CSPC: Johnny Hallyday Popularity Analysis

Physical Singles Sales – The 60s

As a reminder, the weighting is done with a 10 to 3 ratio between one album and one physical single and a 2 to 1 ratio between one album and one EP.

Hello Johnny (1960) – 236,000 equivalent albums

Souvenirs, souvenirs – 250,000 [EP] Laisse les filles – 20,000 [SP] Itsy bitsy petit bikini – 110,000 [EP] T’aimer follement – 100,000 [EP]

Nous les gars, nous les filles (1961) – 120,000 equivalent albums

Nous les gars, nous les filles – 40,000 [EP] Tu parles trop – 80,000 [EP] Kili watch – 120,000 [EP]

Salut Les Copains! (1961) – 925,000 equivalent albums

Wap-Dou-Wap – 240,000 [EP] Retiens La Nuit – 770,000 [EP] – 10,000 [Célébrations/EP] Viens Danser Le Twist – 610,000 [EP] Douce Violence – 220,000 [EP]

Madison Twist (1962) – 305,000 equivalent albums

Madison Twist / Pas cette chanson – 390,000 [EP] Serre la main d’un fou – 220,000 [EP]

Sings America’s Rockin’ Hits (1962) – 50,000 equivalent albums

I Got a Woman / Be Bop A Lula – 100,000

Les bras en croix (1963) – 370,000 equivalent albums

Les Bras En Croix – 250,000 [EP] Tes Tendres Années / Elle Est Terrible – 460,000 [EP] – 50,000 [SP]

D’où Viens-tu Johnny ? (1963) – 230,000 equivalent albums

Pour moi la vie va commencer – 460,000 [EP]

Johnny, Reviens ! Les Rocks Les Plus Terribles (1964) – 95,000 equivalent albums

Johnny, Reviens ! – 50,000 [EP] Au Rythme Et Au Blues – 40,000 [EP] O Carole – 100,000 [EP]

Les Guitares Jouent (1964) – 190,000 equivalent albums

Excuse-moi partenaire – 230,000 [EP] Dis-lui que j’en rêve – 150,000 [EP]

Le pénitencier (1964) – 326,000 equivalent albums

Le pénitencier – 390,000 [EP] – 20,000 [SP] Les mauvais garçons – 250,000 [EP]

Johnny Chante Hallyday (1965) – 130,000 equivalent albums

Mon Anneau D’Or – 140,000 [EP] Le Diable Me Pardonne – 120,000 [EP]

Hallelujah (1965) – 195,000 equivalent albums

Mes yeux sont fous (I Must Be Seeing Things) – 150,000
Quand revient la nuit (Mr Lonely) – 240,000

La Génération Perdue (1966) – 388,000 equivalent albums

Noir c’est noir – 320,000 [EP] – 20,000 [SP] – 10,000 [Célébrations/EP] Cheveux longs et idées courtes – 250,000 [EP] – 10,000 [Célébrations/EP] Je l’aime – 150,000 [EP] Je veux te graver dans ma vie – 40,000 [SP]

Johnny 67 (1967) – 405,000 equivalent albums

Amour d’été (Love Me Tender) – 290,000 [EP] Petite fille – 120,000 [EP] Si j’étais charpentier / Je veux te graver dans ma vie – 220,000 [EP] Hey Joe – 180,000 [EP]

Jeune Homme (1968) – 181,000 equivalent albums

A Tout Casser – 150,000 [EP] – 20,000 [SP] L’Histoire De Bonnie And Clyde – 170,000 [EP] – 30,000 [SP] Le Ciel Nous Fait Rêver – 20,000 [SP]

Rêve et Amour (1968) – 258,000 equivalent albums

Entre mes mains – 300,000 [EP] Cours plus vite Charlie – 210,000 [SP] Fumée – 150,000 [SP]

Rivière… ouvre ton lit (1969) – 57,000 equivalent albums

Rivière… ouvre ton lit – 190,000 [SP]

One of the reasons which explains the relatively low showing of Johnny‘s albums from the early 60s is that he issued only EPs rather than Singles until 1967.

During the 60s, as most singers were covering the same songs, it was easier to find success abroad for French acts. A song like Souvenirs, Souvenirs was a hit in Spain meaning he was exported right from the beginning. It also received half a dozen reissues, boosting its initial 160,000 sales in France to 250,000 global sales to date.

After 10 singles in 18 months which averaged a strong 100,000 units a piece, the popularity of Johnny grew even more with Viens Danser le Twist and Retiens La Nuit. They were both big French hits with 900,000 units combined in their initial run, but also more than 400,000 units elsewhere. L’Idole des jeunes concluded perfectly the year 1962 for Johnny as he sold 2 million singles.

In 1963 his international appeal was at its peak. He got back to back #1 hits in the Netherlands with Tes tendres années and Pour Moi La Vie Va Commencer, Top 10 hits in both parts of Belgium and Spain, Top 30 singles in Germany and releases in Turkey, Finland, the US, the UK, Brazil, etc.

The roll of successful hits continued in 1964 with the singer selling past 1 million units combined of his releases for a fourth year in a row and the addition of the classic Le pénitencier to his catalog. From 1965 to 1968, he sold an average of 900,000 singles per year. His Noir c’est noir went to #3 in Argentina. His only #1 for the period in France, that soft period for him still saw 16 of his singles hit the Top 10.

Que Je T’Aime closed the decade. The monster smash was the biggest hit of 1969 in France with 750,000 units sold. It was also #1 in Italy and big in various Latin countries selling a whopping 1,3 million units in total, his first million seller. It will appear inside the Orphan songs section as it wasn’t a part of a studio album.

All in all, these 60s singles sold a combined 12,5 million copies. Even if some of them were sold in later years thanks to minor reissues, this is a mind-blowing total.