Keep in mind that certifications are submitted by record companies to the RIAA when they're so inclined (usually as promotion for the next album or a retrospective package, if at all). And that they cover the number of copeies printed/distributed and that the number of copies actually sold may vary greatlly.

EnDoRpHn said:

Noodled24 said:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_%28album%29

Top paragraph, last sentence.

Did you go edit that entry?

No.

I don't even have a wikipedia account. If you do then feel free to check up on when the edit was made - you could also email the person who did it and ask where the number came from.If I was going to randomly edit album sales then I'd probably pick SOTT & TGE.

Go back and read the post where the guy tried to work out Prince's album sales. Batman clearly has a wider appeal than a standard "Prince" album. There is NO sold proof that Batman shifted a further 2 million copies once the film was released - that is assumed and added to the american sales meanwile no such assumption is made on the international sales. 7m is completely made up. So it's either around the 5m mark or we make the same assumption for international sales as is being made for US sales - giving a number closer to 10m

Equally (as I've said) the sales figure for the album has been calculated by album sales over 3 months + 100,000 - Ignoring the the big scale tour a number of singles and TV appearences.

feeluupp said:

The Batman album on Wikipedia stated it sold 11 million world wide. However by actuall RIAA certifications and Billboard numbers, Batman was 2x Platinum in 1989 and I believe a couple months after the film released sold an additional 2 million in the states alone... The worldwide calculations for Batman up to this day is over 7 million, but nothing confirmed about 11 million.

You believe - but is there anything confirmed? Why would you assume it sold a further 2 million in the USA and not assume it did the same internationally? It was connected to a blockbuster movie thus giving a much wider appeal than a "Prince" album. It seems a pretty safe bet that this album sold about the same internationally as it did domestic.

Noodled24 said:

feeluupp said:

The Batman album on Wikipedia stated it sold 11 million world wide. However by actuall RIAA certifications and Billboard numbers, Batman was 2x Platinum in 1989 and I believe a couple months after the film released sold an additional 2 million in the states alone... The worldwide calculations for Batman up to this day is over 7 million, but nothing confirmed about 11 million.

You believe - but is there anything confirmed? Why would you assume it sold a further 2 million in the USA and not assume it did the same internationally? It was connected to a blockbuster movie thus giving a much wider appeal than a "Prince" album. It seems a pretty safe bet that this album sold about the same internationally as it did domestic.

It looks like the Batman album sales will be a mystery... So many different sources say different things. At the Brit awards in 95 it said Batman was the fastest selling soundtrack ever... Wikipedia claims it sold over 11 million worldwide. The RIAA certifications show 2x Platinum and an addition 2x Platinum worlwide, and the UK Mix source updated 2014 list shows Batman to have sold over 7 million.

What does make sense since Batman the film was the years biggest blockbuster, it would make sense worldwide it sold a strong amount. Also I don't believe Batman just sold 4 million total... Do I believe Batman sold over 11 million... I guess we'll never know.

Found a Batman wiki fan site and on the fan site it said the Prince Batman album sold over 3 million in the U.S. alone...

So really, no love 4 my mom?

Blixical said:

Also, the CD allowed musicians to record much longer albums than tape, which allowed 8 or 9 songs. When you have 8 or 9 songs, every song needs to be good.

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There are plenty of albums that contain 2 or 3 good/great songs (i.e. the singles) and the rest is filler. Albums that resulted in half a dozen singles that had significant chart success were and are extremely rare.

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In early 1990 perhaps 5 million an albun seemed possible and sustainable

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And long after. Music sales were boomign back then. It only started to shift at the end of the 1990s and then collapsed when the industry failed to properly respond to filesharing.

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This may be one of the reasons (perhaps) why instead of releasing the "500 experiences the Dawn hs to offer" never materialised. I mean, he could very easily make this albums available online, and his fans would immediately buy all of it--it's really not that difficult to setup an online website with albums to be purchased.

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Probably a combination of two things: the truly worthwhile archive stuff was possibly/likely owned by WBR, and/or Prince didn't get a decent enough offer. And now he's waited so long that it's significantly reduced in value because his fanbase is a fractioon of what it used to be and because of the economics of the music industry.