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Hi Geoffrey,
I don't think it is a bottom line at all - in fact this question is irrelevant. You ask how many copies would have sold the Soundtrack without the single, assuming there would be no song replacing it. 3 questions that each completely destroy your point:
1) How many copies of the soundtrack do you think would have been sold if the movie was a big flop? In fact, close to 0. So your argument works both ways.
2) How many copies of the soundtrack do you think would have been sold in lieu of Celine's vocals? In fact, without her, the movie and Soundtrack would still have been released, MHWGO too, we would have got Mariah or Shania or Whitney or whoever singing it instead, and it would have been a terrific smash the same way it has been.
3) How many copies of LTAL do you think would have been sold in lieu of Celine's participation in the Titanic Soundtrack? In fact seeing the start of the album, most likely somewhere between 10 and 15 million WW, not more. In the same way, All The Way would have sold notably less.
Thus, Celine hasn't created the value, the success of the movie and the song - and I mean the song, not the vocals - did the job. Celine already amassed tons of sales thanks to those vocals. She earned more from James Horner calling her than James Horner earned from Celine answering the call.
I made no such assumption - my point is as soon as the song became hers it's part of her discography and any sales generated by it should be considered as part of her career sales. The song would no doubt have been a hit if it had been sung by another powerhouse vocalist, but it's an irrelevant consideration because the song was given to her.
We don't (for instance) take into consideration how the songs Dr. Luke wrote for Katy Perry could have been likely hits with a number of other different hot pop artists of our time. Once the songs were given to her, the sales generated are credited to her career regardless of who truly deserves the credit for their success.
MHWGO is Celine's song and that song was undoubtedly the driving force behind the bulk of the Titanic soundtrack's sales. If the song had been sung by Whitney instead, I would argue that the soundtrack sales should be considered as part of her career sales no different from how she is credited for The Bodyguard's sales.
Hi Geoffrey,
Yes, MHWGO sales should be attributed to Celine - in fact, they are, its singles sales, downloads and streams are accounted for inside the article. Titanic soundtrack is not a Celine album, it is a James Horner album. Thus, your argument of credits completely backlash against your own purpose, which is exactly the point I was making.
It would be quite ridiculous to add Titanic Soundtrack into Celine sales as the large majority of the Soundtrack buyers were the same as LTAL buyers. Do you seriously believe the near 20 million purchasers in common bought both albums for one song only? Obviously not, the explicitely wanted to by the Soundtrack, you just need to accept it.
I guess my point would be that those who wanted to buy the soundtrack were incentivized to do so by and large as a result of the song more than any of James Horner's instrumental tracks.
I understand the problem of double-dipping sales between the soundtrack and LTAL, but I think it's fair to say a large portion of the soundtrack's sales are attributable to the song more than anything else.
You would (rightfully) give Whitney credit for IWALY's single sales (and sales it has generated on GH collections over the years) in addition to the sales from the soundtrack itself -- her song generated those sales.
^Whoops meant to post as a continuation of the earlier discussion thread above. At either rate, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one, and I respect your methodology and research just the same.
D'eux is the best selling album in France and 7 of Celine Dion's albums have reached diamond status. 17 of her albums debuted at #1 in France.
How popular is Celine Dion in France exactly? is it all parts of France who love her? is it like prolly every family has at least one of her albums? Would you always hear a Celine Dion song if you go to France?
She really did climb to the top of the game slowly but steadily. Most artist like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, etc. Became a successful artist with their first album. Celine is a different case. Which makes her career one of the most interesting in the music industry to me.
1- Hey, since yall posted Céline's analyses almost 1 year ago, can yall update Céline's numbers for Falling Into You???? In 2017 its sales in Denmark were updated and it received an eight platinum certification! I feel that the 29m+ mark for Fiy is REAL [ http://www.ifpi.dk/?q=content%2Fceline-dion-falling-you ]
2- Also, since ''Let's Talk About Love'' opened the doors for Céline in some countries, what didn't it receive any certification in Denmark? Is it possible???? I'm sure it has the 30m mark with some hidden figures
A soundtrack album is meant for the movie, not the artist. So i actually prefer soundtrack albums should not be added/included.
Your curiosity is answered.
#2 Is Celine Dion
#3 Is Mariah Carey
#4 Is Whitney Houston
Hi MJD,
When "My Heart Will Go On" was released, it was stated that in the US, the song was given a limited number of copies - 658,000.
My question is who limits the number of copies and why do they limit number of copies? And the song was a huge hit especially on single sales but why did it just stayed #1 for two weeks in the US Billboard Hot 100?
Hi RLAAMJR!
Singles happen to be limited at times when the major thinks enough people will buy the album if they don't find the single. As MHWGO single was in nature very different from the album, many potential consumers may have been interested to buy the single only, while the full album is obviously more profitable.
This limited release plus the usual lack of airplay obtained by adult contemporary songs explain why the song was relatively weak on the US hot 100
I see. Thanks a lot for the reply MJD. Without your reply, I would have kept on thinking US BillBoard did it because they dislike Celine and so that the song will not stay on top for many weeks.
Thank you again. 🙂
I know that in the future, It's All Coming Back To Me Now will outsell The Power Of Love. IACBTMN deserves to be in the Top 3 biggest Celine Dion songs.
It's great to see that Tell Him is bigger than When You Believe.
Is Beauty and the Beast the biggest duet song?
MJD, you don't need to give me the exact figure but did Encore Un Soir already sold more than 1 million albums already?
And just like what you did with Cher, please give a page per album for Celine's early material albums.
Also, since she has french singles and french albums, i hope there's going to be a separate page for CSPC Overall Sales French Tracks Ranking and a separate page for CSPC Overall Sales - French Albums Ranking.
Hi RLAAMJR!
Encore Un Soir is now up to 720,000 units scanned in France. In Canada, it failed to sell the copies shipped upon release with sales up to 115,000 units so far. It sold over 40,000 copies in Belgium plus Switzerland and about the same in the rest of Europe. Sales in remaining markets are over 20,000 units. That's a total of 935,000 copies sold. All figures are based on sales to consumers, in terms of shipment the album must be inside the 960,000 / 970,000 copies range as returns happened already (like in Canada).
Thank you for the answer. I really thought it had sold more than 1 million already because of the certification. But maybe, before 2017ends, it will really reach more than 1 million albums sold. 🙂
Please update Celine's article and give Aisa sales for per album. And could you tell us Mdonna and Celine is the second best-selling western female artist in Aisa behind Mariah?
Please update this artixle and add BONUS: Total Album (all types) Sales per Country” and “Chart & Sales Achievements” Celine sold millions of record since last updated
Wow. She sold 22 million with all the way. It means shes the only female artist with 3, 20 million + album sales right?
Hi Janet,
Well no, Madonna did it too with The Immaculate Collection, True Blue and Like A Virgin. Then Whitney has a word to say there as well with the Bodyguard and Whitney Houston easily over 20 million and Whitney on 19,8 million.
