+1+1+1... +1

and the grail is now a tin cup full of spin.

Or Spam...

Watching re-runs of Top of The Pops from the 'golden age' of the Seventies can be instructive. There has always been bland fodder, novelty records and no mark 'artists-of the -moment'. Nothing has changed and there is nothing to see here.

Move along now.

The Black Adder

31-03-2012, 15:05

I feel todays generation has no real solid base for music integrity. They have to hark back. I'm so surprised how many kids wear for example Led Zep, Ramones, Beatles T-Shirts these days. Kids as in 14-20yo.

I mean, Jessy J for example... She's nothing different musically than GaGa, same beat-different girl and she's pretty for sure... oh, that is her difference. Wow, not much to go on there and she's already sold out to 'The Voice' the same as Tom Jones of which I was very surprised to see.

This is really a vastly changing age we live in.

The Black Adder

31-03-2012, 15:08

Audioman

31-03-2012, 19:05

Or Spam...

Watching re-runs of Top of The Pops from the 'golden age' of the Seventies can be instructive. There has always been bland fodder, novelty records and no mark 'artists-of the -moment'. Nothing has changed and there is nothing to see here.

Move along now.

Yes memories are short. A while back I watched a run of TOTP from 1976 on BBC4. Most of it was embarassingly bad especialy the famous DJ's. This was the period between Glam and Prog and the emergence of Punk/new Wave. Just a reminder there has always been musical troughs. I optimisticaly hope we are just coming out of the longest of the post RnR era.

Macca

01-04-2012, 09:37

Yes memories are short. A while back I watched a run of TOTP from 1976 on BBC4. Most of it was embarassingly bad especialy the famous DJ's. This was the period between Glam and Prog and the emergence of Punk/new Wave. Just a reminder there has always been musical troughs. I optimisticaly hope we are just coming out of the longest of the post RnR era.

I have a theory that economic recessions, whilst bad for everything else, always seemed to create periods in which a lot of good music and films got made. When people are hungry they do their best work. Doesn't seem to be working this time, though. Maybe too soon yet.

twelvebears

01-04-2012, 11:42

Don't all shoot me down at once, but I think Adele's 21 is really good and very unusual for someone of her age. She is popular and has a very wide variety fan base, young, old and middle age. I don't think she going to be a flash in the pan. I think she might be around for quite some time. BTW, in another 20 or 30 years, there will be people on these forums saying Adele 21 has been out sold by some future pop band or soloist.

Natalie;)

Well said Natalie.

Don't get me wrong, I like Pink Floyd, but to simply dismiss Adele's success and heap god-like reverence on PF is unfair.

Personally I take quite a lot of heart from the fact that a young, larger-than-average, London lass, who can actually sing and has achieved her success on the strength of her own talent and without needing the springboard of a TV 'talent' show to do it.

Also while I don't personally consider 21 to be end-to-end perfection (and tbh, neither is DSOTM as far as I'm concerned), anyone who doesn't get hooked by Rolling In The Deep, must be musically dead from the neck up. :)

Werner Berghofer

01-04-2012, 11:50

Steve,

anyone who doesn't get hooked by Rolling In The Deep, must be musically dead from the neck up. :)

well, guess then I shall be the first to send happy greetings from the coffin.

Seriously, I can't stand more than ten seconds of any track on “21”.

Werner.

Tim

01-04-2012, 11:56

Seriously, I can't stand more than ten seconds of any track on “21”.
You can count me in too Werner - I guess I cannot get past the fact I really can't warm to her as a person, so that doesn't help. But I never play either of her CD's despite buying both of them. Must put them on eBay I guess. No doubt her sales figures will rocket again in the UK, as they are repeating her RAH concert on Thursday :rolleyes:

Each to their own I guess, but I am certainly not dead from the neck up ;)

Stratmangler

01-04-2012, 12:21

Just been listening to Adele on Spotify - I'm with Werner too.
Maybe it's an age thing, but what I've heard does nothing for me at all, and it was a relief to turn it off :eek:

Dominic Harper

01-04-2012, 12:57

It's not that bad guy's. I've heard a lot worse. Yes, it is no Pink Floyd Wall or anything like that, but it probably better than some of the stuff the kids listen to nowadays imho.

Natalie;)

Stratmangler

01-04-2012, 13:05

It's not that bad guy's. I've heard a lot worse. Yes, it is no Pink Floyd Wall or anything like that, but it probably better than some of the stuff the kids listen to nowadays imho.

Natalie;)

It's not that good Natalie.

I'm not comparing her to anyone else - I just don't like the sound of her voice, and her material isn't that great either :vomfest:
It might be better than some of the stuff kids listen to nowadays, but that in itself is no recommendation.

Dominic Harper

01-04-2012, 13:08

Ok that's me done with Adele, I'm not overly keen on her stuff either, but there are far worse stuff. I'm more of a techno jungle acid-house jazz :lol::lol::lol:

Natalie

twelvebears

01-04-2012, 13:20

OK, ducking out of this debate now. Bit to much 'Grump Old Men' for me. (and yes I'm aware that I'm probably older that some of you). ;)

Tim

01-04-2012, 13:21

I'm more of a techno jungle acid-house jazz :lol::lol::lol:
Now we're talking :eyebrows:

I think the flaw in this thread is in comparing Adele to PF and vice versa - two totally different genre's from two very different periods of time. You can't really make a comparison musically IMO.

Both have their individual merits and both are bringing pleasure to those that listen to and enjoy them, which ultimately is a good thing isn't it?

Audioman

01-04-2012, 14:18

The point of the thread was not to compare the two albums (apples and oranges) but to discuss the relative popularity in terms of the charts. It is irrelevant whether anyone thinks Adele is crap and PF great or visa versa. The issue is relative sales phenominums in different decades and are the comparisons in terms of compiling sales info accurate. The ways of recording sales has changed and retail sales do not cover all independent stores especialy those that may stock back catalogue rather than current top 40.