Music album sales hit eight-year low in 2005

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 7 Jan 2006 1:58 am

Here's a little story that illustrates how these folks work:

In the early 90's, one of the hottest new pop starts in Austria (singing in German only) had a new album out - it was announced everywhere that the album went gold (for 50,000 sold copies).

One of my friends who is a business insider told me what really happened. The album only sold a little over 20,000 copies, the rest was bought back from the distributors and bulk sellers by the company...which they also counted as "sold", so they could get the PR for the gold nomination.

That's how the business works!

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 7 Jan 2006 10:05 am

Yes, Walter, gold and platinum status only refers to what the company ships. This is a little-known fact outside the business. Many get their gold and platinum status by sending out copious amounts of product. Most of it may get returned, but the album goes "gold" or "platinum".

This maneuver has resulted in the "70 million albums sold" quotes by artists that haven't sold near this many units.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 7 Jan 2006 2:16 pm

Yeah, I remember the old line "shipped gold, returned platinum...

(that was really more about the number of bootlegs out there at the time)

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 7 Jan 2006 9:41 pm

If you really want to stir the musical garbage can, tune in to Letterman and Lenow at 11:30 cst just before they leave the air. There was a group on Letterman 2 nights ago that was really an embarrasment to professional musicians (like a surgeon watching a butcher!). They had the typical instrumentation of a 5-piece group, but played none of the instruments except the drummer. As they all danced across the stage their hands moved rapidly up/down the fretboard---they were trying to sync to a recording. The audience fell for it! ---j---

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 8 Jan 2006 12:45 am

Hugh, I agree with you. Alot of those bands are just an embarassment. I saw Brian Wilson come on though with a big band at Christmas and do a big band Christmas arrangement that was beautiful. Thats a rare occasion though.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 8 Jan 2006 4:57 am

There's a particularily excruciating fusion of heavy metal and rap that seems to show up regularly on the night shows. I know "Korn" is one of these, but they seem pretty much interchangeable to me - white boys, with dreadlocks, wearing skateboard shorts and shoes, playing Black Sabbath chord riffs through three fuzztones all hooked up in a row. At least real heavy metal guitarists could play solos, though these "nu" guys do muster up some pretty impressive vertical leaps.

Kenny Burford · Post by **Kenny Burford** » 8 Jan 2006 7:21 am

Mike Perlowin’s recount of his conversation with Pete Anderson presents a point I have never considered, but from a business standpoint it probably does makes sense to use instruments that listeners are familiar with hearing. Everyone in the music industry at almost every level does this to some degree whether is selecting instrumentation for a recording or live performance. Unfortunately when it happens across an entire genre the music will eventually lose listeners. It happened in the 50s, both country and pop music became stagnant and when the younger listeners heard rockin’ roll both were left in the dust. By the late 50s and early 60s the major labels were producing and American radio was playing a watered down pop rock and would have continued to have done so if it were not for the invasion of the Beatles, Stones and all the other English bands that followed. But just like every other hot new sound when the major players in the music industry got their whack at it, it got watered down and the cycle continues.

IMO the most important point Anderson made in his statement: “altering their sound might backfire and they might alienate their fan base and sales might decline,” was the phrase “fan base.” Again IMO if musicians and songwriters will concentrate on their craft and work at building their own fan base they will be successful in the music industry. That does not mean their name will ever be a household word or that they will ever be on a major record label, but neither of these prevent an artist from being successful at their craft. It may limit their finances, but I sincerely believe if anyone is ever going to have a life long career in the music industry they have to take charge of their own career or work with someone who has their musical career as their sole interest.
[This message was edited by Kenny Burford on 08 January 2006 at 07:23 AM.]

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 10 Jan 2006 8:42 pm

Sales are down? Could it be this absolute &%$# they have been passing of as music in the past year?

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 10 Jan 2006 10:09 pm

What WOULD be interesting to see is what actual IS selling still.

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 11 Jan 2006 5:52 am

Brett,

I never said the overall music sales were up, only Country. The total decline of CD sales is one thing. When it is analyzed by musical genre's the story of declining sales is another. Most of our concern in Nashville is Country Music, which saw a spike in 2004. I suspect this year may be the same because of so many Chesney like artists releasing new CD's in 2005. They have a loyal and huge buying audience. The Wherehouse and Media Play buisiness models were at fault. Amazon, Circuit City, Wal-mart, K-mart, Tower, and Best Buy are the reason that those two companies are folding.
If wal-mart continues as they plan to we'll probably see more music exclusive shops close. They can sell major artist CD's cheaper to the consumer.

Paul[This message was edited by Franklin on 11 January 2006 at 06:00 AM.]