David Bowie Career CSPC Results
So, after checking all figures, how many overall equivalent album sales each David Bowie album achieved? Well, at this point we barely need to do the addition of all figures defined all over this article!
In the following results table, all categories display figures in equivalent album sales. If different, pure sales are listed between parentheses.
| # | Cover | Album | Total CSPC | Sales* | Streams | Total CSPC | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio Albums | Other LPs | Physical Singles | Digital Singles | Last verified | Auto update | Daily Increase | |||||
| 1 | David Bowie (1967) | 724,000 | 200,000 | 359,000 | 135,000(450,000) | 15,000(100,000) | 15,000 (01/11/17) | N/A | N/A | 724,000 | |
| 2 |  | David Bowie (1969) | 7,820,000 | 2,300,000 | 4,247,000 | 675,000(2,250,000) | 308,000(2,050,000) | 124,000 (01/11/17) | 290,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 100LD: 150 | 7,820,000 |
| 3 |  | The Man Who Sold the World | 2,464,000 | 1,900,000 | 398,000 | 15,000(50,000) | 60,000(400,000) | 44,000 (01/11/17) | 91,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 30LD: 60 | 2,464,000 |
| 4 |  | Hunky Dory | 10,511,000 | 4,700,000 | 4,572,000 | 435,000(1,450,000) | 330,000(2,200,000) | 225,000 (01/11/17) | 474,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 150LD: 260 | 10,511,000 |
| 5 |  | The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars | 15,640,000 | 8,550,000 | 5,681,000 | 405,000(1,350,000) | 308,000(2,050,000) | 268,000 (01/11/17) | 696,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 250LD: 400 | 15,640,000 |
| 6 |  | Aladdin Sane | 6,427,000 | 4,900,000 | 879,000 | 473,000(1,577,000) | 68,000(450,000) | 52,000 (01/11/17) | 107,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 30LD: 60 | 6,427,000 |
| 7 |  | Pin Ups | 3,305,000 | 2,750,000 | 173,000 | 330,000(1,100,000) | 23,000(150,000) | 15,000 (01/11/17) | 29,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 10LD: 10 | 3,305,000 |
| 8 |  | Diamond Dogs | 7,057,000 | 3,650,000 | 2,566,000 | 420,000(1,400,000) | 120,000(800,000) | 91,000 (01/11/17) | 301,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 120LD: 210 | 7,057,000 |
| 9 |  | Young Americans | 5,980,000 | 2,650,000 | 2,060,000 | 945,000(3,150,000) | 195,000(1,300,000) | 70,000 (01/11/17) | 130,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 30LD: 80 | 5,980,000 |
| 10 |  | Station to Station | 4,537,000 | 2,600,000 | 1,183,000 | 615,000(2,050,000) | 60,000(400,000) | 42,000 (01/11/17) | 79,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 20LD: 50 | 4,537,000 |
| 11 |  | Low | 3,709,000 | 2,600,000 | 553,000 | 390,000(1,300,000) | 60,000(400,000) | 44,000 (01/11/17) | 106,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 40LD: 60 | 3,709,000 |
| 12 |  | Heroes | 8,309,000 | 2,900,000 | 4,760,000 | 135,000(450,000) | 165,000(1,100,000) | 149,000 (01/11/17) | 349,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 120LD: 220 | 8,309,000 |
| 13 |  | Lodger | 2,042,000 | 1,650,000 | 128,000 | 225,000(750,000) | 15,000(100,000) | 13,000 (01/11/17) | 24,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 10LD: 10 | 2,042,000 |
| 14 |  | Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) | 5,984,000 | 3,450,000 | 1,446,000 | 915,000(3,050,000) | 75,000(500,000) | 54,000 (01/11/17) | 98,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 30LD: 70 | 5,984,000 |
| 15 |  | Let's Dance | 15,339,000 | 8,700,000 | 2,933,000 | 3,060,000(10,200,000) | 270,000(1,800,000) | 217,000 (01/11/17) | 376,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 90LD: 270 | 15,339,000 |
| 16 |  | Tonight | 4,193,000 | 3,400,000 | 142,000 | 600,000(2,000,000) | 23,000(150,000) | 15,000 (01/11/17) | 28,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 10LD: 10 | 4,193,000 |
| 17 |  | Never Let Me Down | 2,637,000 | 2,300,000 | 12,000 | 315,000(1,050,000) | 5,000(30,000) | 4,000 (01/11/17) | 5,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 0LD: 0 | 2,637,000 |
| 18 |  | Tin Machine | 1,469,000 | 1,400,000 | 0 | 60,000(200,000) | 3,000(20,000) | 3,000 (01/11/17) | 6,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 0LD: 0 | 1,469,000 |
| 19 | Tin Machine II | 645,000 | 600,000 | 0 | 45,000(150,000) | 0(0) | 0 (01/11/17) | N/A | N/A | 645,000 | |
| 20 |  | Black Tie White Noise | 1,642,000 | 1,500,000 | 21,000 | 105,000(350,000) | 8,000(50,000) | 8,000 (01/11/17) | 8,000 (01/11/17) | Av.: 0LD: 1,090 | 1,642,000 |
| 21 |  | 1. Outside | 1,253,000 | 1,050,000 | 41,000 | 128,000(427,000) | 15,000(100,000) | 17,000 (01/11/17) | 19,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 0LD: 10 | 1,253,000 |
| 22 |  | Earthling | 1,284,000 | 1,050,000 | 83,000 | 105,000(350,000) | 23,000(150,000) | 17,000 (01/11/17) | 23,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 0LD: 10 | 1,284,000 |
| 23 |  | Hours | 1,091,000 | 1,000,000 | 12,000 | 45,000(150,000) | 15,000(100,000) | 15,000 (01/11/17) | 19,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 0LD: 10 | 1,091,000 |
| 24 |  | Heathen | 1,354,000 | 1,250,000 | 28,000 | 30,000(100,000) | 23,000(150,000) | 21,000 (01/11/17) | 23,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 0LD: 10 | 1,354,000 |
| 25 |  | Reality | 1,026,000 | 950,000 | 16,000 | 15,000(50,000) | 23,000(150,000) | 18,000 (01/11/17) | 22,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 0LD: 10 | 1,026,000 |
| 26 |  | The Next Day | 1,647,000 | 1,500,000 | 24,000 | 0(0) | 45,000(300,000) | 78,000 (01/11/17) | 78,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 0LD: 10 | 1,647,000 |
| 27 |  | ? (Blackstar) | 2,208,000 | 2,000,000 | 12,000 | 0(0) | 60,000(400,000) | 96,000 (01/11/17) | 136,000 (09/18/21) | Av.: 20LD: 40 | 2,208,000 |
| 28 | Orphan | 7,305,000 | 0 | 3,694,000 | 2,640,000(8,800,000) | 660,000(4,400,000) | 311,000 (01/11/17) | N/A | N/A | 7,305,000 | |
| *Pure sales figures updated on 01/11/17. 'Av.' stands for Average, 'LD' for Last Day. | |||||||||||
As a reminder:
- Studio Album: sales of the original album
- Other Releases: sales of compilations generated thanks to the album
- Physical Singles: sales of physical singles from the album (ratio 3/10)
- Download Singles: sales of digital singles from the album (ratio 1,5/10)
- Streaming: equivalent album sales of all the album tracks (ratio 1/1500 for Audio stream and 1/11750 for Video stream)
See where the artist ranks among remaining singers
Thanks to all compilation and live albums sold on the back of its songs, The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars ends up beating Let’s Dance by a few units, both at roughly 15 million equivalent album sales.
Just under Aladdin Sales in album sales only, Hunky Dory appears to be much bigger overall thanks to larger hits, it is his third album over 10 million. David Bowie (1969), Heroes, Diamond Dogs, Aladdin Sane, Scary Monsters and Young Americans all passed the 5 million mark.
Maybe even more important to highlight is the way the singer managed to stick over 1 million with all his releases except one during his last 30 years in spite of getting no hits at all in this time frame.
Guess what? A couple of albums at 15 million or 50 years of albums over 1 million is still less significant than the impressive total of 125,8 million equivalent album sales David Bowie amassed over his legendary career. Following pages list the most successful songs of the artist.
Do not forget to check our amazing lists posted inside the CSPC: Data Collector which includes the full listing of all CSPC results compiled so far to better gauge her position in the history of the music industry.
As usual, feel free to comment and / or ask a question!
Sources: IFPI, Spotify, Chartmasters.org.
A two-three solidly sold albums, and a lot of average ones, is quite surprising to me. Although David’s final CSPC figure is relatively large, it is mostly due to his long career, imo.
Hi Matrix!
In absolute terms, Bowie indeed had a lot of “average” sellers, but getting multi-million sellers over 30 years is likely more difficult than selling 20+ million with one album 😉
You have a point, MJD. Bowie’s career was long and pretty consistent. But still, David’s average CSPC percentage per album is 4.38 milion. 118.5 milion CSPC : 27 albums = 4.38milion (Orphan album excluded).
If we take for example Guns N’ Roses, their average CSPC percentage per album is huge 19.6 milion! 117.7 milion CSPC : 6 albums = 19.6 milion. (Orphan album excluded).
But not to be confused, I like David Bowie. I really do, It’s just, I personally thought his CSPC number was a little higher. : )
Both are impressive. Yet 27 multi-million sellers is more amazing and hard to get than 6 albums where 3 best seller albums on the peak of their fame are responsible for 82% of their sales in a 5 years period of release. In fact their 4 albums from their peak of fame represent 92% of their total CSPC points and 7 years release span. David Bowie 3 best sellers represent just 34% of his sales and are from a period over 13 years span with many other albums in between. His 4 best sellers would increase that span a bit… Read more »
Is there CSPC life on Mars? Yes, 125m in total.
David sales are at 175M records with all formats. Very impressive
He is at number 30 on Eas, 125m Total.
But Let’s dance has not sold over 15 million copies with republication?
I would love to see Jethto Tull popularity analysis
Hi – thanks for a very comprehensively researched article.One question what about the sales of Under Pressure on Queen albums – Greatest hits and Platinum Collection?? Regards
Hi Speed of Life!
Those sales will be counted and assigned to Queen 😉
David’s total is quite good, amazing considering he doesn’t have a hugely successful album but surpassed those who have one (Britney, Guns and Roses etc.) He is definitely up there among the most successful artists in history, despite going against the typical music industry rules and being highly risky and innovative. Anyway, i don’t know if you know this, but January 16 would mark Aaliyah’s 38th Birthday! I hope you would do a CSPC analysis on her as it would be quite fitting. I don’t expect her to have a huge result, but as an R&B artist who only released… Read more »
Bowie did well for the kind of act he was.
I really like this series. Can you do wholr popularity analyses for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Little Mix, Janet Jackson, Radiohead and Queen?
Thanks =)
What about CSPC for Leonard Cohen, Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam?
Great articel! I know the legend because Barbra covered her classic Life on mars. I still waiting for articels abou France Sales and CSPC for Barbra