Elton John :: Charts & Sales History

[NothingFails]

kinda sucks that he releases new albums that don't seem to do well, but then repackage those hits for the 22nd time and you've got another hit album. I mean, the 70's was Elton's classic period, but his last three studio albums all deserved to do much better than they have.

Totally agree.

No idea who is buying this record (the casual casual buyer?), but I reckon it will drop down the chart quickly.

May struggle to Gold status later in the year, in which case it may be his last Gold record. Can't see him bothering to release any more studio albums after disastrous sales of Cpt and the Kid. Everyone has to stop eventually I suppose.

Elton's #1's was being sold for $7.99 at places like Target, which probably helped immensely, plus all the "Elton turns 60" hype media coverage.

I got the CD/DVD combo at Best Buy pricematching Target for $7.99, lol, so it's worth it for the DVD.

If Elton persevered after Leather Jackets, he certainly won't step down over The Captain And The Kid, he needs a new label though. Universal cares more about promoting Elton's hits from days gone by instead of him as a current artist.

[thebigham]

3/17/07 Catalog chart:

83 JOHN*ELTON GREATEST HITS 1970-2002 2598 -11% 2905 2,165,318

[thebigham]

USA:

9 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER ONES 26 49,153 188950.0% 49,179

[dwv]

Elton John Rocket Man: Number Ones #47 in US Billboard Chart

[thebigham]

USA:

47 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 49,153 22,786 71,965

[thebigham]

USA:

40 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 17,225 -24% 22,786 89,190

[dwv]

ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S gold in Australia

[Carftwork]

I didnt know Elton's records still chart

[dwv]

USA

49 40 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 14,110 103,300

[thebigham]

USA:

51 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 12,435 -12 14,110 115,735

[dwv]

ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S gold in UK

[dwv]

USA

6 ISL 49 51 54 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 12,025 -3 12,435 127,760

[borderwolf]

ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S gold in Australia

And Dvd Greatest Hits Live is 4x PLATINUM

[Basil]

USA

6 ISL 49 51 54 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 12,025 -3 12,435 127,760

Thanks dwv and Chris for the updates. US and UK sales updated - first 2 posts on Page One.

This album might just struggle to Gold by the end of the year....

[dwv]

Usa Billboard 200

55 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 11,895 12,025 -1 139,655

[thebigham]

USA:

87 John, Elton/Rocket Man-number 1' 7,991 156,363

[Basil]

87 John, Elton/Rocket Man-number 1' 7,991 156,363

Thanks Chris. Have added to First Post-Page One.

This album has now sold the same as Captain and the Kid.

Looking at a recent catalogue chart someone was kind enough to post to me, it seems these Number One albums sell slowly but steadily over a long time. All the following "Number One" albums on the chart are at least 2 years old but still selling

46 - George Strait
47 - The Beatles
70 - The Bee Gees
73 - Elvis Presley
82 - Diana Ross & The Supremes
120 - Michael Jackson

So if Elton's goes the same way it should eventually be Gold (next year perhaps?) - unlike The Captain and the Kid sales disaster.

Have also added the latest figure for Greatest Hits 1970-2002.

[dwv]

USA

88 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 9,200 7,841 17 181,177

[thebigham]

USA:

91 Elton John - Rocket Man-number 1's 8,132 / 189,309

[dwv]

USA

15 ISL 91 88 74 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 10,070 23 8,202 207,581

[dwv]

US sales

73 JOHN*ELTON ROCKET MAN-NUMBER 1'S 9,764 10,070 217,345

[thebigham]

7/21 Catalog chart

139 ISL 157 177 146 JOHN*ELTON GREATEST HITS 1970-2002 1,976 +14% 1,730 2,206,042 (3xp)

[dwv]

7/21 Catalog chart

139 ISL 157 177 146 JOHN*ELTON GREATEST HITS 1970-2002 1,976 +14% 1,730 2,206,042 (3xp)

Thanks a lot Thebigham.
Still waiting for the 4p....

[jcguzman]

Latest soundscan sales from Billboard

It's easy to market an Elton John hits compilation. Something like that sells itself. Nevermind how it seems like he already has many other compilations on the market.

It's much harder to promote a new studio album, especially considering John hasn't had a Billboard Hot 100 hit in seven years. His last, "Someday Out of the Blue," peaked at No. 49 in May of 2000.

John's last studio album, "The Captain and the Kid," has sold 148,000 according to Nielsen SoundScan. Compare that to his new hits album, "Rocket Man: Number Ones," which has sold 236,000.

Previous to "Captain," John released the studio albums "Peachtree Road" in 2004 and "Songs From the West Coast" in 2001. They have sold 335,000 and 594,000, respectively. Those aren't bad figures. But they pale when stacked next to the 2.2 million copies of the 2002 double album "Greatest Hits 1970-2002."

Since SoundScan began tracking data in 1991, John has sold 25.6 million albums in the U.S. That figure does not include "The Lion King" soundtrack which is not a proper John album. It has sold 7.7 million.

[Basil]

Many thanks jcguzman - neat article, will update the thread shortly.

Cheers - Basil