ABBA :: Charts & Sales History

[johnnyboy]

How many records have ABBA sold?

Check out this link, http://www.abbasite.com
Has anybody got reliable sales info?

For ABBA Worldwide chart list site go to,
http://home.zipworld.com.au/~callisto/abba.html


For wikipedia see,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABBA_Gold:_Greatest_Hits

This thread is divided into the following sections:

- UK sales
- Gold sales (UK/Global)
- US sales
- Other sales and estimates

UK Album sales


Studio Album sales
Waterloo 70,000 **
Abba 165,000 Gold **
Arrival 1,653,225 Platinum (Oct 2006)
Abba - The Album 1,000,000 Platinum **
Voulez-Vous 800,000 Platinum **
Super Trouper 1,200,000 Platinum **
The Visitors 600,000 Platinum **

Compilations 1976-82
Greatest Hits 2,605,000 Platinum (June 2009)
Greatest Hits Vol.2 1,100,000 Platinum **
Abba - The Singles 600,000 Platinum **

Compilations 1983-91
Thank You For The Music (1983)130,000 G **
Absolute Abba 100,000 (1988) **
The Collection 200,000 (1990) (budget album)

** estimated sales

ABBA's BIGGEST SELLING UK ALBUMS SINCE 1992 These are Sales from Stores - not Download Sales

A) 'GOLD' (1992) - 4,992,000 ***
B) ‘MORE ABBA GOLD’ (1993) - 420,000
C) '18 HITS' (2005) - 310,000
D) 'THE NAME OF THE GAME' (2002) - 285,000
E) ‘THE MUSIC STILL GOES ON’ (1996) - 231,000
F) ‘THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION’ (2001) - 230,000
G) 'NUMBER ONES' (2006) - 169,000
H) ‘FOREVER GOLD’ (1996) - 61,000
I) 'THE ALBUMS' (9 CD BOX SET) (2008) - 60,000
J) 'LOVE STORIES' (1998) - 51,000
K) ‘THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC‘ (4 CD BOX SET) (1994) - 25,000
L) ‘CLASSIC ABBA - THE MASTERS COLLECTION’ (2009) - 22,000

Thanks to Zeus555 for above


6,754,000 compilations 1992-2010. Plus 120,000 for album The Ultimate Collection (2003)which is sold via mail order.

***OCC, W/E 24 March 2012.

Total album sales: 16,779,000 (excluded budget albums)


UK YEARLY ALBUM SALES

ABBA UK Album Sales 1992-2005

1992 -736,000
1993- 363,000
1994 192,000
1995 160,000
1996 180,000
1997 170,000
1998 290,000
1999 1,449,000
2000 510,000
2001 210,000(Gold, TDC only)
2002 42,000 (Gold only)
2003 95,000 (Gold only)
2004 406,000
2005 150,000(Gold estimate)
Plus 100,000(TDC/other compilation 2002+)
Total 1992-2005 5,132,000 (1992-2005)
2008 771,000
2009 423,000

UK Singles Sales

ABBA Top 20 UK singles, including downloads

1. Dancing Queen - Sold 1,100,000
2. Knowing Me Knowing You - Sold 845,000
3. Super Trouper - Sold 815,000
4. Fernando - Sold 775,000
5. Take A Chance On Me - Sold 705,000
6. The Name Of The Game - Sold 700,000
7. The Winner Takes It All - Sold 620,000
8. Chiquitita - Sold 575,000
9. I Have A Dream - Sold 570,000
10. Waterloo - Sold 510,000
11. Mamma Mia - Sold 505,000
12. Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) - Sold 490,000
13. Angel Eyes / Voulez Vous - Sold 480,000
14. One Of Us - Sold 405,000
15. Does Your Mother Know - Sold 375,000
16. Money Money Money - Sold 310,000
17. Summer Night City - Sold 250,000
18. Lay All Your Love On Me - Sold 200,000
19. S.O.S. - Sold 170,000
20. Thank You For The Music ? Sold 80,000

By 2010. Official Charts Company 2010

'SINGLES' - ABBA's BEST SELLING UK DOWNLOADS

1) ‘DANCING QUEEN’ - 110,000
2) ‘MAMMA MIA’ - 92,000
3) ‘THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL’ - 56,000
4) ‘GIMME! GIMME! GIMME!’ - 44,000
5) ‘WATERLOO’ - 43,000
6) ‘TAKE A CHANCE ON ME’ - 33,000
7) ‘DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW’ - 32,000
8) ‘THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC’ - 31,000
9) ‘SOS’ - 30,000
10) ‘HONEY HONEY’ - 29,000
11) 'KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU' - 28,000
12)='FERNANDO' - 27,000
12)=‘CHIQUITITA’ - 27,000
12)=‘SLIPPING THROUGH MY FINGERS’ - 27,000
15)='MONEY MONEY MONEY’ - 25,000
15)=‘SUPER TROUPER’ - 25,000
17) ‘I HAVE A DREAM’ - 23,000
18)=‘I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO’ - 21,000
18)=‘VOULEZ-VOUS’ - 21,000
18)=‘LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME’ - 21,000
21)='THE NAME OF THE GAME' - 19,000
21)=‘ONE OF US’ - 19,000
23) ‘OUR LAST SUMMER’ - 16,000
24)=‘HAPPY NEW YEAR’ - 15,000
24)=‘THE DAY BEFORE YOU CAME’ - 15,000
26) ‘EAGLE’ - 14,000
27) ‘ANGEL EYES’ - 12,500
28) ‘RING RING’ - 12,000
29) ‘SUMMER NIGHT CITY’ - 10,000
30) ‘WHEN ALL IS SAID & DONE’ - 6,000
31)=‘HEAD OVER HEELS’ - 4,000
31)=‘UNDER ATTACK’ - 4,000
33) ‘SO LONG’ - 0

OCC, May 2011

Mamma Mia - UK sales to end 2009
5,900,000. The best selling DVD of all time in the UK!

[johnnyboy]

Gold - Global sales

US sales


GOLD - By Country
GOLD - Annual UK sales

I have a country by country guide to sales for Gold- Greatest Hits...

*****

10 million worldwide (1997, Billboard, November)
20 million worldwide (2001, Billboard: February 3)


GOLD

Country Sales (Certifications)
Argentina 120,000 Px4
Australia 770,000 Px11 (1999)
Austria 150,000 Px5
Belgium 600,000 Px6
Brazil 250,000 P
Canada 1,000,000 D
Chile 60,000 Px3
Czech Republic 150,000
Denmark 300,000 Px6
France 1,000,000 D (1996)
Finland 120,000 Px4
Germany 2,500,000 Px5/Gx10 (2009)
Hong Kong 120,000 Px6
Hungary 50,000
India 20,000 P
Ireland 90,000 Px6
Italy 800,000 Px4
Israel 40,000 P
Japan 750,000 Px3
Korea 100,000
Malaysia 100,000 Px4
Mexico 250,000 P
Netherlands 300,000 Px3
New Zealand 240,000 Px16
Norway 200,000 Px4
Poland 70,000 P
Portugal 80,000 P
Singapore 165,000 Px11
South Africa 50,000 P
Spain 500,000 Px5
Sweden 500,000 Px5
Switzerland 500,000 Px10
Taiwan 350,000 Px7
Thailand 25,000 G
United Kingdom 4,900,000
United States 6,000,000 Px6 (2002)
Venezuela 5,000


NB. Many certifications have not been updated. Dates of known last certification in brackets. Certifications based on year of release levels.

*UK's figures are for actual sales to customers, courtesy of the Official Charts Company (May 2011). Certified platinum x13 (3.9m shipments in 2005).


G= Gold, P= Platinum, D= Diamond

Total Sales - 23,225,000


UK YEARLY SALES FOR "GOLD"

92 700,000??
93 300,000??
94 100,000?
95 86,000??
96 100,000??
97 110,000
98 211,000
99 1,253,000
00 367,000
01 107,000
02 42,000
03 95,000
04 376,000
05 160,000
06 94,000
07 92,000
08 410,000
09 248,000
10 151,000

Year End Chart positions - Top 100


1992 - 12th
1993 - 36th
1994 - 63rd
1995 - 80th
1996 - 87th
1997 - 100th
1998 - 55th
1999 - 4th
2000 - 41st
2004 - 47th
2008 - 19th
2009 - 54th
2010 - 90th


source: OCC
I haven't got the exact figures for 92-96 inclusive but I know that for the 90s as a whole it sold 2,860,000.

NB the totals of these is about 200,000 higher than the figure given by the OCC. When they published their all Time Chart in 2006 many albums had totals a little lower than the EOY sales figures suggested.

EOY 4,603,000 to end 2008
but 4,471,000 to end 2008 newer adjusted figure.

As of W/E 20 Aug 2011 Gold has spent 441 weeks in the album chart (top 75) more than any other album.

UK CHART POSITIONS "GOLD"

#1 8 weeks
Top 10 58 weeks
Top 20 100 weeks
Top 40 215 weeks
Top 75 445 weeks
Top 100 639 weeks

To end 2011.



US SALES

US ALBUMS - Courtesy of Basil and Hanboo[/b]
Abba US Shipments

Key
year of release
year of latest riaa certification
title
riaa shipment
soundscan total since 1991
BMG record club sales 1992-2002

Studio Albums
1973 none Ring Ring
1974 none Waterloo
1975 none Abba
1976 1977 Arrival - 500,000 - 54,000
1978 1978 The Album - 1,000,000 - 36,000
1979 1979 Voulez Vous - 500,000 - 36,000
1980 1981 Super trouper - 500,000 -52,000
1981 none The Visitors - 31,000

Major Compilations
1976 1978 Greatest Hits - 1,000,000
1979 1980 Greatest Hits Vol 2 - 500,000
1982 none The Singles
1992 2002 Gold - 6,000,000 - 5,293,000 Sep 2011 - 884,000
1993 none More Gold - 115,000
2001 none The Definitive (2CD) - 342,000
2006 none Number Ones

Selected Other Compilations
1980 none Gracias Por La Musica
1984 none I Love Abba
1993 none Abba Oro - Grandes Exitos (10 tracks) - 16,000
1994 none Mas Oro
1995 none Thank You For the Music (4CD)
1997 none Abba Oro - Grandes Exitos (15 tracks)
1998 none Forever Gold (2CD)
1999 none Abba Live
2000 2003 20th Century Masters - 500,000 - 1,246,000 Feb 2012
2005 none The Complete Studio Recordings (5CD)

"Thought I'd compile all these bits of information hanging around.

Their total US shipments are likely to be between 16 and 20 million depending on how you estimate sales of their releases up to the early/middle eighties. An album like Arrival had probably sold about 800k by that time. We also don't know their record club sales.

Sales of their 8 studio albums since 1991 have been very small with virtually all their sales being of compilations.

Surprising that none of the Abba fansites have managed to get hold of the soundscan figures for all these albums. Most of those you see above were provided by Hanboo." Basil


6.7m albums sales according to Soundcan from 1991- mid 2008. Almost half a million downloads with Dancing Queen and 1.4 m downloads in total.

SOUNDSCAN SALES, selected songs/albums

Abba - The Visitors 31,000 (01/2006) Includes 17,000 for the 1995 Release and 11,000 for the 2001 Release
Abba - The Definitive Collection 342,000 (23/01/2009)
Abba - Arrival 54,000 (01/2006)
Abba - The Album 37,000 (01/2006) Includes 28,000 for the 1995 Release; 9,000 for the 2001 Release and 100 for a 2005 Release
Super Trouper (12/2010) 52,000, Voulez Vous (12/2010) 36,000
Abba - Oro: Grandes Exitos 16,000 (01/2006)
Abba - Best Of: 20th Century Masters 773,000 (01/2006)
Abba - Gold: Greatest hits 5,293,000(10/09/2011)
ABBA - The best of ABBA: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection ( 2000 ) 1,246,000 (/02/2012)
ABBA - Number Ones ( 2006 ) 230.757 ( 12/12/2009 )

Abba - Career Album Sales 6,000,000 (28/09/2006)

Abba - Dancing Queen (Downloads) 597,000 (23/01/2009)
Abba - Take A Chance On Me (Downloads) 234,000 (23/01/2009)
Abba - Mamma Mia (Downloads) 193,000 (23/01/2009)


From Billboard - Jan 2009
week on askbillboard:

After "Mamma Mia!," the movie musical based on Abba's music, became a box office smash last summer, "Gold" captured the No. 1 spot on the Top Pop Catalog chart for the first time - in its mere 443rd combined week on the Billboard 200 and Catalog charts. It returns to the Catalog summit for a tenth non-consecutive week this week.

Since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking album sales in 1991, here are Abba's best-selling sets:

"Gold - Greatest Hits," 5,000,000

"The Best of Abba: 20th Century Masters the Millenium Collection," 1,090,000

"The Definitive Collection," 342,000

As for individual songs, Abba's top-selling downloads to date are "Dancing Queen" (597,000), "Take a Chance on Me" (234,000) and, logically enough, "Mamma Mia" (193,000).

[johnnyboy]

The claim is that ABBA have sold over 375m albums (or 'records' generally). This is untrue.

Please note the following:
1. There is no body that gathers global sales. Any 'worldwide' sales claim - is by a record company and is NOT audited. Unfortunately, this gets picked up by the media and 'official' records such as Guinness Book of Records. If you've seen pics of ABBA being presented with a presentation for 350m or so sales - this is record company hype not fact.
2. Certifications for gold/platinum awards are for sales shipments and each country (or now Pan-Europe) as well issues them. They are independent. Unfortunely, in ABBA's day most countries either didn't have them, or like the UK, didn't have multiple-platinum awards. To calculate global sales, certifications will be insufficient.
3. Chart suceess around the World does NOT tell you a great deal about sales. The vast majority of albums are bought in just a few countries:the US, Uk, Germany, France, Japan account for over two-thirds of sales. Singles sales were largley confined to a few countries such as the UK, US, Australia and Germany.
4. We have reliable figures for the sale of "Gold" - by the 90s certifications were widespread and multiples were used. From what information we have, the vast majority of sales are in 'the major markets'. Sales in Africa (South Africa), Middle East (Isreal) and Eastern Europe (Poland/Hungary) are derisory. Even sales in Latin America aren't as great as many had led to believe.
5. The "official" sales have no credibility. From 128m in the early 80s to 250m by 1992 and 350m by 1999. This was then upped to 375m...and then just for albums!

For what it's worth, my estimations are

ALBUMS
UK 16m
US 16m
Germany 12m
France 3.5m
Canada 4m
Australia 4.5m
Japan 5m

61m. I reckon between 110-130m globally.

SINGLES (excluding downloads)
10m UK
US 6m
Germany 8m
24m about 60m globally.

Downloads
Over 1 million in UK, about 2 million in US. Maybe 10m globally.

TOTAL GLOBAL SALES ESTIMATE 180-200m

Australian sales
Their gold records for the period were:

Arrival - 21 gold
The Best Of Abba - 20 gold
Abba - 11 gold
Ring Ring - 3 gold
Waterloo - 2 gold
'Dancing Queen' - 20 gold
'Money Money Money' - 13 gold
'Fernando' - 25 gold
'I Do, I Do, I Do' - 10 gold
'Mama Mia' - 9 gold
'SOS' - 5 gold

estimates now include,
1,200,000 Best Of
1,000,000 Arrival
1,000,000 Gold
600,000 ABBA

German sales
certifications - albums

2,500,000 Gold
750,000 Very Best Of
500,000 Best Of
250 000 Greatest Hits
500,000 Greatest Hits 2
250,000 the Singles
250,000 A wie Abba
250,000 16 Hits

250,000 More Gold
300,000 The Definitive Collection
300,000 Complete Singles Colection

1,000,000 Arrival
1,000,000 Super Trouper
500,000 Waterloo
500,000 The Album
500,000 Voulez Vous
500,000 The Visitors

total 10,100,000

Sales in France
http://www.infodisc.fr/Artiste_Ventes.php
Total sales 8.5m
Albums 3.0m
Singles 5.5m

Of which

Fernando 602,000
Gimme Gimme Gimme 583,000
Money Money Money 550,000
Waterloo 417,000
Super Trouper 392,000

Thanks to Benny for this.



SINGLES SALES IN THE MAJOR MARKETS
Here are my estimates for Abba singles sales based in the major markets of the UK, US, France, Germany, Holland and Australia. These combined countries account for at least 50% of sales. I've highlighted the main chart achievemnts from the sample countries.

1)Dancing Queen
#1 in the US, UK, Germany, Holland and Australia

2)Fernando
#1 in UK, Germany, France, Holland, Australia. #13 in US

3)Waterloo
#1 Germany, UK, #2 Holland, #3 France, #4 Australia, #6 US

4)Take a Chance on Me
#1 in UK, #2 Holland, #3 US, #3 Germany #10 France

5)Money Money Money
#1 France, Germany, Holland, Australia. #3 UK

6)The Winner Takes it All
#1 UK, Holland, #4 Germany,#5 France #7 Australia #8 US

7)Knowing Me Knowing You
#1 UK, Germany, #3 Holland, #9 Australia nnd France #14 US.

8) SOS
#1 in Australia and Germany. #2 Holland, #6 UK, #15 US

9)Super Trouper
#1 Germany, UK, Holland, #3 France

10)The Name of the Game
#1 Uk, #2 Holland, #6 Australia, #7 Germany, #12 US and France

11)Mamma Mia
#1 UK, Australia, Germany.#13 Holland, #32 US

12) Chiquitita
#1 Holland,#2 Uk, #3 Germany, #7 Australia, #13 France, #29 US

13)Gimme Gimme Gimme
#1 in France,#2 Holland, #3 UK and Germany

14)One of Us
#1 Germany and Holland, #3 UK, #8 France

15)Does Your Mother Know
#4 Uk, Holland, #7 Australia #10 Germany, #15 US

16) I Do I Do I Do
#1 Australia, #3 Holland, #6 Germany, #14 France, #15 US

17) I Have a Dream
#1 Holland, #2 Uk, #4 Germany

18)Honey Honey
#2 Germany, #27 US.

19)Summer Night City
#5 UK, Holland, #6 Germany

20)Voulez Vous
#3 Uk, #4 Holland, #9 france

21)The Day before You Came
#3 Holland, #5 Germany, #32 UK.


[ESTIMATED GLOBAL SALES

Global Studio albums estimates
Ring Ring, less than 1 million
Waterloo 2 million
ABBA 2.5 million
Arrival 10m
The Album 7m
Voulez Vous 7.5m
Super Trouper 7.5m
The Visitors 4.0m

Global Major Compilation album estimates
Gold 28m
Greatest Hits/Best Of 13.5m
Greatest Hits Vol 2 6.5m
More Gold 2.5m
The Definitive Collection 2.5m
The Singles 2.5m

Total about 100m

Top 20 worldwide Album sales - estimates. Thanks to MJ Dangerous.

1.Gold – Greatest Hits (1992) :
USA : 8,000,000
Canada : 1.200.000
Brazil : 250.000
Mexico : 300.000 (#1)
Argentina : 120.000
Chile : 60.000

Australia : 900.000 (#1)
NZ : 225.000 (#3 (44))

Japan : 750.000
S Korea : 300.000
Hong Kong : 120.000
Thailand : 20.000
Taiwan : 210.000
Singapore : 165.000
Malaysia: 100.000

Europe : 14.500.000
- UK : 4.722.000
- Germany : 2.500.000 (#1 x11(167))
- France : 1.500.000
- Italy: 800.000
- Spain : 650.000 (#1 x5(71))
- Holland : 300.000 (#2 (55))
- Switz : 550.000 (#1 x9(20)(116))
- Sweden : 625.000 (#1 x12(40)(81))
- Austria: 225.000 (#1 x7(19)(67))
- Finland : 132.051 (#1 x2)
- Norway : 200.000 (#1 x3(27)(52))
- Poland: 100.000
- Ireland : 200.000 (#1 x7(300+))
- Belgium : 225.000 (#1)
- Denmark : 300.000
- Portugal : 100.000

Global: 29.000.000


2.Best Of/ Greatest Hits (1975/6) :
USA : 1.100.000
Canada : 500.000 (#6)

Australia: 1,100,000
NZ :360,000

Japan: 900.000 (#4)

Europe :
- UK : 2.600.000
- Germany : 500,000 (#1 x4(39))
- Germany #2, 750,000), 250,000
- France : 200.000, 100,000
- Italy : 150.000
- Holland: 150.000 (#11 (24))
- Holland: 300,000 (#1)
- Sweden : 400.000 (#1 x8(14)(42))
- Austria : 15.000 (#19 (0)(4))
- Austria :150,000(#1)
- Finland : 64.875 (#1 x3)
- Norway : #1 x1(43)(56)
-

Global : 13.500.000 Includes various compilations released during 1975-76 covering the same hits.


3.Arrival (1976) :
USA : 1,000.000
Canada : 250.000

Australia : 850.000 (#

Japan : 1.000.000

Europe :
- UK : 1.700.000
- Germany : 1.000.000 (#1 x15 (39))
- France : 115.000
- Italy : 125.000
- Holland : 250.000 (#1 x8(49))
- Sweden: 500.000 (#1 x12(20)(32))
- Austria : 30.000 (#12 (0)(35))
- Finland: 86.420 (#2)

Global: 11.000.000


4.Super Trouper (1980) :
USA : 1,000.000
Canada : 200,000.(#4 (13))

Australia : 150,000

Japan : 300.000

Europe :
- UK : 1.200.000
- Germany: 1.000.000 (#1 x2(23))
- France : 220.000
- Italy : 150.000
- Spain: 100.000 (#3 (23))
- Holland : 250.000 (#1 x9(19))
- Sweden : 350.000 (#1 x8(16)(22))
- Austria : 100.000 (#3 (28)(37))
- Finland : 50.552 (#1 x1)

-Global : 7.500.000


5.Voulez-Vous (1979) :
USA : 750.000
Canada : 250.000 (#4 (39))

Australia : 150,000?
NZ : 20.000 (#2 (20))

Japan : 950.000

Europe :
- UK : 800.000
- Germany : 500.000 (#1 x4(19))
- France : 120.000
- Italy : 50.000
- Spain: 75.000 (#3 (20))
- Holland : 200.000 (#2 (45))
- Sweden : 350.000 (#1 x10(18)(26))
- Austria: 75.000 (#2 (26)(43))
- Finland: 82.340 (#1 x10)

Global : 7.500.000


6.The Album (1978) :
USA : 1.250.000
Canada : 250.000 (#7 (3

Australia : 150,000?

Japan : 350.000

Europe :
- UK : 1.000.000
- Germany : 550.000 (#2 (24))
- France : 130.000
- Italy : 60.000
- Holland : 200.000 (#1 x5(38))
- Sweden: 250.000 (#1 x4(10)(14))
- Austria : 75.000 (#2 (22)(43))
- Finland : 57.618 (#2)

Global: 7.000.000


7.Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1979) :
USA : 600.000
Canada : 400.000? (#1 x2(1)

Japan : 1.000,000

Europe :
- UK : 1.100.000
- Germany: 600.000 (#6 (4))
- France : 110.000
- Italy : 50.000
- Spain: #25 (3)
- Holland: 150.000 (#4 (15))
- Sweden : 75.000 (#20 (0)(10))
- Austria : 100.000 (#2 (26)(37))
- Finland : 25.000+ (#5)
-
Global : 6.500.000


8.The Visitors (1981) :
USA : 400.000
Canada : NC

Japan : 200.000

Europe :
- UK : 650.000
- Germany : 700.000 (#1 x5(14))
- France : 100.000
- Italy 70.000
- Spain: 60.000 (#3 (15))
- Holland : 200.000 (#1 x6(22))
- Sweden: 300.000 (#1 x8(12)(14))
- Austria : 40.000 (#3 (11)(19))
- Finland : 66.439 (#3)
-
Global: 4.000.000


9.The Definitive Collection (2002) :
USA : 350.000
Brazil: 55.000

Australia : 200.000
NZ : 15.000 (#9 (10))

S Korea: 250.000 (#3)

Europe :
- UK : 250.000
- Germany : 600.000 (#14 (0)(107))
- France : 100.000
- Italiy : 200.000
- Holland: 100.000 (#39 (22+))
- Sweden : 50.000 (#26 (0)(20))
- Switz : 50.000 (#34 (0)(22))
- Austria : 20.000 (#38 (0)(16))

Global : 2.500.000



10.More Abba Gold – More Abba Hits (1993) :
USA : 150.000
Canada : 50,000

Europe :
- UK : 400.000
- Germany : 300.000 (#9 (3)(20))
- France : 150.000
- Holland : 75.000 (#17 (17))
- Sweden : 125.000 (#3 (3)(13))
- Switz: 60.000 (#13 (0)(15))
- Austria : 30.000 (#7 (1)(16))
- Finland : 25.000

Global : 2.500.000


11.ABBA (1975) :
USA : 150.000

Australia : 600.000

Europe :
- UK : 175.000
- Italy : 125.000 (#8)
- Holland : 50.000 (#3 (16))
- Sweden: 350.000 (#1 x2(12)(16)+)
- Finland : 25.358

Global : 2.500.000


12.The Singles (The First Ten Years) (1982) :
USA : 400.000

Europe :
- UK : 600.000
- Germany: 350.000 (#5 (8))
- France : 150.000
- Spain : 50.000 (#10 (14))
- Holland : 75.000 (#4 (15))
- Sweden: 40.000 (#29 (0)(6))
-
Global: 2.500.000


13.Waterloo (1974) :
USA : 200.000
Australia: 130,000

Europe :
- UK : 100.000
- Germany :500,000 #6 (13)
- Sweden : 200.000 ? (#1)
- Finland : 25.035

Global : 2.000.000


14.The Millenium Collection (2000) :
USA : 1.100.000
Canada : 200.000
Australia : 35.000

Global : 1.500.000


15.SOS – The Best Of ABBA (2001) :
Japan : 800.000

Global : 800.000


16.A Van ABBA / A Wie ABBA (1981) :
Holland : 200.000 (#1 x4(24))
Germany : 350.000 (#1 x5(13)))
Austria: 75.000 (#1 x9(17)(26))

Global : 800.000



17. Number Ones (2006)
USA 250.000
UK 150.000
Germany 70,000
Sweden 20,000
New Zealand 15,000

Global 750.000


18. Ring Ring(1973)
Australia 130,000
Sweden 150,000?

Global 700,000



19.Forever Gold (1996) :
- UK : 75.000
- Germany : 150.000 (#50 (0)(18))
- France : 300.000

- Australia :50,000*
*Complete Gold

Global : 700.000



20.The Complete Collection (1999) :

- Germany : 350.000 (#10 (2)(38))
- Switz: 35.000 (#6 (4)(24))
- Austria : 25.000 (#11 (0)(18))

Global : 500.000




100m(approx) - total for 20 albums. 110 - 120m in all.

Please note that quotes of 350m for plus sales are grossly exaggerated - as are sales for other artists eg Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Bing Crosby etc...




From Billboard,1979

10 March
page 76

by the end of January 79:

Japan:
Arrival = 550k
The Album = 300k
Greatest Hits 24 = 330k
All About ABBA = 220k
ABBA = 220k

****
5 May 79
page 68

The Album = 1.3 million in USA

****
8 September 79 : Special "ABBA 5 years"

single "She's my kind of girl" = 500k in japan

Argentina:
by end of july 79:
Chiquitita (spanish) 500k + (english) 25k = 525k
Voulez-vous = 200k

Australia:
albums:
Ring Ring = 150k (3xP)
Waterloo = 100k (2xP)
ABBA = 500k (10xP)
Arrival = shipped 750k (sold 900k?)
Best of ABBA = 1.1m (22xP)

singles:
Fernando = 720k (Beatles's "Hey jude" = 280k)
Dancing queen = 300k

Czechoslovakia:
The Album = 100k

Canada:
GH = 600k
Arrival = 200k
The Album = 200k
Voulez-vous = 100k

Netherlands : 1.75 to 2m albums
Best of abba = 500k
Arrival = 500k

Denmark:
1.2m albums
250k singles

Greece: 1.1m records

Germany
The very best of abba = 750k
Arrival = 750k
singles:
Knowing me knowing you = 300k
Money money money = 300k

Finland: 290k albums
Arrival = 78k

France
singles:
Waterloo = 500k
SOS/Fernando = 500k
I do I do I do... = 500k
albums:
GH 100k
Voulez-vous 200k

Israel
Arrival P
Greatest Hits G

New Zealand
The best of ABBA = 250k (18xP)
The Album = 60k (4xP)

Hungary
Voulez-vous = 75k

Ireland
GH = 200k
Arrival = 150k
Voulez-vous 30k
singles:
waterloo, dancing queen, fernando, chiquitita 50k
fernando 2xP

Chiquitita = 1m in latin america

Norway
GH = Gold
Arrival = Platinum
The album = 200k

Poland:
Waterloo + I do... (albums) = 544k

Portugal
Fernando = 80k

Spain
Chiquitita = 100k

Sweden: at 30 june 79
Ring Ring = 117k
Waterloo = 350k
ABBA = 475k
GH = 293k
Arrival = 693k
The album = 753k
Voulez-vous = 290k

Total = 2.970m

Brazil = 200k records

Mexico
Chiquitita (eng+span) + voulez-vous = 450k

Courtesy of Edu

[pagronek]

In Poland it sold 60-70k, no way 280k.

[nelson]

In germany
it certified 4x platinum = 2 million? not 600,000?

[MJDangerous]

In germany
it certified 4x platinum = 2 million? not 600,000?

Not 600.000 (?!?!), 2 millions.

[nelson]

Not 600.000 (?!?!), 2 millions.

Unless we know when did that album release, otherwise it's so hard to know certificatons before/after 1999.

[nelson]

ABBA's total albums worldwide sales is 44.7 million, based on certifications in 20 countries.

[edge3]

The thing is about ABBA is that I often hear reports of worldwide record sales of 350M (400M the other week). Now I know they sold A LOT of singles so I would take 100M (for total single sales) away from 350M & say they've sold about 250M albums worldwide.

ps - I know they only have about 15M certified album sales in US but they were / are MASSIVE in ROW.

[nelson]

MASSIVE in rest of world doesn't impressive, for example, you think multi-platinum in Philippine does matter?
And I think you can't prove they sold 250 million. And just deduct from 300 million which is laugable.

[johnnyboy]

German sales of 2 million based on certifications of platinum = 500,000 sales. Certifications are based on when they were released not what is the current level.
\I'd put their total album sales at 100-120 million. Certainly not the 400 million talked about recently...and far more than the 45 million suggested.

[nelson]

Interesting, prove they sold 100 million, give the sales breakdown in each country.

[edge3]

MASSIVE in rest of world doesn't impressive, for example, you think multi-platinum in Philippine does matter?
And I think you can't prove they sold 250 million. And just deduct from 300 million which is laugable.

MASSIVE in ROW actually can mean A LOT. For example Robbie Williams has sold around 35-40M albums worldwide (most in Europe) & maybe only 1-2M in US.

I don't have actual worldwide sales figures for each ABBA album & single but 350M is the most quoted figure & I believe this. And I'm not gonna try & prove this 'cos European & ROW sales figures from that period are difficult to get - eg no IFPI back then.

But ABBA are clearly one of the biggest selling acts of all time - eg in UK : 9 straight # 1 albums, 8 # 1 singles, 10M single sales & Gold has sold well over 3M (25M+ worldwide). And I believe this is a similar situation across most European countries & ROW (except, maybe, in US).

IMO they are the 3rd biggest selling (albums & singles) act of all time (behind the Beatles & Elvis).

[nelson]

MASSIVE in ROW actually can mean A LOT. For example Robbie Williams has sold around 35-40M albums worldwide (most in Europe) & maybe only 1-2M in US.

I don't have actual worldwide sales figures for each ABBA album & single but 350M is the most quoted figure & I believe this. And I'm not gonna try & prove this 'cos European & ROW sales figures from that period are difficult to get - eg no IFPI back then.

But ABBA are clearly one of the biggest selling acts of all time - eg in UK : 9 straight # 1 albums, 8 # 1 singles, 10M single sales & Gold has sold well over 3M (25M+ worldwide). And I believe this is a similar situation across most European countries & ROW (except, maybe, in US).

IMO they are the 3rd biggest selling (albums & singles) act of all time (behind the Beatles & Elvis).

You claim ABBA is 3rd biggest selling? But with no proof, so please, don't claim. lol.
I think there's still more space for other people to argue, Michael Jackson/Celine Dion/Madonna are far over ABBA in sales.

Gold sold 25 million?? it's only reach 16 million. Can you get all those sales to 25 million? Prove.

[nelson]

Asia
Japan 117,000
Honk Kong 300,000
Thailand 20,000
Tawain 210,000
singapore 165,000
Israel 40,000

New Zealand 180,000

There's no way it sold 300,000 in Hong Kong.
"Falling Into You" & "The Bodyguard" are the best selling over 100,000.
Gold - 10,000 Platinum - 20,000
and sold 180,000 in NZ? It's "The Best of Abba" not "Gold" which is different, or you just count all ABBA's greatest hits??

[edge3]

You claim ABBA is 3rd biggest selling? But with no proof, so please, don't claim. lol.
I think there's still more space for other people to argue, Michael Jackson/Celine Dion/Madonna are far over ABBA in sales.

Gold sold 25 million?? it's only reach 16 million. Can you get all those sales to 25 million? Prove.

I'm sorry that I don't have much proof but I think Gold has sold around 7M in US & 4M in UK so 25M total is possible considering it has sold v.well in ROW.

...anyway, since you mentioned them, lets look at the total, estimated, record sales (that's albums & singles) of those other artists for a moment :

Michael Jackson : 200-250M
Madonna : 200-250M
Celine Dion : 150-200M

So, still way below ABBA's 350-400M - strange (considering all the certifications that these 3 artists have) but seemingly true.

[edge3]

...actually I've just seen Johnnyboys Gold sales guide post & if you add up these figures then you get to about 25M total sales for Gold!!

The US Soundscan figure is from when Soundscan was only operating at around 40% back in 1991. And I'm sure Gold has now been certified for 6 or 7M sales in US.

[nelson]

...actually I've just seen Johnnyboys Gold sales guide post & if you add up these figures then you get to about 25M total sales for Gold!!

The US Soundscan figure is from when Soundscan was only operating at around 40% back in 1991. And I'm sure Gold has now been certified for 6 or 7M sales in US.

Some of them from nowhere, and some of them are inflated, it sold 400,000 in Spain not 600,000, it sold 100,000 in Brazil not 1 million, and I don't know where 2 million in Mexico come from?
So that mean your sales are wrong taken from wrong information.

[nelson]

I'm sorry that I don't have much proof but I think Gold has sold around 7M in US & 4M in UK so 25M total is possible considering it has sold v.well in ROW.

...anyway, since you mentioned them, lets look at the total, estimated, record sales (that's albums & singles) of those other artists for a moment :

Michael Jackson : 200-250M
Madonna : 200-250M
Celine Dion : 150-200M

So, still way below ABBA's 350-400M - strange (considering all the certifications that these 3 artists have) but seemingly true.

You look like you don't understand the world market and pretent Gold sold that much, please, study better about sales around the world from IFPI.

And your figures for other artists look inflated some and deflated some, and keep insisting ABBA's 400 million which is laughable. And this is your thinking but the way. You just playing the sales game based on your favour.

[edge3]

The IFPI didn't even exist when ABBA were around, as I've already mentioned!! That's why it's difficult to get exact sales data for ABBA. Also, Gold IS certified for 6M sales in US - the soundscan total of 3.7M figure is mainly from 1991-1997 when soundscan accounted for 40-85% of total album sales. So, even if the S.America figures are too high, it's still sold at least 20M worldwide.

The 350-400M is NOT really my thinking - this is the figure which is virtually always printed in the media. I am as surprised as you that ABBA have sold 350-400M records worldwide 'cos they don't seem to have sold that many in US. BUT when you think about it this IS possible eg Robbie Williams has sold about 40M records worldwide but has only sold about 1M in US.

My figures for the other artists are only estimates. If you think you've got more accurate figures then please post them. But I seriously don't believe any of them have sold more than 250M.

[zeus555]

It is pointless for Nelson to ask for evidence - or proof - (via Sales Awards), to work out ABBA's Real Global Sales.

1) He only uses Sales Awards to work out how big an Act were. Well, in the UK, Platinum Awards for Albums were only introduced in 1973. You could only get ONE per Album. You also had to sell £1 Million worth of copies, in UK Stores, to get a Platinum Award. It was hard to do, as Albums were not hugely expensive at that time.

2) It was only in 1978 that the BPI changed the rules, and you needed to sell 300,000, (or more), copies of your Album to get a Platinum Award. Even so, you could only get 1 per Album - no matter how many times it sold 300,000.

3) Therefore, ABBA's 8 British Number 1 Albums - from 1976 to 1982 - only got 1 Platinum Award each. Nelson thinks this means they only sold 300,000 each, in the UK! He gives them just 2.4 Million Sales between them. (Using THAT method we could claim that NOT ONE Beatles UK Album sold 300,000 copies, (when they were together) - as not one got a Platinum Award. We know that several sold well over 1 Million in Britain, and 'Sgt Pepper' sold over 4.5 Million - so it would be silly to decide their Sales on the fact that none got a Platunum Sales Award here).

4) In fact, 'Greatest Hits' by ABBA sold around 2 Million - 2.2 Million in the UK, - 7 Platinum Awards had it been able to earn more than 1 - but, MULTI Platinum Awards did not come out in Britain until 1987 - long after ABBA had split up.

5) In a List that I saw elsewhere, Nelson gave ABBA less than 16 Million Singles Sales Globally. He gave them 10 Million UK Sales - as 'The All Time UK Singles Acts', List had been published - ABBA were 8th, on just over 10 Million. THEN, he added in LESS than 6 Million in the entire rest of the World.

6) It is not surprising that he got less than 6 Million Singles Sales for them, outside the UK, when he merely looked at Awards to decide.
For instance, he gave them just 1.5 Million German Singles Sales. He saw that:, 'Waterloo', 'Honey, Honey', and 'Fernando', had German Awards for 500,000 Sales each. So, he added them together, and gave ABBA just 1.5 Millon Singles Sales in Germany.

To do this, he IGNORED no less than 18 ABBA Top TEN Hits in Germany, as they had no Awards - and 7 of them were Number 1's there for ABBA. They clearly sold far, far more than 1.5 Million Singles in Germany.

7) But, this is what happens, if you just use Awards to work out Sales. You end up ignoring a great many of an Acts Singles and Albums - and, also vastly reducing their Sales, when those Acts could only get 1 Award per Album.

8) In Australia, he only ever mentions that 'Gold' sold 770,000 plus there, as he can see it got 11 times Platinum Disks - 11 times 70,000 Sales.

However, when ABBA were together, they sold over 1 Million of 'The Best Of ABBA' there, and over 800,000 - 900,000 of 'Arrival' - but, he ignores those ABBA Albums, as they were unable to get Platinum Awards, in Australia, at the time.

9) So, time and time again, we see that Nelson's method REDUCES Sales hugely. I estimate 15 Million UK ALBUM Sales for ABBA - he comes up with around 8 Million LESS than that, as he only counts the Awards they got....

10) I do NOT believe that ABBA sold 350 Million - 400 Million Records Globally. It is probably more like 180 Million to 200 Million. But, nor have Elvis & The Beatles sold 1 Billion Records each Globally - they have simply not been THAT far ahead of ABBA, in most Global Charts. We are expected to believe that The Beatles and Elvis, did 5, 6, or 7 times better than ABBA, in virtually every Country on Earth. It is more like 3 times better, from the Global Charts that I have studied. (As regards Top 10 Hits, and Number 1 Singles and Albums etc.). (Elvis only had ONE German Number 1 Single, believe it or not).

11) IF you look at STATISTICS, and count Global Top 10 Hits, Number 1 Hits, Top 10 Albums, Number 1 Albums, Singles & Albums Weeks at Number 1, Weeks On Chart, etc. - ABBA ARE one of THE All Time Top 10 World Acts. This is despite them only getting to Number 1 in the USA for 1 Week - 'Dancing Queen' in 1977.

The statistics suggest that ABBA are certainly one of the Top 10 All Time SALES Acts too. MAYBE not in 3rd place, (after The Beatles and Elvis), but, certainly in the Top 5, I would say. Probably only Madonna and Michael Jackson are ahead of ABBA, (but, also behind Elvis & The Beatles), in the Global Top 5 Acts.

12) However, merely judging their success, by Sales Awards, gives you a very distorted picture of their REAL success. That is why it is pointless for Nelson to ask people here for evidence, and proof, of Awards that ABBA have truly sold Hundreds Of Millions Of Records. Statistics suggest that they HAVE. HIS method, rates them way, way too low.....


Colin

[edge3]

Well said Colin & I agree with most of what you've said except I still think ABBA have sold 350-400M records worldwide - at least 100M more than Madonna or Michael Jackson.

Also, I think the Beatles & Elvis HAVE sold 1 billion records. For example I reckon The Beatles have sold about 450M albums (about 170M in US) + about 550M singles.

Maybe with ABBA it's more like 250M singles + 100M-150M albums.

I mean why the hell do media reports always say that ABBA have sold 350-400M records?

[nelson]

Abba die hard fans, you just used chart positions to get sales which is pointless estimations.
As you should know, there is no fixed number of sales required to achieve a certain chart positon on any given week. A rough guide can be drawn by looking at the average certification over a number of weeks. So if Candles in the wind sold 1.5 million in one week, does it mean all No. 1 singles sold million every week? No, in this year Elvis's "One Night/I Got Stung" sold 20,000 in one week to claim a No. 1, does it mean all singles sold 20,000 every week? No, too. So no matter how many No. 1 global chart they were, sales are another thing to consider, you can't combine sales and chart together, as it's embarassement for you to be a chart fan.

You seem to like have 12 points, but I count #1-#4 are the same thing about UK BPI, #5-#6 are about singles artists tallies, #7 go back to talk about UK BPI, #8 talk about Australia while you just only know "The Best of ABBA" and don't know other albums which sold million, which is unfair to other other artists too as you mentioned. #9 talk about UK albums sales tallies, I don't think you know too, just your estimations and until next year we'll see what's happen, so #9 is pointless. #10 you just exaggerated sales to 200 million and without any prove (maybe you don't have) so don't claim!! and again your pointless estimations too. #11 is just ridiculous, talk about unknown Global charts, since there's no official world chart, so it is misleading to include world chart.

[nelson]

Well said Colin & I agree with most of what you've said except I still think ABBA have sold 350-400M records worldwide - at least 100M more than Madonna or Michael Jackson.

Also, I think the Beatles & Elvis HAVE sold 1 billion records. For example I reckon The Beatles have sold about 450M albums (about 170M in US) + about 550M singles.

Maybe with ABBA it's more like 250M singles + 100M-150M albums.

I mean why the hell do media reports always say that ABBA have sold 350-400M records?

Ridiculous estimations.
some of these sales are so funny. sorry but do you really believe ABBA sold so much worldwide? even most of the countries doesn't publish sales and why ABBA fans always knows it's 400 million???

I don't think it's media problem, it's the label's promtional word. Even most countries don't publush actual sales figures. So these numbers that are being passed around as being real and accurate are just a fan's guess on how much it has sold.

SO it's your ABBA fans' problem, not media problem.

[edge3]

Well, it's a fact that the Beatles & Elvis have both sold around 160M albums in US & given that they are the 2 biggest artists ever I would say 400-500M total worldwide album sales for them is about right. It's also a fact that they've sold millions & millions of singles & it's often reported that they've each sold 'over 1 billion records' - just as it is often reported that ABBA have sold '350-400M records'.