CD sales off in '05, but rap recovered - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

vashti1999 · 12-27-2005, 02:42 PM

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com

CD sales off in '05,
but rap recovered

by Jim Farber

Tuesday, December 27th, 2005

The most telling thing about 2005's best-selling album list is right at the top. The year's heaviest draw (50 Cent's "The Massacre") lagged behind 2004's prime mover (Usher's "Confessions") by more than 3 million. The R&B singer's CD pushed roughly 8 million copies, compared with the not-quite 5 million figure from the bullet-happy rapper.
Overall sales for 2005 were likewise down a full 10% from 2004. But the year in sales won't make everyone feel small.

Rap advocates have reasons to rally, especially if you compare top 10 sellers for the last two years.

Not only did a hip-hop star take 2005's No. 1 slot, three other rap acts appear in the top 10, including Black Eyed Peas (5), The Game (8) and Kanye West (9). In 2004, just one rap album made it - Eminem's "Encore" (at 3).

Rockers held their ground this year, snagging the No. 4 and No. 6 slots (Green Day and Coldplay, respectively). In 2004, rockers held positions 7 and 8 (Maroon 5 and Evanescence). The difference this time is that 2005's rock acts have more credibility, and likely more staying power.

Things aren't nearly so copacetic in the world of country. Last year, the genre hogtied the midsection of the top 10, with Kenny Chesney, Gretchen Wilson and Tim McGraw maintaining a stranglehold on slots 4 through 6. This year, just one country cousin turned up on the entire list - Rascal Flatts, who barely made the grade at 10.

R&B likewise held its meager quota from the year before. In '04, Usher was the only genre star to appear in the top 10, though its huge numbers could account for several slots by itself. This time, Mariah is the sole R&B devotee. But her sales continue to be so strong that she might well wind up No. 1 before her "Mimi" CD wanes (especially if she wins all those Grammys for which she's nominated).

In the world of pop, just two albums appear (Kelly Clarkson, No. 3, and Gwen Stefani, No. 7). In '04, three turned up (Norah Jones, Ashlee Simpson and one of those "Now That's What I Call Music" compilations). Then again, anything popular enough to make the top 10 might be considered "pop." Given a year like '05, such things pass for good news.

Top-selling albums 2005

1) "The Massacre" 50 Cent 4,805,105
2) "The Emancipation of Mimi" Mariah Carey 4,576,141
3) "Breakaway" Kelly Clarkson 3,182,857
4) "American Idiot" Green Day 3,163,741
5) "Monkey Business" Black Eyed Peas 2,719,642
6) "X&Y" Coldplay 2,503,914
7) "Love.Angel.Music.Baby" Gwen Stefani 2,381,327
8) "Documentary" The Game 2,260,162
9) "Late Registration" Kanye West 2,250,854
10) "Feels Like Today" Rascal Flatts 2,154,647

2004 top sellers

1) "Confessions" Usher 7,978,594
2) "Feels Like Home" Norah Jones 3,842,920
3) "Encore" Eminem 3,517,097
4) "When the Sun Goes Down" Kenny Chesney 3,072,224
5) "Here for the Party" Gretchen Wilson 2,931,097
6) "Live Like You Were Dying" Tim McGraw 2,786,840
7) "Songs About Jane" Maroon 5 2,786,840
8) "Fallen" Evanescence 2,614,226
9) "Autobiography" Ashlee Simpson 2,576,945
10) "Now That's What I Call Music 16" 2,560,316

Karen* · 12-27-2005, 02:47 PM

Really? I guess that's some good news since I'm a fan of pretty much all genres of music, including [some] rap. I honestly thought the rock genre was doing better though.

Superstar · 12-27-2005, 03:42 PM

Top-selling albums 2005

3) "Breakaway" Kelly Clarkson 3,182,857

2004 top sellers

9) "Autobiography" Ashlee Simpson 2,576,945

Courtnee · 12-27-2005, 05:12 PM

yay evanescence! 2004!

yay Green Day 2005!

w00tage

Dean Winchester · 12-27-2005, 06:05 PM

one thing that is strangely odd is that UK sales are starting to be higher than US sales, when there's many many more Americans than British people. Back in the day, 300,000 in the UK was an unqualified success, these days some albums that are doing well are selling more int he UK than in the US

Mr. Stefani · 12-27-2005, 06:17 PM

wow i remember when britney spears would sell a million in a week. now you're lucky if you do that in a year.

¤I Love Clay Aiken¤ · 01-03-2006, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIM087

wow i remember when britney spears would sell a million in a week. now you're lucky if you do that in a year.

Word. I remember when *//\\//SYNC sold ~1.4 in a day. It was nuts!! Of course I was one of them, hounding my parents to bring me to WalMart

.

Dean Winchester · 01-04-2006, 12:23 AM

I think the real culprit here is MTV. Their days of actually supporting and getting behind music artists is long gone, hell, they want nothing to do with you unless you can sign onto a reality show for the network.

I think if MTV was still going on a format that was something like 20-21 hours of videos a day, record sales would be considerably higher. Thriller didn't sell 27 million from word of mouth only.

12-27-2005, 02:42 PM	#1
vashti1999 NY METS - #1 Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 14, 2003 Location: The world's greatest city - New York City Posts: 11,404	CD sales off in '05, but rap recovered New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com CD sales off in '05, but rap recovered by Jim Farber Tuesday, December 27th, 2005 The most telling thing about 2005's best-selling album list is right at the top. The year's heaviest draw (50 Cent's "The Massacre") lagged behind 2004's prime mover (Usher's "Confessions") by more than 3 million. The R&B singer's CD pushed roughly 8 million copies, compared with the not-quite 5 million figure from the bullet-happy rapper. Overall sales for 2005 were likewise down a full 10% from 2004. But the year in sales won't make everyone feel small. Rap advocates have reasons to rally, especially if you compare top 10 sellers for the last two years. Not only did a hip-hop star take 2005's No. 1 slot, three other rap acts appear in the top 10, including Black Eyed Peas (5), The Game (8) and Kanye West (9). In 2004, just one rap album made it - Eminem's "Encore" (at 3). Rockers held their ground this year, snagging the No. 4 and No. 6 slots (Green Day and Coldplay, respectively). In 2004, rockers held positions 7 and 8 (Maroon 5 and Evanescence). The difference this time is that 2005's rock acts have more credibility, and likely more staying power. Things aren't nearly so copacetic in the world of country. Last year, the genre hogtied the midsection of the top 10, with Kenny Chesney, Gretchen Wilson and Tim McGraw maintaining a stranglehold on slots 4 through 6. This year, just one country cousin turned up on the entire list - Rascal Flatts, who barely made the grade at 10. R&B likewise held its meager quota from the year before. In '04, Usher was the only genre star to appear in the top 10, though its huge numbers could account for several slots by itself. This time, Mariah is the sole R&B devotee. But her sales continue to be so strong that she might well wind up No. 1 before her "Mimi" CD wanes (especially if she wins all those Grammys for which she's nominated). In the world of pop, just two albums appear (Kelly Clarkson, No. 3, and Gwen Stefani, No. 7). In '04, three turned up (Norah Jones, Ashlee Simpson and one of those "Now That's What I Call Music" compilations). Then again, anything popular enough to make the top 10 might be considered "pop." Given a year like '05, such things pass for good news. Top-selling albums 2005 1) "The Massacre" 50 Cent 4,805,105 2) "The Emancipation of Mimi" Mariah Carey 4,576,141 3) "Breakaway" Kelly Clarkson 3,182,857 4) "American Idiot" Green Day 3,163,741 5) "Monkey Business" Black Eyed Peas 2,719,642 6) "X&Y" Coldplay 2,503,914 7) "Love.Angel.Music.Baby" Gwen Stefani 2,381,327 8) "Documentary" The Game 2,260,162 9) "Late Registration" Kanye West 2,250,854 10) "Feels Like Today" Rascal Flatts 2,154,647 2004 top sellers 1) "Confessions" Usher 7,978,594 2) "Feels Like Home" Norah Jones 3,842,920 3) "Encore" Eminem 3,517,097 4) "When the Sun Goes Down" Kenny Chesney 3,072,224 5) "Here for the Party" Gretchen Wilson 2,931,097 6) "Live Like You Were Dying" Tim McGraw 2,786,840 7) "Songs About Jane" Maroon 5 2,786,840 8) "Fallen" Evanescence 2,614,226 9) "Autobiography" Ashlee Simpson 2,576,945 10) "Now That's What I Call Music 16" 2,560,316
	__________________ .

12-27-2005, 02:47 PM	#2
Karen* paradox. Forum Superstar Join Date: Jan 08, 2005 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 28,365	Really? I guess that's some good news since I'm a fan of pretty much all genres of music, including [some] rap. I honestly thought the rock genre was doing better though.
	__________________ karen on \| twitter \| tumblr

12-27-2005, 05:12 PM	#4
Courtnee MAN VS SAMMICH. Forum Star Join Date: Mar 23, 2005 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16,413	yay evanescence! 2004! yay Green Day 2005! w00tage
	__________________ Whether I'm the rose of sheer perfection A freckle on the nose of life's complexion The Cinderella or the shine apple of its eye I gotta fly once, I gotta try once, Only can die once, right, sir? Ooh, life is juicy, juicy and you see, I gotta have my bite, sir. Get ready for me love, 'cause I'm a "comer" I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer Don't bring around the cloud to rain on my parade

12-27-2005, 03:42 PM	#3
Superstar Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 08, 2003 Posts: 63,316	Top-selling albums 2005 3) "Breakaway" Kelly Clarkson 3,182,857 2004 top sellers 9) "Autobiography" Ashlee Simpson 2,576,945

12-27-2005, 06:05 PM	#5
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	one thing that is strangely odd is that UK sales are starting to be higher than US sales, when there's many many more Americans than British people. Back in the day, 300,000 in the UK was an unqualified success, these days some albums that are doing well are selling more int he UK than in the US

12-27-2005, 06:17 PM	#6
Mr. Stefani Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: Jul 15, 2001 Posts: 20,757	wow i remember when britney spears would sell a million in a week. now you're lucky if you do that in a year.

01-04-2006, 12:23 AM	#8
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I think the real culprit here is MTV. Their days of actually supporting and getting behind music artists is long gone, hell, they want nothing to do with you unless you can sign onto a reality show for the network. I think if MTV was still going on a format that was something like 20-21 hours of videos a day, record sales would be considerably higher. Thriller didn't sell 27 million from word of mouth only.