How many units has The Formation of Damnation sold?

[Pascal79]

I'm assuming that the album has now surpassed over 50,000 units in the U.S. Does anybody have numbers from sources like Neilson soundscan for the rest of the world?

The band is still on the Metal Masters tour which is excellent exposure and still has 2 music videos to release which will again help with the numbers. Realistically, the band probably doesn't care all that much about album sales because they make money on touring and merchandise but it's still interesting as a fan to see how an amazing album like this performs out there with all the downloading and shit that goes on nowadays.

I'm really happy that the band is getting a lot of recognition and great exposure on these kick ass tours. To be honest with you, I would much rather see the band take a rest after the world tour and then get back on the road with a full headling U.S. tour again instead of getting back in the studio so fast.

 

[one man]

I'm sure the bands are really interested in these numbers, no matter what they say. It's their hard work and popularity is a reward for it and a sign they are appreciated and should go on.

As a fan I've always been interested in Testament sales, but it's almost impossible to get the world numbers. Only the U.S. ones are given to the public. Last time I saw any message on that it was 35.000 copies at the beginning of July. I hoped it would have risen with the airing of the videos, but since they haven't been released yet the only significant acceleration in sales would be the one related to the Metal Masters tour. Hopefully despite the sound problems and early performances they managed to get themselves many new fans. I'm anxiously awaiting the videos and some newer info on how well the album's selling.

In the first week it sold even more than The Ritual (but debuted on a slightly lower position on the Billboard, despite what the messages say), but I'm sure with all the promotion and videos TR's sales were constantly increasing. Hopefully this will be the case this time too. FoD has some chances to become the band's best selling album ever and their first gold one (well, PWYP and SoB would be gold, if Soundscan added the copies sold before the system was introduced in 1991). The main difference is that nowadays the die-hard fans bought the album right after the release and the question is how many new people are they capable of convincing to buy it. Let's hope MTV will prove helpful once again.

Speaking of the next one, I'd sure love to see them enter the studio this year or early next year. We've waited so long for this one that it's time to make it up for the lost years. Besides, it would be reasonable to use the popularity they've regained (that would help promote the new one) and the level of creativity, passion and adjustment to working together they have. After "Demonic" was released Chuck said it's time for them to get back to having an album out every year or at least every two years. Life prepared a lot of obstacles for the band, but since they've proved they're harder than life, it's time to get back to that idea.
They should use the wave they're on and release more music, which I'm sure will be even better and more popular than FoD. They have some songs they didn't manage to finish before recording. They could use them now, add some more and make a killer record in 2009. I'm sure it will be amazing, because I see how well they fit together and complement each other on stage. And how much fun they get out of playing together again.

Back to the numbers, I'd love to see some updates as well as any info on how well it's been doing in any other country. The problem is that Nielsen Soundscan doesn't have a web page with these figures to be seen by everybody and Blabbermouth stopped posting the sales of FoD some time ago.

 

[Jasonic]

I was going to say, ANY band better care about the # of units they sell. Sure, they make more $$$ from touring and merch than CD sales, but who do you think gives financial tour support? THE LABEL!

 

[mdmatt4ever]

i think its around 50k but FoD will not go gold. it has to sell 500k to go gold. anyone thinking it will sell another 450k within the next year doesn't keep track of how crappy the music sales have been lately. also in the U.S. a bands presoundscan sales still count and are estimated so if any testament album is near a gold it will still get certified

 

[one man]

why does it have to sell 450k within next year? I thought gold is awarded even after 10 years from the release. As for the pre-SoundScan sales, I based on what Eric once said:

MU: 'Practice' was the biggest record, right?

EP: Yeah. So far.

MU: (laughs) Did it go gold?

EP: No, it hasn't gone gold yet. It's a weird thing, because that album came out before SoundScan. We were up to about, almost 300,000 before SoundScan, and now SoundScan is showing the record at 100,000 and something. Combine those two and its like, gold. A couple of them are. But who knows what Atlantic Records is doing. We're not really breathing down their necks. If there's a dollar lying on the table and no one's claiming it, they're not exactly gonna go "hey, man!"

here's one interesting quote from Chuck about The Ritual:

Metal Exiles: What was the highest that you sold while you were signed to Atlantic?

Chuck: It is hard to say because SoundScan was not around for the first three records.

Metal Exiles: I know it was out for "The Ritual".

Chuck: It was out for "The Ritual" and I think it was out for "Souls of Black". "The Ritual" was 485,000 in the States then and who knows, it could be gold by now but Atlantic is not rushing up to us with gold records. I am sure it is still selling because kids are buying it at in stores and I see it still on the shelves. I can picture Atlantic coming up to us and telling us that they have had these gold records for awhile sitting in closets. "You want them?"

 

[Pascal79]

50k only includes sales figures in the U.S. alone. I wouldn't say that the Formation of Damnation will never go Gold. Apparently, the numbers in Europe are very good and an album doesn't need to sell 500,000 units worldwide within the first year to be certified as Gold. The album has only been out for about 4 months now. The band is still touring and 2 videos are yet to be released. Who knows what next year holds for the band. They might do another major tour next year and kick some more butt with the Formation so you never really know what could happen. All I know is that anything above 300,000 units in today's metal world should be considered a success due to all the downloading off the net.

 

[one man]

I'm sorry Pascal, but you're mistaken on this one. Gold records are awarded for selling a certain amount of copies in ONE country. It's 500.000 copies in the U.S. only. The numbers are different in various countries- it can be 100.000 in the UK, 85.000 in Poland, 50.000 in Canada and 15.000 in Slovakia (I made these numbers up). Formation can already be close to 300.000 worldwide, but that doesn't matter as no one sums the worldwide sales up (there are only some estimated figures for the biggest bands like Metallica AC/DC or Pink Floyd. I'm guessing Testament has sold at least 5 million records worldwide since 1987 BTW).
However, I agree that with good (not neccesarily intensive) tours and the videos (come on, it's high time!) it has some chances to hit gold within the next 6 or 7 years. The promotion has to continue and wise business decissions must be made to achieve that.

 

[Pascal79]

Thanks for the update High Priest. I was not aware of this. I actually thought 500,000 units sold world wide qualifies as Gold. I guess I was way off on that one.

Cheers,

 

[oldschoolthrashmetal]

I'm guessing Testament has sold at least 5 million records worldwide since 1987 BTW).
QUOTE]

only 2 Thrashbands have sold that much, and both start with M

Record buisiness is dying, blame all downloaders. TFOD sales compared to the Ritual more than proves it.

 

[redfly]

What about the Gathering? I thought I remembered an anouncment on the official site years ago that it had gone gold.Does anyone know if that is true?I blame downloaders too.But also "The Ritual" had MTV and Radio support.I wish metal still had that kind of support.

 

[one man]

Oldschoolthrashmetal, I said WORLDWIDE!!- all of their albums. Why would you say that it's not possible? I'm pretty sure that they sold even a little more than that. They've always been pretty big in Europe and South America. BTW, Metallica has sold 100 million records worldwide.

Redfly, no, The Gathering wasn't selling as well as the hype around it would suggest. The newest data I have is from February 2004 and it was only 50,301 copies.

Regarding the media support- they have pretty good publicity these days, the week in MTV was something very few bands can get. They would be doing better if they had videos, though. Even shitty little bands have videos that improve their sales. Look at Metallica- they released a video before releasing the album. That's a good way of promotion. And Testament? Over 4 months after the release of a very popular record and no videos..

 

[oldschoolthrashmetal]

Oldschoolthrashmetal, I said WORLDWIDE!!- all of their albums. Why would you say that it's not possible? I'm pretty sure that they sold even a little more than that. They've always been pretty big in Europe and South America. BTW, Metallica has sold 100 million records worldwide.

Metallica is another thing Take Megadeth - way bigger than Testament, with 4 gold albums in the US after each other, a #2 Billboard and #1 single - 15 Million copies in total. Unfortunately, there´s NO way Testament are gonna sell a third of Megadeth. Or even Slayer. Though - they might be the better band sometimes. MD and the others just had better promotion, more videos on MTV, better tours, etc.

As far as "big in South America" goes - that´s irrelevant, it´s bootleg territory and people don´t purchase official CDs, cuz they´re too expensive. I´m sure not even 500 legal copies of TFOD were sold in whole South America. Same goes for most of Eastern Europe, Russia, Mexico and China - all bootleg territory.

The only places where you still (and always) could make money is US, UK, German speaking countries, Scandinavia, Japan and Benelux. But - as times change - not any more since "generation free" and emule and co have taken over.

 

[one man]

Testament's always been bigger in Europe. And they sold over 1,5 million records in the US alone (after SS was inroduced), so I'll persist they must have sold a few million worldwide- even if not 5 then close to it.

As far as South America goes, I imagine they're no queues to get original records, but it surely isn't as bad as you're describing it- at least for the bands of Testament's caliber. They wouldn't tour there that often. There are some fanatic admirers of the band that wouldn't feel right stealing their music.

I agree that the new generation of free riders has affected the sales significantly, but on the other hand the Internet has also helped to promote some bands. Still, the first phenomenon dominates.

Besides, the situation in Central Europe (Poland, Czech Rep., Hungary) isn't bad. Eastern Europe (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova) is of course pure piracy. You can sell some records in the Roman countries too- especially in Italy- they produce mostly shitty music, but there are many fans of Thrash.

I'm pretty sure the situation is and will be improving in Asia too. Testament has been lately exploring some of these markets and surely made some fans. I think some of these people are subject to change their habits as time goes by.

But, of course, the general trend is lowering sales, because people feel ok with "borrowing" it from the net. That's a sad thing and unfortunately the "official", payable downloads are still a small percentage of all downloads.


Back to the subject- it would be cool to get some updates on how many units have been sold in the US and- possibly- in other countries. (let's not forget it was number 30 on the European Top 100 list, 15 in Germany, 23 in Austria, 29 in Norway, 32 in Sweden, 33 in Switzerland, and 90 in Denmark among others)

 

[redfly]

The week of Mtv was a good point I had forgotten about that.However I could'nt even see it I have Mtv 1 and 2 but it was on some other Mtv.I don't think it helps that much unless it's on an Mtv everyone gets.Europe is definitely real metals saviour "thank you" but it's not our fault.Bands like Testament were doing good untill alternative.And then the radio and Mtv just threw it out.It's not that we didn't want metal we just could'nt get it,you know? it was before bands had websites and satellite radio.If the radio and Mtv didn't cover it and their own record companies didn't promote it there was'nt a real good way to follow the bands.I'm glad I had a subcription to Rip magazine.I heard Metallica sold 90 million worldwide and Megadeth 15 million,but that was a few years ago.Don't know if it is true.
Someone has to have the numbers on Testament!

 

[redfly]

Oh ya what does a unit consist of? is it one cd? or a group of cd's?

 

[mdmatt4ever]

why does it have to sell 450k within next year? I thought gold is awarded even after 10 years from the release. As for the pre-SoundScan sales, I based on what Eric once said:


here's one interesting quote from Chuck about The Ritual:

i said within the next year because a vast majority of an albums sales are within a year of its release date. it could go gold but it will probably take 15 years at least. the thing about someone getting awarded a gold record is that the record company has to ask RIAA to certify it. if atlantic records doesn't see the need in having RIAA certify the album gold and make the gold record plaque then it will never happen. their are rolling stones albums that were certified gold in the 60's and aren't platinum. are you telling me an album 40 years ago by the rolling stones hasn't sold another 500k since the 60's? no the record company just isn't getting it certified

 

[one man]

that's a good point. However, if the following album is a major success, it will drag the previous ones' sales too and help make them gold (think of Metallica's Black Album that made the earlier ones more popular too).

As for the week on MTV- I think it was only in the US, but on the major channel.
Oh, and the units are CD's.

 

[redfly]

that's a good point. However, if the following album is a major success, it will drag the previous ones' sales too and help make them gold (think of Metallica's Black Album that made the earlier ones more popular too).

As for the week on MTV- I think it was only in the US, but on the major channel.
Oh, and the units are CD's.

Thanks for the info about unit of cd's.No it was not regular Mtv not even Mtv2 and that has Headbangersball.I looked over and over on my digital guide and on the internet.None of my freinds had it either,I really wish I had seen it.

 

[Guitar Goddess]

Thanks for the info about unit of cd's.No it was not regular Mtv not even Mtv2 and that has Headbangersball.I looked over and over on my digital guide and on the internet.None of my friends had it either,I really wish I had seen it.

I think these are the videos you wanted to see.....these are the clips and interviews that were on MTV for the week the band was "Artist of the Week".....the one from MTV Overdrive has the 15 video clips that were on between the MTV shows....

http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2008...e-on-tv-from-mtv-artist-of-the-week-segments/

http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2008...wont-see-on-mtvs-artist-of-the-week-spotlight

http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1587590&vid=233510

http://headbangersblog.mtv.com/2008...onus-footage-from-mtv2s-5252-taping-sessions/

 

[redfly]

Awesome! You rule!