Chinese Democracy (Album) - Charting

[jarmo]

Why can't ppl just admit that Axl just doesn't appeal to masses like he once did?

You're from Finland.

They were #1 there, sold out two shows in 2006.

Reminds me of 1991.....



If he didn't appeal to the masses, nobody would write shitty books about him, Rolling Stone, MTV and so on would ignore writing about him..... Yet, they don't.


Maybe what you should say is "people don't buy records like they used to"....




/jarmo

[ianna]

Thanks Jarmo.  Why so many haters?

[carmiedisco12]

Why can't ppl just admit that Axl just doesn't appeal to masses like he once did?

You're from Finland.

They were #1 there, sold out two shows in 2006.

Reminds me of 1991.....



If he didn't appeal to the masses, nobody would write shitty books about him, Rolling Stone, MTV and so on would ignore writing about him..... Yet, they don't.


Maybe what you should say is "people don't buy records like they used to"....




/jarmo

I think both points are equally valid.. People do seem to buy AC/DC records though

[mark_gnr]

New worldwide Sales for last week:

Guns N Roses: 194,000

Greetings from Germany

[The Catcher]

New worldwide Sales for last week:

Guns N Roses: 194,000

Greetings from Germany

Ich bin ein Berliner!

(not really)

[Smoking Guns]

Why can't ppl just admit that Axl just doesn't appeal to masses like he once did?

You're from Finland.

They were #1 there, sold out two shows in 2006.

Reminds me of 1991.....



If he didn't appeal to the masses, nobody would write shitty books about him, Rolling Stone, MTV and so on would ignore writing about him..... Yet, they don't.


Maybe what you should say is "people don't buy records like they used to"....




/jarmo

I think both points are equally valid.. People do seem to buy AC/DC records though

Yes, and AC/DC stuck to their "sound" and this first single was a huge hit..... CD the single wasn't.  AC/DC sold out just about every single show and are now going to do a Stadium Tour. 

[D]

People aren't buying albums like they use to BUT the Best Buy deal and the bad first single choice and promotion thing kind of stifled the sales.


I am not gonna blame it all on people not buying music anymore.

[Smoking Guns]

People aren't buying albums like they use to BUT the Best Buy deal and the bad first single choice and promotion thing kind of stifled the sales.


I am not gonna blame it all on people not buying music anymore.

People still buy music, and more importantly, Metallica and AC/DC show that people still buy Hard Rock/Metal music still today in 2008.

[FunkyMonkey]

EUROPEAN TOP ALBUMS

Fri Dec 19, 2008

 Rank    Album - Artist (Label)

 1       Black Ice - AC/DC (Columbia)

 2       The Promise - Il Divo (Syco)

 3       And Winter Came - Enya (Warner Bros.)

 4       Soul - Seal (Warner Bros.)

 5       Funhouse - Pink (LaFace/Zomba)

 6       The Circus - Take That (Polydor)

 7       Day & Age - The Killers (Island/Def Jam)

 8       Spirit - Leona Lewis (Syco)

 9       Circus - Britney Spears (Jive/Zomba)

10      Chinese Democracy - Guns 'N Roses (Black Frog/Geffen)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/billboardCharts/idUKN1841836420081219

[ecwfan]

People aren't buying albums like they use to BUT the Best Buy deal and the bad first single choice and promotion thing kind of stifled the sales.


I am not gonna blame it all on people not buying music anymore.

                          How was Chinese Democracy a bad 1st single ? You do realize had this not launched the album , sales with no promotion and tour wouldn't have been this good. I mean the single basically from the power of radio and the rare commercials powered the album thus far. There is no big video to sell the album. There is no World Tour to sell the album now. The 2nd single just launched and well....the sales to this point 1 million sold worldwide is due to the strength of CHINESE DEMOCRACY.

                           Sure its ok to say "I want an AC/DC sales explosion !" . But thats the strength of good Wal-Mart marketing campaign , tour/promotion have powered that thus far. For the Guns n Roses album with none of that happening , its the strength of the singles and CD was a good 1st single . To expect an AC/DC explosion would be a huge leap to see happen.

[duga]

4 -> 5 -> 12 in Sweden. So far less than 20000 copies sold.

20k for gold
40k for platina

Down to 15 this week. Still no gold.

[otgm]

Maybe what you should say is "people don't buy records like they used to"....

/jarmo

They seem to buy other artists' records though... like Britney or AC/DC.

[jarmo]

Maybe what you should say is "people don't buy records like they used to"....

/jarmo

They seem to buy other artists' records though... like Britney or AC/DC.

Are you aware that record sales have plummeted? Ever heard of illegal downloading?


The people who don't download are the ones buying those albums.

If an artist is popular among the high school/college/20-something crowd, chances are there'll be lots of downloading instead of buying.



/jarmo

[badobsession_r21]

#3 in Greece

http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm

[The Prez]

It don't really matter!  

Chinese Democracy is not just a straight forward, mainstream record. GN'R was a very popular band in the past; Appetite became a succes but started as an 'uderground' record... the illusions were, commercially seen, more mainstream and brought GN'R to the absolute 'commercial' top.

The question should be: do we matter about the sales or about the quality of the music? My choice is the second. Chinese Democracy is an average good album (musically) - not the best record ever made - but is not the type of music the average listener will appreciate. Maybe it will deserve more respect in the future.

For a rock band which was the absolute nr. 1 in the early nineties and doing a comeback 15 years later with a different line-up, somehow other sound and a non-mainstream (I would even say, an alternative and very well 'dared' album for a rockband such as Guns) type of rock album, I think the album sells quite good.

We do not have to exagerate. It's not a flop but isn't the best album out there. Guns will move on and next album can be a totally different story again.

[carmiedisco12]

Maybe what you should say is "people don't buy records like they used to"....

/jarmo

They seem to buy other artists' records though... like Britney or AC/DC.

Are you aware that record sales have plummeted? Ever heard of illegal downloading?


The people who don't download are the ones buying those albums.

If an artist is popular among the high school/college/20-something crowd, chances are there'll be lots of downloading instead of buying.



/jarmo

Thats nonsense Jarmo
Whilst its true that sales have plummeted, CD hasnt sold well COMPARITIVELY in THIS market, everyones numbers are down and CD is still flailing in THIS market.
Also GNR isnt a high school/20 somethings band so according to your logic it should sell better as the fanbase isnt the group most likely to download??

I really like CD...not love it , but Axl didnt strike while the iron was hot and its massively hurt the sales.

[Skunk]

Chinese Democracy is an average good album (musically) - not the best record ever made - but is not the type of music the average listener will appreciate. Maybe it will deserve more respect in the future.

I think it's a lot better than an "average good album." I would say that on the guitars alone, but you add in the complexity of some of the songs, musicianship, arrangements and production, and to me it becomes obvious that CD is better musically than even most good albums. But i agree that we'd rather have quality music than big sales.

[The Prez]

Chinese Democracy is an average good album (musically) - not the best record ever made - but is not the type of music the average listener will appreciate. Maybe it will deserve more respect in the future.

I think it's a lot better than an "average good album." I would say that on the guitars alone, but you add in the complexity of some of the songs, musicianship, arrangements and production, and to me it becomes obvious that CD is better musically than even most good albums. But i agree that we'd rather have quality music than big sales.

It's ofcourse not a thread about how good or bad the album is but about the sales.

The fact it doesn't sell better is imo due to: not good enough (for a mainstream rock album) or too 'alternative' (maybe not a correct word here for Guns but I hope you understand what I try to say) and ofcourse also the lack of promo/video/interviews/..etc will just make it worse.

These are fact's and figures don't lie.

Again no discussion about our opinion about the album itself, as we all like it. 

[greekmule]

#3 in Greece

http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm

actually it's #3 in foreign albums alone. If you take into account greek albums as well it's #10(http://www.ifpi.gr/chart04.htm)

[overmatik]

Back in the day bands would do tours to promote the album, now they release albums to promote the tour.