Not really any news today, so I though I’d quickly comment on the recent record sales. We all know that Tool sold 564,000 copies of 10,000 Days in the US, which is an impressive figure for any band, and outstrips the sales on Lateralus as well. As it turns out, that’s the highest selling CD in one week so far in 2006.
Since the Red Hot Chilli Peppers new CD was coming out, I thought this record would soon be broken, especially considering how popular Dani California seems to be at the moment, not to mention the large amount of press RHCP are getting, here in Australia at least anyway. So I was surprised when I read this article saying that Stadium Arcadium only sold 442,500 copies last week.
To me this shows a number of possibilities:
- 10,000 Days is a better CD than Stadium Arcadium?
- Tool fans are more supportive of the band?
- Tool fans are more likely to buy 10,000 Days in the first week than to wait for it?
- Publicity makes a smaller impact on record sales than is thought?
- Elaborate packaging really does make an impact on record sales?
- More Red Hot Chilli Peppers fans chose to download, and then not purchase than Tool fans?
- RHCP are just not as popular as Tool are, despite market hype?
- RHCP are less popular in the US than the are in Australia, where I would consider RHCP to definitely more popular that Tool?
- RHCP suck, where as Tool rules!
- Tool fans, desparate for some new songs, rushed out to purchase this CD the day it came out?
- RHCP fans, who’ve had no shortage of releases, are not quite as desparate?
Personally I think Stadium Arcadium will ultimately stay higher in the charts for longer than Tool, and probably sell more CD’s in total than 10,000 Days. Either way, congratulations to Tool on selling more CD’s than RHCP in the first week, it certainly took me by surprise.
And Maynard, I’m sure that new wing on the Vineyard will be there soon enough…