Are records sales stats made up?

Subject: Are records sales stats made up?
From: Ed T
Date: 05 Jan 13 - 04:12 PM

This article makes me question long held views on record sales figures.


Did michael jacksons thriller sell a hundred million-copies?

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 12:16 AM

Good and interesting article. As a compulsive record collector, I've always been aware that a lot of the numbers are whipped up by publicists, and that even the holy "Billboard Charts" tended to be smoke and mirrors.

Neil Bogart, master mind behind the famous/notorious Casablanca disco label, was the one who popularized the technique of printing and shipping a million records, knowing that most would be returned, in order to run the "sales" up to Platinum. The appearance of success was more important than actual success. That is scary.   It's a bit reassuring to know that now, at least, there is realiable information out there.

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 02:14 PM

Very interesting.
Thanks for sharing.
Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: Paul Davenport
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 02:28 PM

I always wondered how songs could 'enter the charts at Number 1' - it was supposed to be sales ?

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: GUEST,A regular member
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 02:45 PM

Way back in the dawn of time I had a record which today (and then), I thought was crap, get on the 'charts'. While the company was shipping them another part of the company was getting it blacklisted. I had a 'hit' on the way in Boston and a dud in the can. S'ok by me because it wasn't a good record.

Thing is, companies have the morals of a cat in heat, dog if you're a cat lover.

As my step-dad used to say, there's no point talking morals in a whore house.

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: Elmore
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 05:47 PM

Most of my favorite artists (except Netrebko and L. Cohen} are so far below the radar that this is of little import to me.

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: Joe_F
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 06:08 PM

The wish to maximize the size of an audience is prima facie evidence of moral turpitude.

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: Elmore
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 07:55 PM

Whoa there. Joe F. When I was producing concerts on a not for basis I worked my butt off to make sure we got as many people in attendance as possible, not only for our folk club, but for the performer.

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: Elmore
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 08:41 PM

Should read: not for profit basis. By the way, even those who are selling records on independent labels certainly want as many people as possible to hear their artists.

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: GUEST,A regular member
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 09:28 PM

That's true, but it meant more when it was X against 50% of the gate. I turned down and do turn down gigs that offer less.

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 13 - 01:08 AM

Record sales could hit #1 on their release date because a lot of them had been ordered ahead of time. DJs also picked tunes based on what they thought people would want to listen to. The charts were an arcane concoction that combined record sales, radio play lists, DJ Picks, juke box plays, and later, dance club plays, and they were important because stores, radio stations, and DJs all needed to know what music was, and was going to be popular at any given time.

This knowledge was (and is) incredibly important, because one of the central tenets of the American Myth is that happiness comes from listening to the most popular music, and another one is that incredible wealth will come to anyone who provides that music. Record charts are a magical tool for divining what music people want to hear, and, since it is both really important and really hard to actually do that, they were and are subject to all the imprecision, inaccuracy, vagueness, and corruption of any system for prediction.

Subject: RE: Are records sales stats made up?
From: doc.tom
Date: 07 Jan 13 - 05:34 AM

"The appearance of success was more important than actual success. That is scary." - but true even in the British folk scene now!