Chinese Democracy (Album) - Charting

[draguns]

I know that some people might not like what I have to say on here. These numbers are a disappointment. Axl needs to step
it up with interviews. Bumblefoot alone is not going to cut it since this isn't his band. This is AXL's band and  there is a good story to tell.
I sort of knew that this was going to happen based on some of the reviews on Itunes.  Also, I think it might not have been smart  to  have
the songs streamlined on Myspace. I know it generated a buzz. The question that needs to be asked is, did the streaming of songs
 kill off sales?

[adman2374]

frm Hitsdailydouble.com building album charts, 37.1% in:

LW TW artist / albumpower index
--    1 KANYE WEST 808S & HEARTBREAK 223,643
--    2 GUNS N' ROSES  CHINESE DEMOCRACY  148,183
4    3 TAYLOR SWIFT FEARLESS  128,291

That's it??

That's 37.1% in.  That's not final numbers.  If there is a linear relationship between % in and albums sold, then by my calculations the final number will be about 400,000.  That would be 33% higher than HDD's initial estimate.

Ali

i hope you are right, but i think you are wrong. good try with a "linear relationship." It will be 250k at most. but, i dont give a fuck about that. this is the best album ever created...............

[Chief]

i don't think it significantly affected sales.. I mean the main reason i think they did it is because of the complete leak which happened 5-6 days before the release.

I know that some people might not like what I have to say on here. These numbers are a disappointment. Axl needs to step
it up with interviews. Bumblefoot alone is not going to cut it since this isn't his band. This is AXL's band and  there is a good story to tell.
I sort of knew that this was going to happen based on some of the reviews on Itunes.  Also, I think it might not have been smart  to  have
the songs streamlined on Myspace. I know it generated a buzz. The question that needs to be asked is, did the streaming of songs
 kill off sales?

[Ali]

frm Hitsdailydouble.com building album charts, 37.1% in:

LW TW artist / albumpower index
--    1 KANYE WEST 808S & HEARTBREAK 223,643
--    2 GUNS N' ROSES  CHINESE DEMOCRACY  148,183
4    3 TAYLOR SWIFT FEARLESS  128,291

That's it??

That's 37.1% in.  That's not final numbers.  If there is a linear relationship between % in and albums sold, then by my calculations the final number will be about 400,000.  That would be 33% higher than HDD's initial estimate.

Ali

i hope you are right, but i think you are wrong. good try with a "linear relationship." It will be 250k at most. but, i dont give a fuck about that. this is the best album ever created...............

That's why I said "if".  But, it doesn't make logical sense that if the first third sold 150K, the remaining TWO-thirds would sell only 100K.  Less for the final two-thirds than for the first third?  The Billboard projection says that for the final two-thirds, Kanye's sales would equal those for his for the first third as confirmed by HDD building albums sales chart.

Ali

[adman2374]

frm Hitsdailydouble.com building album charts, 37.1% in:

LW TW artist / albumpower index
--    1 KANYE WEST 808S & HEARTBREAK 223,643
--    2 GUNS N' ROSES  CHINESE DEMOCRACY  148,183
4    3 TAYLOR SWIFT FEARLESS  128,291

That's it??

That's 37.1% in.  That's not final numbers.  If there is a linear relationship between % in and albums sold, then by my calculations the final number will be about 400,000.  That would be 33% higher than HDD's initial estimate.

Ali

i hope you are right, but i think you are wrong. good try with a "linear relationship." It will be 250k at most. but, i dont give a fuck about that. this is the best album ever created...............

That's why I said "if".  But, it doesn't make logical sense that if the first third sold 150K, the remaining TWO-thirds would sell only 100K.  Less for the final two-thirds than for the first third?  The Billboard projection says that for the final two-thirds, Kanye's sales would equal those for his for the first third as confirmed by HDD building albums sales chart.

Ali

thanks for multiplying 150K times 3 for all of us. i think us morons could figure that out by ourselves (hope so, at least). have some balls and make prediction not based on"if's." i hope it sells 1000000000 copies, i do. i think it will be 250k at most....

[Ali]

frm Hitsdailydouble.com building album charts, 37.1% in:

LW TW artist / albumpower index
--    1 KANYE WEST 808S & HEARTBREAK 223,643
--    2 GUNS N' ROSES  CHINESE DEMOCRACY  148,183
4    3 TAYLOR SWIFT FEARLESS  128,291

That's it??

That's 37.1% in.  That's not final numbers.  If there is a linear relationship between % in and albums sold, then by my calculations the final number will be about 400,000.  That would be 33% higher than HDD's initial estimate.

Ali

i hope you are right, but i think you are wrong. good try with a "linear relationship." It will be 250k at most. but, i dont give a fuck about that. this is the best album ever created...............

That's why I said "if".  But, it doesn't make logical sense that if the first third sold 150K, the remaining TWO-thirds would sell only 100K.  Less for the final two-thirds than for the first third?  The Billboard projection says that for the final two-thirds, Kanye's sales would equal those for his for the first third as confirmed by HDD building albums sales chart.

Ali

thanks for multiplying 150K times 3 for all of us. i think us morons could figure that out by ourselves (hope so, at least). have some balls and make prediction not based on"if's." i hope it sells 1000000000 copies, i do. i think it will be 250k at most....

The typical mature response.  Never mind that's not what I did.  But, hey don't let that get in the way of an immature remark

Ali

[killingvector]

Azoff and Gould are too smart to let it proceed this way which is why I think there is more to come.

Exactly -- but I don't think there is anymore to really come.  You always put your strongest promotion upfront because big first-week sales generate great press, which in turn generates more sales buzz, etc. -- lots of people buy CDs based upon what is "big."  Selling 300,000 in its first week is going to generate alot of negative press about CD "bombing."  Sorry, but that's never a good campaign strategy and I bet you that Azoff and Gould would never had wanted a gradual marketing campaign: they wanted this to explode out of the box, like Metallica, The Eagles, AC/DC did in their first week.

I suspect that Axl's no-show has nothing to do with Azoff or Universal's strategy: I bet it is just that Axl doesn't want to do the press because it's perceived as "whoring" and because he (understandably) probably doesn't want to deal with all the old band, reunion, and "why did it take so long" questions.  The last reason is probably unconvincing because nowadays your press agent can pretty much control what questions you are asked and those could all be off limits.  It's pretty clear that, as in the making of the album, no one at the record company or in management really has any control over Axl's actions.

Now, if you want to get conspiratorial, it may well be that the Best Buy deal and the timing were not Axl's preferred plan.  He may have had something else in mind and maybe felt forced by either the record company or management to cut this deal.  Put simply, if Best Buy made 3 million pre-purchase (with 1.5 million unreturnables, which is the rumored deal), perhaps ALL of that money went directly to Universal (with Azoff's cut) and the terms of deal may have been very unfavorable to Axl because of all the burnt advance money.  Remember, these negotiations took a LONG time.  It may be that Axl views himself as having gotten "screwed" on the financials of this deal and took the approach of "fine, the record comes out, you recoup some of the money, but I will be damned if I have to go out on a dog-and-pony show to make money for Universal exclusively."

Finally, the greatest conspiracy of it all is that Azoff is famously known for reuniting bands and so the record company and management forces are in cahoots to make sure that CD doesn't do too well.  (I don't buy any of that, by the way.)

That is very fine point. I have no doubt that Universal wanted their money upfront with as little risk as possible. Even though the GH cleared up the CD debt a few years ago, it cost the label one future GnR album. Sports teams aren't in the business of dealing first round picks to rid themselves of overpaid players (not calling Axl overpaid here, mind you).  That album has value to the label and I suspect the debt continued to be leverage against GnR. Since Axl paid money out of pocket to finish the album, he could very well have taken a loss in completing it.

It is in Axl's best interest to promote this album because how much leeway the label gives him in the future may very well be at risk here. A bad showing by CD will drastically limit the monies available for Axl to finish the second album and promote it.  He may find again that he has to put his own cash in to the record like he did with CD.

I wonder though if Axl is done with Universal and wants to simply walk away with the songs for the second album. As far as I am aware, he has fulfilled his contract with the label and could walk away, but who knows if an extension was worked out.

[Batuta]

I agree.
CD need more promotion.

here in Brazil CD get platinium(something like 60.000+) with no promotion. I think there's a lot of people that just don't know nothin' about the album.

[Rainfox]

When are the official numbers in?  Anyone know?

Whatever happens in the US is what it is.. but it'll be interesting to put all the global figures together. I have a feeling it's sold really well outside the US.

Regardless, it will be a steady sell for many years.

 

[Eazy E]

When are the official numbers in?  Anyone know?

Whatever happens in the US is what it is.. but it'll be interesting to put all the global figures together. I have a feeling it's sold really well outside the US.

Regardless, it will be a steady sell for many years.

 

HDD will have the final 100% results by the end of tomorrow... Billboard will update their charts on Thursday.

[bolton]

I think final count on HDD for chinese democracy will be 250-300k

[demo23nz]

i don't think it significantly affected sales.. I mean the main reason i think they did it is because of the complete leak which happened 5-6 days before the release.

Every album leaks these days. Metallica and AC/DC both certainly did.

[audjon]

It's been about one week...

"Better" will hit radio tommorow...

People need to relax.

250k isn't so bad, really.

Yes it is sooo bad, really.

[mdttkk]

Azoff and Gould are too smart to let it proceed this way which is why I think there is more to come.

Exactly -- but I don't think there is anymore to really come.  You always put your strongest promotion upfront because big first-week sales generate great press, which in turn generates more sales buzz, etc. -- lots of people buy CDs based upon what is "big."  Selling 300,000 in its first week is going to generate alot of negative press about CD "bombing."  Sorry, but that's never a good campaign strategy and I bet you that Azoff and Gould would never had wanted a gradual marketing campaign: they wanted this to explode out of the box, like Metallica, The Eagles, AC/DC did in their first week.

I suspect that Axl's no-show has nothing to do with Azoff or Universal's strategy: I bet it is just that Axl doesn't want to do the press because it's perceived as "whoring" and because he (understandably) probably doesn't want to deal with all the old band, reunion, and "why did it take so long" questions.  The last reason is probably unconvincing because nowadays your press agent can pretty much control what questions you are asked and those could all be off limits.  It's pretty clear that, as in the making of the album, no one at the record company or in management really has any control over Axl's actions.

Now, if you want to get conspiratorial, it may well be that the Best Buy deal and the timing were not Axl's preferred plan.  He may have had something else in mind and maybe felt forced by either the record company or management to cut this deal.  Put simply, if Best Buy made 3 million pre-purchase (with 1.5 million unreturnables, which is the rumored deal), perhaps ALL of that money went directly to Universal (with Azoff's cut) and the terms of deal may have been very unfavorable to Axl because of all the burnt advance money.  Remember, these negotiations took a LONG time.  It may be that Axl views himself as having gotten "screwed" on the financials of this deal and took the approach of "fine, the record comes out, you recoup some of the money, but I will be damned if I have to go out on a dog-and-pony show to make money for Universal exclusively."

Finally, the greatest conspiracy of it all is that Azoff is famously known for reuniting bands and so the record company and management forces are in cahoots to make sure that CD doesn't do too well.  (I don't buy any of that, by the way.)

couldn't agree with you more.  i can only imagine how much geffen has been screwing him.  even if a reunion happened it's geffen that gets the big payday.  record companies make me sick.

[wells]

Azoff and Gould are too smart to let it proceed this way which is why I think there is more to come.

Exactly -- but I don't think there is anymore to really come.  You always put your strongest promotion upfront because big first-week sales generate great press, which in turn generates more sales buzz, etc. -- lots of people buy CDs based upon what is "big."  Selling 300,000 in its first week is going to generate alot of negative press about CD "bombing."  Sorry, but that's never a good campaign strategy and I bet you that Azoff and Gould would never had wanted a gradual marketing campaign: they wanted this to explode out of the box, like Metallica, The Eagles, AC/DC did in their first week.

I suspect that Axl's no-show has nothing to do with Azoff or Universal's strategy: I bet it is just that Axl doesn't want to do the press because it's perceived as "whoring" and because he (understandably) probably doesn't want to deal with all the old band, reunion, and "why did it take so long" questions.  The last reason is probably unconvincing because nowadays your press agent can pretty much control what questions you are asked and those could all be off limits.  It's pretty clear that, as in the making of the album, no one at the record company or in management really has any control over Axl's actions.

Now, if you want to get conspiratorial, it may well be that the Best Buy deal and the timing were not Axl's preferred plan.  He may have had something else in mind and maybe felt forced by either the record company or management to cut this deal.  Put simply, if Best Buy made 3 million pre-purchase (with 1.5 million unreturnables, which is the rumored deal), perhaps ALL of that money went directly to Universal (with Azoff's cut) and the terms of deal may have been very unfavorable to Axl because of all the burnt advance money.  Remember, these negotiations took a LONG time.  It may be that Axl views himself as having gotten "screwed" on the financials of this deal and took the approach of "fine, the record comes out, you recoup some of the money, but I will be damned if I have to go out on a dog-and-pony show to make money for Universal exclusively."

Finally, the greatest conspiracy of it all is that Azoff is famously known for reuniting bands and so the record company and management forces are in cahoots to make sure that CD doesn't do too well.  (I don't buy any of that, by the way.)

couldn't agree with you more.  i can only imagine how much geffen has been screwing him.  even if a reunion happened it's geffen that gets the big payday.  record companies make me sick.

where does this shit about reunion flying from? are pigs flying? how can anyone serious (not directed to anyone specific) think that reunion will happen? really...

[Alfie Bones]

Didn't Bumblefoot just sign a new contract? 

[bolton]

I think you're not right.
CD have a good sale,because there were no promotion.
You can sell 3-4 milion copies,if you have a great music.
When people hera the music,they will buy cd (we need single,and video)

[Mobenrad]

Man, I can't believe Kanye sold that many albums. I got my hands on it yesterday.

But come on. It feels like Chinese Democracy sold so many more than what's project. It was absolutely gone over here in STL. I walked in the Fenton Best Buy on the day of release, and there were only 4 copies left until about 15 minutes later, then they restocked it. But even then it sold a lot.

[TWT]

When was the last time Axl ever did a major interview to promote GNR anyway? It's not his style, and I don't see why anyone would be wishing for him to go on some moronic programme to sell copies of CD to morons. No matter how many units of the album are shifted, the media will always have it that he never sold enough and that the album was a failure. That was decided ages ago, that's how they wanted the story to end and that's how they'll say it happened regardless of the facts, just like it will always be reported that it took 17 years to make the album, when it took ten years to make three albums if we're to believe the inside sources.

[bodine]

Man, I can't believe Kanye sold that many albums. I got my hands on it yesterday.

But come on. It feels like Chinese Democracy sold so many more than what's project. It was absolutely gone over here in STL. I walked in the Fenton Best Buy on the day of release, and there were only 4 copies left until about 15 minutes later, then they restocked it. But even then it sold a lot.

I went to the Best Buy in Edwardsville the day of the release (about an hour after they opened), and it looked like the copy I took off the display was the only one missing . . .  Of course it could have been freshly restocked.  I didn't even think of asking the guy at checkout if he had sold many . . .