if Purple Rain has sold only 14 million with no other album of his selling more than 3 million? Is it due to the volume of albums he has put out, even if most only average around 1 million in sales?

Feel free to correct my figures.

PurpleCharm said:

only 14? that's a shit load of albums

Hi

what top-50 list are you talking about? can you be more specific?

Maybe you are interested in reading my previous threads about this subject:

http://www.prince.org/msg/7/189511

http://www.prince.org/msg/7/182470

Top Artists
http://www.riaa.com/gp/be...rtists.asp

Totals are derived from cumulative album sales totals (U.S. only)

Artist
Certified Units (in Millions)

BEATLES, THE
168.5

PRESLEY, ELVIS
118.5

BROOKS, GARTH
116.0

LED ZEPPELIN
109.5

EAGLES
91.0

JOEL, BILLY
79.5

PINK FLOYD
73.5

STREISAND, BARBRA
71.0

JOHN, ELTON
69.0

AC/DC
66.0

ROLLING STONES, THE
65.5

AEROSMITH
65.5

MADONNA
63.0

STRAIT, GEORGE
62.5

SPRINGSTEEN, BRUCE
62.0

CAREY, MARIAH
61.5

JACKSON, MICHAEL
60.5

METALLICA
57.0

VAN HALEN
56.5

HOUSTON, WHITNEY
54.0

U2
50.5

ROGERS, KENNY
50.0

DION, CELINE
49.0

FLEETWOOD MAC
48.5

KENNY G
48.0

DIAMOND, NEIL
48.0

TWAIN, SHANIA
47.0

ALABAMA
46.0

JOURNEY
45.0

SANTANA
43.0

CLAPTON, ERIC
41.5

JACKSON, ALAN
40.0

PRINCE
39.0

GUNS 'N ROSES
38.5

SIMON & GARFUNKEL
38.5

MC ENTIRE, REBA
38.0

CHICAGO
38.0

SEGER, BOB AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND
38.0

BACKSTREET BOYS
37.0

2 PAC
36.5

STEWART, ROD
36.5

FOREIGNER
36.5

DYLAN, BOB
36.0

NELSON, WILLIE
35.0

DEF LEPPARD
35.0

BON JOVI
33.0

COLLINS, PHIL
33.0

DENVER, JOHN
32.5

TAYLOR, JAMES
32.0

KELLY, R.
32.0

QUEEN
31.5

BOSTON
31.0

SPEARS, BRITNEY
31.0

MATTHEWS, DAVE BAND
30.5

DOORS, THE
30.0

RONSTADT, LINDA
30.0

PEARL JAM
29.5

MC GRAW, TIM
29.0

DIXIE CHICKS
28.5

OSBOURNE, OZZY
28.3

PETTY, TOM & THE HEARTBREAKERS
28.0

'N SYNC
28.0

BOLTON, MICHAEL
28.0

LYNYRD SKYNYRD
28.0

MELLENCAMP, JOHN
27.5

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
27.0

EMINEM
27.0

BOYZ II MEN
27.0

ENYA
26.0

BEE GEES
26.0

SINATRA, FRANK
25.5

MANILOW, BARRY
25.5

BROOKS & DUNN
25.5

JACKSON, JANET
25.0

HILL, FAITH
25.0

NIRVANA
25.0

ZZ TOP
25.0

RUSH
24.5

CARPENTERS, THE
24.5

VANDROSS, LUTHER
24.5

MILLER, STEVE BAND
24.0

CREED
24.0

CARS, THE
23.5

MOTLEY CRUE
23.5

EARTH, WIND & FIRE
23.5

JAY-Z
23.0

GILL, VINCE
22.5

BUFFETT, JIMMY
22.5

POLICE, THE
22.5

SADE
22.5

BEASTIE BOYS
22.0

DOOBIE BROTHERS
22.0

TLC
22.0

R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON
22.0

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
22.0

HENDRIX, JIMI
22.0

RICHIE, LIONEL
21.5

BEACH BOYS, THE
21.5

GENESIS
21.5

GREEN DAY
21.0

KEITH, TOBY
21.0

HEART
20.5

MEAT LOAF
20.5

MORISSETTE, ALANIS
20.5

NELLY
20.5

WHO, THE
20.0

HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH
20.0

OUTKAST
20.0

CHESNEY, KENNY
19.5

CASH, JOHNNY
19.5

BRAXTON, TONI
19.5

USHER
19.5

R.E.M.
19.5

WONDER, STEVIE
19.5

KISS
19.0

WILLIAMS, HANK, JR.
19.0

BROWNE, JACKSON
18.5

JEWEL
18.5

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
18.5

SMASHING PUMPKINS
18.3

CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG
18.0

KID ROCK
18.0

MATCHBOX TWENTY
18.0

STING
18.0

TRAVIS, RANDY
17.5

YOUNG, NEIL
17.5

MONKEES, THE
17.5

DESTINY'S CHILD
17.5

MC LACHLAN, SARAH
17.5

GRATEFUL DEAD
17.5

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
17.5

STYX
17.5

MATHIS, JOHNNY
17.0

NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
17.0

BLIGE, MARY J.
17.0

RAITT, BONNIE
17.0

ADAMS, BRYAN
17.0

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
16.5

MARLEY, BOB & THE WAILERS
16.5

GRANT, AMY
16.5

LINKIN PARK
16.5

LIMP BIZKIT
16.0

KORN
16.0

CROW, SHERYL
16.0

HAMMER
16.0

CONNICK, HARRY, JR.
16.0

RIMES, LEANN
16.0

DIRE STRAITS
15.5

ISLEY BROTHERS
15.5

KANSAS
15.5

JOPLIN, JANIS
15.5

ESTEFAN, GLORIA
15.5

BAD COMPANY
15.5

STEVENS, CAT
15.5

NO DOUBT
15.0

FOGELBERG, DAN
15.0

BLACK SABBATH
15.0

MICHAEL, GEORGE
15.0

CRANBERRIES, THE
14.5

KING, CAROLE
14.5

OFFSPRING
14.5

INXS
14.5

MC CARTNEY, PAUL
14.5

NUGENT, TED
14.0

CLINE, PATSY
14.0

POISON
14.0

NEWTON-JOHN, OLIVIA
14.0

DMX
14.0

JONES, NORAH
14.0

MURRAY, ANNE
14.0

MONTGOMERY, JOHN MICHAEL
14.0

LENNON, JOHN
13.5

AGUILERA, CHRISTINA
13.5

YES
13.5

SIMON, PAUL
13.5

COLE, NATALIE
13.5

DANIELS, CHARLIE BAND
13.5

TEMPTATIONS, THE
13.5

MC BRIDE, MARTINA
13.5

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/STARSHIP
13.5

SWEAT, KEITH
13.0

CHAPMAN, TRACY
13.0

HALL & OATES
13.0

ETHERIDGE, MELISSA
13.0

YEARWOOD, TRISHA
12.5

CHER
12.5

BLACK, CLINT
12.5

L.L. COOL J
12.0

WEBBER, ANDREW LLOYD
12.0

TRITT, TRAVIS
12.0

BENATAR, PAT
12.0

WHITESNAKE
12.0

BAKER, ANITA
12.0

LEWIS, HUEY & THE NEWS
12.0

DURAN DURAN
12.0

LIVE
12.0

MIDLER, BETTE
12.0

SMITH, WILL
12.0

SNOOP DOGG
12.0

ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
12.0

COUNTING CROWS
12.0

VAUGHAN, S.R. & DOUBLE TROUBLE
11.5

NICKELBACK
11.5

BOCELLI, ANDREA
11.5

ABDUL, PAULA
11.5

HENLEY, DON
11.5

JENNINGS, WAYLON
11.5

STEELY DAN
11.0

JETHRO TULL
11.0

50 CENT
11.0

GRAND FUNK RAILROAD
11.0

LOVERBOY
11.0

LOPEZ, JENNIFER
11.0

SPICE GIRLS
11.0

YANNI
11.0

BONE THUGS 'N HARMONY
11.0

WHITE, BARRY
11.0

ALICE IN CHAINS
10.5

NINE INCH NAILS
10.5

NICKS, STEVIE
10.5

3 DOORS DOWN
10.5

ABBA
10.5

JUDDS, THE
10.5

YOAKAM, DWIGHT
10.5

KRAVITZ, LENNY
10.5

WILLIAMS, ANDY
10.5

DEPECHE MODE
10.5

BUSH
10.5

CYRUS, BILLY RAY
10.5

HARRISON, GEORGE
10.5

MARTIN, RICKY
10.5

BRANDY
10.5

LUDACRIS
10.5

SCORPIONS
10.5

KEYS, ALICIA
10.5

PurpleCharm said:

I would say since he has what nearly 30 albums out it's pretty certian that that has a lot to do with it.

That list and others like it (top grossing or album sales EVER) freak me out a bit. Hootie and the Blowfish...what they have like 2 albums out have sold TONS. Madonna beats out MJ? Etc. Strange to see some of this.

superspaceboy said:

Madonna's put out 3 times the albums MJ has. Of course she's outsold him.

An orger named Edu did a fantastic job of estimating the album sales of Prince here:

http://www.ukmix.org/foru...hp?t=34161

They can only ever be estimates since things like Soundscan didn't come into being until '92 and he's used a bit of guesswork to work out how many albums have sold since the '80s to-date, but the US figures look like this:

For You = 550,000
Prince = 1,500,000
Dirty Mind = 1,085,000
Controversy = 1,550,000
1999 = 4,320,000
Purple Rain = 14,480,000
Around The World In A Day = 2,845,000
Parade = 2,105,000
Sign Of The Times = 1,840,000
Lovesexy = 960,000
Batman (Soundtrack) = 2,500,000
Graffiti Bridge = 980,000
Diamonds & Pearls = 2,780,000
Symbol = 1,100,000
The Hits/The B-Sides = 650,000
The Hits 1 = 2,000,000
The Hits 2 = 1,750,000
Come = 500,000
The Black Album = 275,000
The Gold Experience = 550,000
Chaos & Disorder = 150,000
Emancipation = 700,000
Crystal Ball = 125,000
Newpower Soul = 225,000
The Vault = 125,000
Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic = 500,000
The Very Best Of Prince = 1,300,000
The Rainbow Children = 175,000
Musicology = 1,000,000

That actually comes to a total of 48,620,000, the difference probably comes from that list not being uptodate and only counting RIAA certifications, IE Gold 500 and Platinum a million, the inbetween figures are not counted.

Thanks mo. It's interesting that, outside of PR, 1999 is the only other album that sold over 3 million copies. Are the numbers for 1999 based on the fact that it was a double lp, meaning each lp sold was counted as 2?

Now, I can kind of understand WB's concern over P's output. P could never really have big sellers if he put out a new album every year.

PurpleCharm said:

No, like his other double, triple and quadruple albums, the sales only count as one (taking that into account, I doubt many of the other artists around Prince in the list have done so many multiple-sided albums, which makes Prince's sales figures even more impressive!) I do know that 1999 sold relatively well, but was carried even higher after the success of Purple Rain.

I don't know, a few albums over a course of 4 years achieving a certain figure, or 1 album every 4 years achieving the same figure? I know I'd rather have the former! Warner's problem was wanting to leech every possible sale out of an album before moving on, which was hard to do when another album was just around the corner. I can totally see their point but also to an artist that would seem confining.

Thats very conservative numbers, how can groups like Alabama who I have never heard of sell more albums than Prince? I though we decided that D and P sold over 6 millio and now it hasnt even sold 3 million, which figures are accurate and which are hyper inflated I wonder.

tane1976 said:

D&P has sold approximately 6 and a half million to-date - worldwide. The figures above are USA only. Each country has it's own RIAA certification for what numbers are regarded as gold, platinum, etc. there isn't a world-wide standard certification.

I have no idea who the group Alabama is! But I do know country & western is massively popular in the states, acts unknown outside of the US do amazing numbers within it.
[Edited 7/19/06 3:23am]

PurpleCharm said:

Weird. I thought her first album had sold 10m in the U.S.

superspaceboy said:

it's even stranger that Barbra Stresiand is the biggest-selling female on that list I would have thought it would be either Madonna or Mariah

PurpleCharm said:

So true.Can you imagine what would happened if,after 'Purple Rain',Prince waited several years and released 'Sign O The Times' as the follow-up? Not saying I would have wanted him to do this (I love 'Parade'),but it probably would have sold so many more copies....at least 10 million or so?

well waddya know..his life portfolio.

DavidEye said:

Touring the US with SOTT might have helped, too.
And as much as I love it, releasing IIWYG as a single in the states was a weird move. The man is his own worst enemy at times.

i think its kinda cool he isnt nearer the top of the list. he comes in at what - 33? - thats a regal number. means he's in the perfect position to jump ship without leaving too much sorrow in his wake - and climb on board the mothership for a good dose of real living - a la naturale.



btw i post here cuz its fun
not to bring anyone undone

For all of you folks outside of the US (and for those in the US who only listen to Prince )....Alabama was a hugely successful country band. They've had over 30 number one country singles, half a dozen cross-over pop hits, and been a big touring draw for over 25 years. They sold a crapload of albums during the early 80s 'urban cowboy' boom, and have been pretty consistent sellers ever since.

I'm a little surprised by some of those numbers, but overall that sounds about right.

And multi-disc sets do get multiple certifications. Emancipation sold around 660,000 copies, but was certified double platinum because it contained 3 discs. The RIAA multiplies the number of actual sales times the number of discs in the package. That counterbalances sales figures with the price difference on expensive multi-disc albums.

renfield said:

That's true, however Edu's estimates don't multiply the packages by the number of discs, it is on the number of packages sold, and still comes in 10 million more than the RIAA list. Prince has simply produced a large number of albums that have often fallen inbetween Gold or Platinum marks and therefore don't add to the RIAA totals list.

metalorange said:

the list looks to be accurate.except that musicology is 2,000,000 sold.they did add the concert copies in as actual copies.its also true that the riaa only adds in the numbers for lps that hit the gold or platinum standard,which would make sales totals inaccurate.do any1 know about actually single sales

superspaceboy said:

not that odd about madge beating mj...mike only put out 7lps...including greatest hits packages that i can recall.madonna puts out an lp every 2 or 3 yrs.what i find odd is that britany has beat out janet in sales...but it happens.i wonder how much the actual totals are of folks like james brown

metalorange said:

Oh, ok. Thanks.

I don't know why I forgot that 1999 wasn't the only multi-disc lp that P put out.

How did Keith Sweat make that list?

PurpleCharm said:

Uhmm, I'm not so sure now after Renfield's post above. I do seem to remember reading Emancipation being multiplied by 3 to get to a figure of 2.1 million (double platinum) as Renfield says. But I've never specifically heard this of other multiple disc (or lp) sets such as 1999, Sign O' The Times, Graffiti Bridge, The Hits/The B-Sides and Crystal Ball... Edu's figures are not multiplied, if they were the discrepency between the RIAA totals and his would be even bigger...

metalorange said:

I'm still shocked, This still seams low to me. Only a million for "Musicology". I'm with "Batman", "Crystal Ball", ect.....

iceblueangel2007 said:

I'VE BEEN telling you all for years that the kid aint packin em in like he use to

metalorange said:

ok it's starting to make a little more sense not. Thank you Metalorange & PurpleCharm for the information.

Domestically,

When you consider the fact that PR sold 14, that virtually all of his 80's albums save for Lovesexy hit platinum or multiplatinum, that's approximately 22 million.

Then GB, D/P, Symbol, Emancipation hit platinum in the 90's, and Gold Experience and the Hits hit at least gold, so that's another what, 5-6 million.

Then in the 00's Musicology hits platinum, there's a million.

Toss in the other albums that sold gold or just under gold, and that gets you to right under 38 million.

Those are, to be sure, rough, rough estimates.

THAT list is pure BS!

First of all (unless you're Elvis or ANY member of The Beatles), no one...AND I MEAN NO ONE... oversold more albums than Michael Jackson (solo artist or with The Jacksons)!!!

Modonna overselling Prince? I think THIS is true. Apart from America Life, All of Madonna's albums has sold well over the years.

And BTW, why The Supremes, The Spice Girls, TLC, or even Destiny's Child not on THAT list? These are the biggest selling girl groups of all time! WTF?


EDIT: My bad. TLC 22.0
[Edited 7/21/06 17:55pm]