George Harrison :: Charts & Sales History

by **alex76** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:30 pm

Hi! I've read the forum about Paul McCartney worldwide sales and I hope in its future development. Now, there's anyone who could post some George Harrison's worldwide sales data as a solo artist? I think it would be interesting...

by **Basil** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:38 pm

US Shipments

Key
year of release
title
riaa shipment
soundscan total since 1991 - courtesy of Hanboo

Studio Albums
1969 Wonderwall
1969 Electronic Sound
1970 All Things Must Pass - 3,000,000 - 520,000 jan 2006
1973 Living in the Material World - 500,000
1974 Dark Horse - 500,000
1975 Extra Texture - 500,000
1976 Thirty Three and a Third -500,000
1979 George Harrison - 500,000
1981 Somewhere in England
1982 Gone Troppo
1987 Cloud Nine - 1,000,000
2002 Brainwashed - 500,000

Compilations
1976 Best Of - 500,000 - 441,000
1989 Best Of Dark Horse 1976-1989 - 40,000

Live Albums
1972 Concert For Bangla Desh - 500,000
1992 Live in Japan

Traveling Wilburys
1988 Volume One - 3,000,000
1990 Volume Two - 1,000,000

by **alex76** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:24 am

Thank you Basil!

That is what surfaces from US RIAA certifications.
But, as you know, many of them are very very old.
Personally, starting from the most successful Harrison albums, I guesstimate worldwide sales as follows:

- All Things Must Pass 6 million copies;
- The Concert For Bangla Desh: 4,5 million copies;
- Living In The Material World: 3,5 million copies.

These three albums have been very successful worldwide. In my opinion, The Concert For Bangla Desh could have sold at least 2 million copies in the US (in was No. 2 for 6 weeks) and US sales for Living In The Material World could be very near to 1 million copies (it was No. 1 for 5 weeks in the summer of 1973).

About "Cloud Nine", which was Harrison's comeback album in 1987 and also was very successful, I estimate worldwide sales of 3 million copies.

Do you agree with me or you think these quantities are too high?

by **facedown36** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:47 pm

To have an idea of the sales after certifications, it would be interessant to have soundscan sales... Some thay that ATMP sold 10 miillions worldwide, "surfing on the wave" of the beatles'success

moreover My Sweet Lord would have sold 5 millions worldwide and would be the best selling single of an ex beatle!

by **Basil** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:47 pm

alex76 wrote:Do you agree with me or you think these quantities are too high?

No, I think your worldwide estimates are pretty conservative - which is good!

I've added 2 soundscan figures above for his 2 compilations. Shows that The Best Of must have passed the million mark in the US by now.

by **alex76** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:00 am

I personally think that in this forum (and in those about the other solo Beatles' careers) it's very important to underline that their commercial success in many occasions has been really great, and their records sold in vast quantities worldwide.

George Harrison, in particular, had commercial peaks in 1970-73 (probably his best period) in 1981 with the hit single "All Those Years Ago", and in 1987-88, when he spectacularly returned to the limelight with the album Cloud Nine and its related singles.

I think it would be great to have some more accurate sales statistics about Harrison's solo career such as about McCartney's, Lennon's and Starr's ones. In particular, I think that George Harrison (partly due to his shy and quiet personality, who lived well far of the press and the clubs) has been too much undervalued during the years.

In fact, his way of playing guitar and also his personal touch as a composer and lyricist have been always distinctive.

It's certainly true that some of his albums, in comparison with "All Things Must Pass" or "Cloud Nine", are not masterpieces, but being Harrison an international artist, I expect that his worldwide record sales could be consistent anyway.

Don't forget the Traveling Wilburys! Thier first album was certified Triple Platinum by the RIAA in 1994, meaning over 3 million copies sold in the US alone!

by **Basil** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:14 pm

alex76 wrote:Don't forget the Traveling Wilburys! Thier first album was certified Triple Platinum by the RIAA in 1994, meaning over 3 million copies sold in the US alone!

Strangely I forgot these.

Have added to the post at top of the page.

Volume One was certified 3xP in 1994 and
Volume Two 1xP in 1991.

Thanks, Basil

by **Herkenrath** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:38 pm

Here are some George Harrison sales figures which I took from a mid-1980s Beatles book:

All Things Must Pass:
Advance orders 1.75m.
After two weeks 2m were sold.
Global sales 3.5m.

My Sweet Lord:
1m sold in U.S. after 2 weeks.
2m sold in U.S. after 4 weeks.
UK sales 700,000 after 6 weeks.
Global sales above 5m.

Concert For Bangladesh:
Global sales above 4m.
Net profit $16m.
Global sales 1m in the first 2 weeks.

Living In The Material World:
U.S. sales 2m.
Global sales 3.5m.

by **Basil** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 5:51 pm

Finally George.

Seems his best selling album in the soundscan era is not a compilation, but the double CD All Things Must Pass.

by **borderwolf** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 5:25 pm

U.K.
Albums Chart: Sunday 21 June

4. (NEW) LET IT ROLL: SONGS OF GEORGE HARRISON (George Harrison) 1 wk

by **borderwolf** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:53 am

borderwolf wrote:U.K.
Albums Chart: Sunday 21 June

4. (NEW) LET IT ROLL: SONGS OF GEORGE HARRISON (George Harrison) 1 wk

28.045 copies sold

(thanks haven forum)

by **marcsgirl85** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:56 pm

thanks for the info on George's sales guys he's my second favorite of the four beatles

by **jcguzman** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:04 pm

Got my Mind set on you was number 1 for 6 weeks in Chile according to the official source revista Vea.

My Sweet Lord was 4 and Give me Love a huge number 1 for 3 weeks.

by **yardbird** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:59 am

USA:
-- 24 GEORGE HARRISON CAPITOL 19,182 --
LET IT ROLL: SONGS OF

Ireland: #55

by **borderwolf** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:51 am

Canada

NEW 18 LET IT ROLL: THE SONGS
GEORGE HARRISON

by **yardbird** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:06 pm

According to United World Chart: #17 with 51 k sold.

by **borderwolf** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:09 pm

Let It Roll: The Best of George Harrison
at number 1 in all music searches last week (23 june).

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... earch.html

by **borderwolf** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:33 am

Mexico
28 june

#54 (Nuevo) 1 George Harrison
Let It Roll: The Best Of George Harrison

by **yardbird** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:38 am

new at #45 in the Czech Republic, that is because I bought one copy :wink:

by **borderwolf** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:41 am

yardbird wrote:new at #45 in the Czech Republic, that is because I bought one copy

by **borderwolf** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:52 am

borderwolf wrote:Mexico
28 june

#54 (Nuevo) 1 George Harrison
Let It Roll: The Best Of George Harrison

Up to #48

by **borderwolf** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 12:32 pm

Argentina
biweekly sales chart (2nd part of july)

15 - - Let it Roll-songs of George Harrison
(GEORGE HARRISON)

by **borderwolf** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 2:19 pm

Belgium - Flanders

100 RE 6
George Harrison
Let It Roll

by **borderwolf** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 12:12 pm

Peru
unofficial
http://www.phantom.com.pe/top20.php?osC ... 93bf228f5b

#16 George Harrison - let it roll - songs of George Harrison (CD+DVD)

by **borderwolf** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:30 am

Ireland
Top 10 Music DVDs
october 13

# 1 LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD - GEORGE HARRISON