Understanding: Music Clubs #2 – The Eagles, Mariah Carey

Emotions

Album – Certification – Date – Soundscan – Unsold units – Gap
Emotions – 2xP – 11/26/1991 –  900,000 – 1,500,000 – 0
Emotions – 3xP – 02/14/1992 –  1,950,000 – 1,100,000 – 0
Emotions – 4xP – 09/27/1994 –  3,300,000 – Irrelevant – 700,000

When releasing a follow up to an 11 weeks #1 album that was still at the top a few months earlier, both Sony and retailers weren’t expecting it to debut at a low #4 position that would go on to remain its peak position. The result of this initial disappointment is very visible with RIAA certifications running well ahead of its Soundscan sales during the first months.

Emotions had some legs though, ending with very respectable sales. Just like Mariah Carey, the album was recertified when Club sales were ultimately factored in. In theory, it could have been anywhere from 4 to 5 million units sold. With a gap of already 700,000 units yet, more than half of Mariah Carey, the album was most likely just ahead of its certification level.

Since, catalog sales have been terrible at 300,000 units in more than two decades and a mere 1,000 yearly sales during the last few years. Selling roughly 40% of Mariah Carey catalog sales, assuming a similar Clubs pattern to that album since its last certification concludes on 100,000 additional sales.