Elvis Presley’s US album sales
Soundscan sales summary
After dispatching the known total into every release thanks to available information, we conclude on following totals, you can read data either per type or per value of release:
The same data is presented below but with an average yearly pace of sales rather than totals:
Original albums, both studio and soundtracks, are virtually dead meat with the exception of the gospel recordings. These ones, plus Christmas records, sell impressive amounts every year. We can notice that live and compilations with high value track lists are much stronger sellers than the other ones. This shows the general public is looking for the big hits. In the other side, the same isn’t true for box sets. Basically, fans aren’t expecting the big ones that they already own. Instead, they will prefer themed / rarer recordings.
Let me get this right, Chartmasters have managed to get all the sales records for those that RIAA were unable to confirm since the 50s?, the figures won’t include the sales from independent outlets since his death or bootleg albums especially during the 70s, this figures are just an estimation, we will never know the actual figures for sure
It looks like CHARTMASTERS needs a better look at 1969s double -FROM MEMPHIS TO VEGAS/FROM VEGAS TO MEMPHIS (490,000).As on CHARTMASTERS (PAGE 13 of 13).The separate ‘studio’ & ‘live’ is muddy. The original 1969-70 charted success (12 on Billboard),found BOTH LPS charting (lower-as ELVIS IN PERSON (BILLBOARD 183) CHARTMASTERS (1,025,000) & BACK IN MEMPHIS (BILLBOARD 80) CHARTMASTERS (175,000) ,in the last half of 1970-as REISSUED LP PRODUCT. This may have (even) confused Whitburn’s Billboard 200?This LP was also a huge C&W charted item, as a double entity. As ‘live’/’studio’ (2) or an single issues ,the physical sales of EACH just… Read more »
I would rate RCA Victor’s “Elvis’ Christmas Album” from 1957 and RCA Camden’s “Elvis’ Christmas Album” from 1970 as two separate albums, because while 8 songs out of 10 were same on both albums, the 1970 release has “If Every Day Was Like Christmas” and “Mama Liked the Roses” songs which were not even recorded in 1957.
Hi Petri!
There are countless albums which saw their tracklist extended after the initial release (basically every big album of the last 12 years to start with!), to be consistent we need to treat these older releases the same way!
I dont see anywhere in the Elvis articles where its noted that RIAA certification of 1 million is units not copies shipped. up to 1974 a GOLD LP is when sales reached $1 million of the wholesale price. That is 33% of $3.98 (1956-1970, 1970-1974 an LP was $4.98). $1 million was equal to about 760,000 copies and 608,000 copies at $4.98. after 1974 a GOLD LP had to sell $1 million AND 500,000 copies. Platinum was introduced in 1975. An LP had to sell $2,000,000 at the wholesale price (1975 LPs increased to $5.98 and $6.98) AND a minimum… Read more »