Physical Singles Sales

In spite of having only one hit that broke the 2 million sales barrier worldwide of physical singles, Bon Jovi amassed near 28 million cumulative units sold in that format.

Their biggest seller is easily 1994 smash Always. This is just one more example of the need of using CSPC figures. In fact, that Always outsold all their remaining hits by at least 2 to 1 makes it look much bigger than their previous songs. In reality, singles belonging to Orphan Album will always have a sales to popularity ratio much healthier than singles from studio albums. Many people already owned Slippery When Wet or New Jersey when Crossroads best of came out in 1994, so picking the compilation was useless, which led a large part of the public to move to the physical single. In the other side, people who liked Wanted Dead Or Alive or Livin’ On A Prayer got tempted to buy the studio album instead. Sales of each format individually appears to be quite useless, bringing more confusing that information.

As a reminder, the weighting is done with a 10 to 3 ratio between one album and one physical single.

Bon Jovi (1984) – 165,000 equivalent albums

Runaway – 300,000
She Don’t Know Me – 250,000

7800° Fahrenheit (1985) – 150,000 equivalent albums

Only Lonely – 200,000
In and Out of Love – 200,000
The Hardest Part Is the Night – 100,000

Slippery When Wet (1986) – 1,320,000 equivalent albums

You Give Love a Bad Name – 1,400,000
Livin’ on a Prayer – 1,900,000
Wanted Dead or Alive – 900,000
Never Say Goodbye – 200,000

New Jersey (1988) – 1,740,000 equivalent albums

Bad Medicine – 1,300,000
Born to Be My Baby – 1,050,000
I’ll Be There for You – 1,400,000
Lay Your Hands on Me – 1,100,000
Living in Sin – 950,000

Blaze of Glory (1990) – 735,000 equivalent albums

Blaze of Glory – 1,700,000
Miracle – 750,000

Keep the Faith (1992) – 967,500 equivalent albums

Keep the Faith – 1,000,000
Bed of Roses – 900,000
In These Arms – 750,000
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead – 175,000
I Believe -200,000
Dry County – 200,000

These Days (1995) – 795,000 equivalent albums

This Ain’t a Love Song – 1,500,000
Something for the Pain – 300,000
Lie to Me – 300,000
These Days – 250,000
Hey God – 100,000
Real Life – 200,000

Destination Anywhere (1997) – 225,000 equivalent albums

Midnight in Chelsea – 450,000
Queen of New Orleans – 150,000
Janie, Don’t Take Your Love to Town – 150,000

Crush (2000) – 622,500 equivalent albums

It’s My Life – 1,700,000
Say It Isn’t So – 225,000
Thank You for Loving Me – 150,000

Bounce (2002) – 165,000 equivalent albums

Everyday – 275,000
Misunderstood – 125,000
All About Lovin’ You – 150,000

Have a Nice Day (2005) – 75,000 equivalent albums

Have a Nice Day – 125,000
Who Says You Can’t Go Home – 75,000
Welcome to Wherever You Are – 50,000

Lost Highway (2007) – 45,000 equivalent albums

(You Want To) Make a Memory – 75,000
Remaining Singles – 75,000

The Circle (2009) – 30,000 equivalent albums

Remaining Singles – 100,000

Orphan Album – 1,357,500 equivalent albums

Please Come Home for Christmas – 200,000
Always – 3,800,000
Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night – 275,000
One Wild Night – 150,000
Remaining Singles – 100,000