France Album Sales: Celine Dion
Dion Chante Plamondon / Des Mots Qui Sonnent (1991) Era
Only a few months after Where Does My Heart Beat Now became a hit, a new French album was issued, Dion Chante Plamondon, in November 1991 in Canada and in May 1992 in France. This album includes only songs written by Quebec lyricist Luc Plamondon, mostly famous as the author of massive 1978 musical Starmania. This album Dion Chante Plamondon does include several covers of this latter show, most notably Ziggy.
First singles failed to make any kind of impact, so did the album which, just like all previous sets, failed to chart. In late 1992, as the Starmania show was still highly popular in France and got successfully staged in Germany as well in 1991, an English version was recorded. This English Starmania, named Tycoon, involved several popular acts including Celine Dion. Ironically, this is songs by others that enabled her to finally get big. In fact, this Tycoon album was promoted by The World Is Stone rendition by Cyndi Lauper, a massive #2 hit which stood 19 weeks inside the Top 10, and then by Only The Very Best cover sung by Peter Kingsbery, just as huge #2 hit with 17 weeks Top 10. Thanks to those hits, Tycoon album went #1 in March-April 1993 and the original 1978 musical returned into the Top 10.
This success convinced Celine Dion team to relaunch Dion Chante Plamondon promotion by releasing Ziggy song in July 1993, the French version – Tycoon album contained on its side the English version. This idea appeared to be incredibly good as the song performed just like the other two Starmania covers, peaking at #2 with an extensive 18 weeks inside the Top 10 from September 1993 to January 1994. After exactly 10 years after the success of D’Amour Ou D’Amitié, Celine Dion ultimately made it as the album debuted at #47 in September 1993, more than two years after its release! By November it reached its #4 peak. This 1991 album sold a calculated 157,000 units in 1993 and 238,000 in 1994, up to 430,000 units overall.
Top 3 Most Streamed Tracks on Spotify
- Ziggy – 541,000
- L’Amour Existe Encore – 442,000
- Le Blues Du Businessman – 272,000