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Thread started 01/12/20 4:08am

RODSERLING

Prince US/ worldwide sales in 2019

To all the hypocrites that kept on telling they didn't care about sales, but that are now asking for it lol :
.
Best selling physical/digital copies in the US in 2019 (no streaming at all here):
#86 Purple Rain (92.000 ex.)/98.000 in 2018)
#138 Originals (68.000)
.
1999 : 40.000 copies (including the regular edition)
The Versace Experience : 15.000 ex.
.
Like I said at the time, TVBOP, which used to sell 100/150.000 ex a year before Prince s death, is now cannibalised by 4EVER. Consequence : none of them appeared in the charts this year.
.
Discounting Versace experience, the Sony rereleases sold like 50.000 copies.
.
In conclusion, in 2019 Prince sold an estimate 350.000 copies in the US. You can double that number to estimate 700.000 worldwide sales
To compare, Forbes said Prince sold in 2018 250.000 copies in the US.
.
His Warner catalogue saw a decrease of 6%, but the Sony re releases + Originals which sold better than Piano...83+ 1999 deluxe make that overall numbers increase.
[Edited 1/12/20 4:09am]
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Reply #1 posted 01/12/20 5:12am

leecaldon

Are these decent sales?

Wonder what the streaming numbers are.

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Reply #2 posted 01/12/20 6:56am

RODSERLING

leecaldon said:

Are these decent sales?



Wonder what the streaming numbers are.



Well, these are better numbers than in 2018.
Of course there were like ten releases last year.
I think they can do better numbers in 2020, by releasing albums such as Versace Experience that was never released before such as Chocolate Invasion, ONA, Slaughter House, etc.
[Edited 1/12/20 7:08am]
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Reply #3 posted 01/12/20 10:43am

TrivialPursuit

avatar

Still don't care.

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #4 posted 01/12/20 12:24pm

ladygirl99

But that is still decent consider the fact the estate barely did promotion and relied word of the mouthand they just collecting these coins. And on top of that these songs were created by Prince years ago without the estate had to put a dime to hire new musicans with these newly releases.

Shit I wish I still get paid for the work I did in the 90s and 00s. If the estate complains about these sells (they better be grateful they even sold one album per released since P past) then they are a damn fool.

[Edited 1/12/20 12:25pm]

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Reply #5 posted 01/12/20 12:27pm

darkroman

Sadly, if you take into account the multiple formats made for each release, there must only be a about 100,000 fans left worldwide.

Soon to be an endangered species!

sad


[Edited 1/12/20 12:28pm]

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Reply #6 posted 01/12/20 12:36pm

ladygirl99

darkroman said:

Sadly, if you take into account the multiple formats made for each release, there must only be a about 100,000 fans left worldwide.

Soon to be an endangered species!

sad


[Edited 1/12/20 12:28pm]

That is why licensing is going to be the key for the estate to make money in the long run. Like when a Prince song getting play over the radio or a sporting game or in books and the such. I know some fans would say its selling out no its continue to bring money into the estate.

I am curious to know how much Prince made overall in 2019 because I know Forbes do those Dead celebrities yearly earnings or something. MJ and Elvis still bring some coins.

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Reply #7 posted 01/12/20 2:43pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

ladygirl99 said:



darkroman said:


Sadly, if you take into account the multiple formats made for each release, there must only be a about 100,000 fans left worldwide.

Soon to be an endangered species!

sad



[Edited 1/12/20 12:28pm]





That is why licensing is going to be the key for the estate to make money in the long run. Like when a Prince song getting play over the radio or a sporting game or in books and the such. I know some fans would say its selling out no its continue to bring money into the estate.



I am curious to know how much Prince made overall in 2019 because I know Forbes do those Dead celebrities yearly earnings or something. MJ and Elvis still bring some coins.

Those fans are fools.
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Reply #8 posted 01/12/20 8:52pm

CynicKill

Prince cut off his fanbase so drastically after Purple Rain that this is hardly surprising.

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Reply #9 posted 01/13/20 3:18am

PURPLEIZED3121

CynicKill said:

Prince cut off his fanbase so drastically after Purple Rain that this is hardly surprising.

let me guess. you own Purple Rain & a greatest hits package only!!

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Reply #10 posted 01/13/20 3:20am

PURPLEIZED3121

RODSERLING said:

To all the hypocrites that kept on telling they didn't care about sales, but that are now asking for it lol : . Best selling physical/digital copies in the US in 2019 (no streaming at all here): #86 Purple Rain (92.000 ex.)/98.000 in 2018) #138 Originals (68.000) . 1999 : 40.000 copies (including the regular edition) The Versace Experience : 15.000 ex. . Like I said at the time, TVBOP, which used to sell 100/150.000 ex a year before Prince s death, is now cannibalised by 4EVER. Consequence : none of them appeared in the charts this year. . Discounting Versace experience, the Sony rereleases sold like 50.000 copies. . In conclusion, in 2019 Prince sold an estimate 350.000 copies in the US. You can double that number to estimate 700.000 worldwide sales To compare, Forbes said Prince sold in 2018 250.000 copies in the US. . His Warner catalogue saw a decrease of 6%, but the Sony re releases + Originals which sold better than Piano...83+ 1999 deluxe make that overall numbers increase. [Edited 1/12/20 4:09am]

really great info Rod, much appreciated. On top of that I guess there's the whole back catalogue sales to consider too. Intrigued as to how they sold in terms of ohysical copies or paid for down loads.

Streaming really has skewed how we measure genuine sales.

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Reply #11 posted 01/13/20 3:48am

RODSERLING

PURPLEIZED3121 said:



RODSERLING said:


To all the hypocrites that kept on telling they didn't care about sales, but that are now asking for it lol : . Best selling physical/digital copies in the US in 2019 (no streaming at all here): #86 Purple Rain (92.000 ex.)/98.000 in 2018) #138 Originals (68.000) . 1999 : 40.000 copies (including the regular edition) The Versace Experience : 15.000 ex. . Like I said at the time, TVBOP, which used to sell 100/150.000 ex a year before Prince s death, is now cannibalised by 4EVER. Consequence : none of them appeared in the charts this year. . Discounting Versace experience, the Sony rereleases sold like 50.000 copies. . In conclusion, in 2019 Prince sold an estimate 350.000 copies in the US. You can double that number to estimate 700.000 worldwide sales To compare, Forbes said Prince sold in 2018 250.000 copies in the US. . His Warner catalogue saw a decrease of 6%, but the Sony re releases + Originals which sold better than Piano...83+ 1999 deluxe make that overall numbers increase. [Edited 1/12/20 4:09am]


really great info Rod, much appreciated. On top of that I guess there's the whole back catalogue sales to consider too. Intrigued as to how they sold in terms of ohysical copies or paid for down loads.



Streaming really has skewed how we measure genuine sales.



I also took into account the WB catalogue sales. Discounting PR and 1999 of course, it sold for a bit less than 100.000 copies, most of that are for greatest hits package.
.
To be fair, Originals should even be at 100.000 copies, when you know the deluxe edition contained two times the same album (!).
So it would have ranked at about #75 in the best selling list. Which is really not bad at all considering there was not so much promo about it.
.
A second animated music video for Gigolos Get Lonely Too would have been great. Instead of releasing the Feel For You demo.
Originals has legs : it is still #6 in the rnb album sales for its 29th week !
.
Originals is maybe the #1 or #2 best selling rnb album of the year.
.
I hope the release of Originals 2 will continue to drive steady sales for the first set.
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Reply #12 posted 01/13/20 9:55am

ladygirl99

MotownSubdivision said:

ladygirl99 said:

That is why licensing is going to be the key for the estate to make money in the long run. Like when a Prince song getting play over the radio or a sporting game or in books and the such. I know some fans would say its selling out no its continue to bring money into the estate.

I am curious to know how much Prince made overall in 2019 because I know Forbes do those Dead celebrities yearly earnings or something. MJ and Elvis still bring some coins.

Those fans are fools.

Haha

Some people need to be real we live in capitalist world as long as bills need to pay there is nothing wrong with selling out. Even Prince had to make those decisions too.

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Reply #13 posted 01/13/20 10:09am

ladygirl99

I did some research and I found my answer so far.

9 | PRINCE: $12 million

Deceased: April 21, 2016

Cause of death: Overdose

The Purple One continues to move music, including a robust 320,000 physical units and half a billion on-demand streams, an overall increase of 12% year-over-year.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2019/10/30/the-top-earning-dead-celebrities-of--2019/#9be127f4e5e8

So he earned around 12 million between Oct 2018 and Oct 2019.

That is not bad at all. Do I wish he was higher on the list? Of course because he has a lot of work yet to release but consider the fact that the estate still remains unsettled and limited releases that amount is not bad.

Marilyn Monroe has been dead for almost 60 years and still making some godddamn coins. biggrin

So is Bob Marley his estate did a good job continue to generate sales. I am suprised Elizabeth Taylor and Jimi Hendrix isn't on the list but I think Jimi might go back on there if his estate plans something since it would be 50 years since he died this year.

If you guys check on the list majority of dead celebrities made money through licensing and merchandising. Even Michael Jackson's estate is making majority of the money through his publishing rights to other artists along with his own songs in the catalogue and licensing deals as his albums alone wouldn't be enough to make it on that list.

So I think we should now relax on Prince and his album sells LOL because trust me that is not going to make bulk of his estate earnings in the future. smile

[Edited 1/13/20 10:13am]

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Reply #14 posted 01/13/20 10:10am

CynicKill

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

CynicKill said:

Prince cut off his fanbase so drastically after Purple Rain that this is hardly surprising.

let me guess. you own Purple Rain & a greatest hits package only!!

Wrong!

And you know I'm not lying.

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Reply #15 posted 01/13/20 4:02pm

RODSERLING

.
[Edited 1/13/20 16:11pm]
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Reply #16 posted 01/13/20 7:46pm

macaylasdad

RODSERLING said:

leecaldon said:

Are these decent sales?

Wonder what the streaming numbers are.

Well, these are better numbers than in 2018. Of course there were like ten releases last year. I think they can do better numbers in 2020, by releasing albums such as Versace Experience that was never released before such as Chocolate Invasion, ONA, Slaughter House, etc. [Edited 1/12/20 7:08am]

I am sorry....but there will be hardly a demand for Chocolate Invasion, ONA, Slaughter House.....

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Reply #17 posted 01/13/20 9:27pm

RODSERLING

macaylasdad said:



RODSERLING said:


leecaldon said:

Are these decent sales?



Wonder what the streaming numbers are.



Well, these are better numbers than in 2018. Of course there were like ten releases last year. I think they can do better numbers in 2020, by releasing albums such as Versace Experience that was never released before such as Chocolate Invasion, ONA, Slaughter House, etc. [Edited 1/12/20 7:08am]

I am sorry....but there will be hardly a demand for Chocolate Invasion, ONA, Slaughter House.....



You re wrong.
The Versace Experience sold twice the amount of the other Sony re releases because it wasn't officially released before in stores.
.
It wasn't available in vinyl neither.
.
So the demand is higher. No crazy numbers but if you add up the multiple releases it begins to make decent sales.
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Reply #18 posted 01/14/20 5:04am

jdcxc

Does anyone have any financial info regarding overall profits for the Estate for the last few years...licensing, book, Paisley, commercials, etc?

I would think that the REAL money will come from movies, Netflix, stage production and Madison Ave. The music sales will be complimentary and for marketing the brand.
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Reply #19 posted 01/14/20 6:43am

TKO

avatar

His numbers are amazing.

Nobody is selling records anymore.

Popular artists struggle to sell 100k.

So the estate is probably pretty happy about the numbers.

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Reply #20 posted 01/14/20 11:01am

macaylasdad

RODSERLING said:

macaylasdad said:

I am sorry....but there will be hardly a demand for Chocolate Invasion, ONA, Slaughter House.....

You re wrong. The Versace Experience sold twice the amount of the other Sony re releases because it wasn't officially released before in stores. . It wasn't available in vinyl neither. . So the demand is higher. No crazy numbers but if you add up the multiple releases it begins to make decent sales.

We shall see.

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Reply #21 posted 01/14/20 2:51pm

rdhull

avatar

40,000 aint bad. And at 50 bucks a pop average?

"Climb in my fur."
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Reply #22 posted 01/15/20 9:57am

RODSERLING

A little focus on Purple Rain in the US in 2019 if you please:
.
#86 best selling album
#20 best selling catalog album
#11 best selling soundtrack.
.
Its soundscan sales are now nearing the 4 million mark (3.930.000 exactly).
It was last certified in 1996 at 13*Platinum, but has now passed the 16 million mark for sure in sales only.
.
And there is like 350/400 k streaming equivalent sales on Spotify/YouTube only, and it's catalogue is only available since two years.
So the 17 millions mark certifiable by the RIAA could occur next year.
.
Sadly, WB seems not willing to recertify it properly. That's a shame, because at 16 millions copies (without streaming!), it s one of the ten best selling album of all time in the US. It would make great publicity for sure.
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Reply #23 posted 01/15/20 2:14pm

Dandroppedadim
e

I truly believe there is a big selling album waiting in the vaults of Iron Mountain, possibly Dream Factory (maybe Camille) could do amazing numbers as they are infamous withdrawn albums that should generate a lot of interest. Or even The Dawn could be a popular choice. Hopefully something interesting this year...
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Reply #24 posted 01/15/20 3:23pm

looby

TrivialPursuit said:

Still don't care.

lol Neither do I.

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Reply #25 posted 01/15/20 5:17pm

jdcxc

RODSERLING said:

A little focus on Purple Rain in the US in 2019 if you please:
.
#86 best selling album
#20 best selling catalog album
#11 best selling soundtrack.
.
Its soundscan sales are now nearing the 4 million mark (3.930.000 exactly).
It was last certified in 1996 at 13*Platinum, but has now passed the 16 million mark for sure in sales only.
.
And there is like 350/400 k streaming equivalent sales on Spotify/YouTube only, and it's catalogue is only available since two years.
So the 17 millions mark certifiable by the RIAA could occur next year.
.
Sadly, WB seems not willing to recertify it properly. That's a shame, because at 16 millions copies (without streaming!), it s one of the ten best selling album of all time in the US. It would make great publicity for sure.


Any idea why WB is resisting?
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Reply #26 posted 01/15/20 6:27pm

rdhull

avatar

Dandroppedadime said:

I truly believe there is a big selling album waiting in the vaults of Iron Mountain, possibly Dream Factory (maybe Camille) could do amazing numbers as they are infamous withdrawn albums that should generate a lot of interest.

Nope. Even a pristine Dream Factory original formation etc will not do big numbers.

"Climb in my fur."
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Reply #27 posted 01/16/20 3:25am

RODSERLING

jdcxc said:

RODSERLING said:

A little focus on Purple Rain in the US in 2019 if you please:
.
#86 best selling album
#20 best selling catalog album
#11 best selling soundtrack.
.
Its soundscan sales are now nearing the 4 million mark (3.930.000 exactly).
It was last certified in 1996 at 13*Platinum, but has now passed the 16 million mark for sure in sales only.
.
And there is like 350/400 k streaming equivalent sales on Spotify/YouTube only, and it's catalogue is only available since two years.
So the 17 millions mark certifiable by the RIAA could occur next year.
.
Sadly, WB seems not willing to recertify it properly. That's a shame, because at 16 millions copies (without streaming!), it s one of the ten best selling album of all time in the US. It would make great publicity for sure.


Any idea why WB is resisting?


It cost money. You have to process an audit, and go back to 1984... Prince said he was cheated and that Purple Rain sold much more than it is thought to be. He said he was conducting an audit by himself, but to my knowledge it never came to fruition.
.
There is also the conflict between WB and P. After 1993, There was no reason To recertify a catalogue of an artist that were no longer in your company.
There were two exceptions : Purple Rain in 1996 ( because it was the best selling album ever of WB) and 1999 in...1999 because of the reissue of the single at the time and the sales it geberated, and of course it was symbolic.
.
There was a Time when certifications were a commercial argument, but nowadays even with streaming it a hard to go platinum, so there is a lost of real meaning, to recertify, let s say, Parade.
.
But for Purple Rain, it s such an important album commercially that it should be done. They just think that's not worth the cost, sadly.
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Reply #28 posted 01/16/20 3:50am

jaawwnn

rdhull said:

Dandroppedadime said:

I truly believe there is a big selling album waiting in the vaults of Iron Mountain, possibly Dream Factory (maybe Camille) could do amazing numbers as they are infamous withdrawn albums that should generate a lot of interest.

Nope. Even a pristine Dream Factory original formation etc will not do big numbers.

Have to agree, the days of big numbers have been over for a long time. Purple Rain will continue to sell in a small and steady rate but otherwise you'd need some kind of media event to even get a big bump in the Best Of sales. I still think there's space for a definitive Best of Prince to be released but in the age of streaming even the impact of that would be small.

And this is as it should be, there's no reason a man dead 4 years should be having big chart hits. He has his dedicated audience, he has his one massive album, and for those of us really into music he has his critical acclaim that'll means he'll be in print for a long time. You couldn't ask for more.

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Reply #29 posted 01/16/20 5:14am

lurker316

avatar

jaawwnn said:

rdhull said:

Nope. Even a pristine Dream Factory original formation etc will not do big numbers.

Have to agree, the days of big numbers have been over for a long time. Purple Rain will continue to sell in a small and steady rate but otherwise you'd need some kind of media event to even get a big bump in the Best Of sales. I still think there's space for a definitive Best of Prince to be released but in the age of streaming even the impact of that would be small.

And this is as it should be, there's no reason a man dead 4 years should be having big chart hits. He has his dedicated audience, he has his one massive album, and for those of us really into music he has his critical acclaim that'll means he'll be in print for a long time. You couldn't ask for more.



Exactly.




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