Testament Legions can you help me? I am wondering how well sales wise, Testament has done since the new heavier death thrash style started on Low? I am of the belief that they only sold 90,000 for Low- after over 500,000 for SOuls of Black- Am I correct in this assumption? I also wonder how well The Gathering did compared to First Strike Still Deadly, as i remmber seeing First Strike in every store, and the Gathering was nowhere to be found- I suppose more people are fans of the old style, and will buy versions of the old songs before they listen to the heavier style I favor.
Testament Record Sales
- Thread starter speed
- Start date
Deadly Embrace
TL PREACHER
speed said:
No Testament album has gone Gold(500,000 copies), Practice What You Preach is the closet to this number, over 475,000 copies sold. Thats what I know the other numbers I'm sure enough about, to post..................
Demonic hit somewhere over 200,000 units world wide which are good numbers when you take into account that they had distribution problems while Mayhem Records went bankrupt.
As for The Gathering and Low I am only aware of US record sales up to 04.03.2002.
Low 112,365
The Gathering 50301
Expect these numbers to rise after The No Mercy Festival and The 2003 Metal Gods Tour and Practice What You Preach will eventually one day hit Gold (500,000 copies).
As for The Gathering and Low I am only aware of US record sales up to 04.03.2002.
Low 112,365
The Gathering 50301
Expect these numbers to rise after The No Mercy Festival and The 2003 Metal Gods Tour and Practice What You Preach will eventually one day hit Gold (500,000 copies).
It's really fucking sad that Jonathan Davis was whining about ONLY selling 1.3 million records or whatever while Testament is nowhere close to that... 
Lies and Perfidy
Gentleman of the Road
It's really fucking sad that Jon Davis exists, period.
A hundred thousand US copies for Low isn't bad at all, considering how few people have heard of Testament in this godforsaken hick country.
A hundred thousand US copies for Low isn't bad at all, considering how few people have heard of Testament in this godforsaken hick country.
Yetti
Active Member
Testament Legions
Member
thebigyetti said:
That would be SoundScan, but that info is privy to record industry insiders I believe.
Yetti
Active Member
Do you happen to have any sources for that? I wanna put this information out there i.e wikipedia but they wont accept it unless I have sources. also would u happen to know the sales for The Legacy and The New Order? thanks
one man
Active Member
There's been some discussion about it in several other threads. Try here for example: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/testament/422867-how-many-units-has-formation-damnation-sold.html, http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/testament/334366-has-nuclear-blast-ever-had-band-sell-gold-record.html, http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/testament/822461-droe-sales-charts.html. There is not much reliable sources listed there, though.
As for Practice and Ritual, they've both been rumored to have surpassed the 500.000 mark for a long time (Souls of Black would be the 3rd best selling record). Still, in order to get a certification after so many years from the release the record company would have to apply for it to RIAA. The band has reasons to believe that Atlantic Records is not interested in doing that.
Here's an excerpt from an interview with Eric from 1999 (http://www.metalupdate.com/features.html)
And here's Chuck's interview with Metal Exiles from 2007 (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=75647):
I'm pretty sure there are more interviews where they talk about album sales, I could only remember these two off the top of my head.
Generally, the best solution would be to register with Nielsen Soundscan and get the precise info on the numbers. I don't know how much this costs for someone who's not a music industry insider. If you do register, please feel free to share the info with us, 'cause there are a lot of us here interested in getting to know the exact and current figures.
Some data from NS was being published on Metal Sludge as Sludge Scans. Those haven't been updated in years, unfortunately (I've sent them emails with questions concerning the sales of Testament albums, but received no reply. Perhaps if more people asked for that, they would provide us with some info). Here are links to some sludge scans concerning Testament:
http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/modules/subjects/pages/SludgeScansCareerTotals.htm Career total in the US: 1.123.801 as of January 2004.
http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/modules/subjects/pages/SludgeScansDecember99.htm Live at the Fillmore in the US: 32.592 as of December 1999.
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=1871 Low: 112.36, The Gathering: 50.301 in the US as of March 2002.
I've found 2 other sites that are publishing info on the sales of metal albums (basing on Soundscan): http://www.metalinsider.net/category/metal-by-numbers, http://www.metalsucks.net/category/neilstein-soundscam/, but they concentrate mainly on new releases. However, I suggest that you should contact them and ask for some info (I'm sure it's obtainable for them).
If you are to quote any information coming from Soundscan, please bear in mind that it pertains only to the US and concerns sales after May, 1991. I don't know where to seek info on the earlier sales (which is necessary in the case of The Legacy, The New Order, Practice What You Preach and Souls of Black, because probably a vast majority of their sales was before the introduction of SoundScan).
Deadly Embrace is a great source of any Testament-related knowledge, but he hasn't been posting here for a while. Perhaps Ms. A. (TL) could help you, as she also might have some info directly from the band (I don't know if that qualifies as a source for you). Anyway, if you happen to get any info on any of the albums, please share it here. Cheers.
As for Practice and Ritual, they've both been rumored to have surpassed the 500.000 mark for a long time (Souls of Black would be the 3rd best selling record). Still, in order to get a certification after so many years from the release the record company would have to apply for it to RIAA. The band has reasons to believe that Atlantic Records is not interested in doing that.
Here's an excerpt from an interview with Eric from 1999 (http://www.metalupdate.com/features.html)
And here's Chuck's interview with Metal Exiles from 2007 (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=75647):
I'm pretty sure there are more interviews where they talk about album sales, I could only remember these two off the top of my head.
Generally, the best solution would be to register with Nielsen Soundscan and get the precise info on the numbers. I don't know how much this costs for someone who's not a music industry insider. If you do register, please feel free to share the info with us, 'cause there are a lot of us here interested in getting to know the exact and current figures
.Some data from NS was being published on Metal Sludge as Sludge Scans. Those haven't been updated in years, unfortunately (I've sent them emails with questions concerning the sales of Testament albums, but received no reply. Perhaps if more people asked for that, they would provide us with some info). Here are links to some sludge scans concerning Testament:
http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/modules/subjects/pages/SludgeScansCareerTotals.htm Career total in the US: 1.123.801 as of January 2004.
http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/modules/subjects/pages/SludgeScansDecember99.htm Live at the Fillmore in the US: 32.592 as of December 1999.
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=1871 Low: 112.36, The Gathering: 50.301 in the US as of March 2002.
I've found 2 other sites that are publishing info on the sales of metal albums (basing on Soundscan): http://www.metalinsider.net/category/metal-by-numbers, http://www.metalsucks.net/category/neilstein-soundscam/, but they concentrate mainly on new releases. However, I suggest that you should contact them and ask for some info (I'm sure it's obtainable for them).
If you are to quote any information coming from Soundscan, please bear in mind that it pertains only to the US and concerns sales after May, 1991. I don't know where to seek info on the earlier sales (which is necessary in the case of The Legacy, The New Order, Practice What You Preach and Souls of Black, because probably a vast majority of their sales was before the introduction of SoundScan).
Deadly Embrace is a great source of any Testament-related knowledge, but he hasn't been posting here for a while. Perhaps Ms. A. (TL) could help you, as she also might have some info directly from the band (I don't know if that qualifies as a source for you). Anyway, if you happen to get any info on any of the albums, please share it here. Cheers.
I appreciate the numbers. If you don't mind me asking, do you happen to have any on Overkill and Exodus as well?
one man
Active Member
I'm glad I could help you a bit.
As for the other bands. I've been interested in Overkill's sales, but there's even less info thereon than in the case Testament. Here's what I know:
As of November 3, 1999 (Necroshine was released earlier that year)
Overkill "Necroshine"20,585
Overkill "Coverkill" 1,815 (source: http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/modules/subjects/pages/SludgeScansNovember99.htm)
As Of May 17, 2000
Overkill "Years Of Decay" 67,368
Overkill "I Hear Black" 70,761
(source: http://www.metalsludge.tv/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=994&Itemid=39)
As Of November 1, 2000 (8 days after the release of Bloodletting)
Overkill "Bloodletting" 2,450
(source: http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/modules/subjects/pages/SludgeScansNovember2000.htm).
The most current info is from Blabbermouth, according to which:
In 2007 (2 years after the release) they reported that ReliXIV sold 15.500 copies (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=82936).
in 2007, Immortalis sold 2800 copies in its first week (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=82936).
in 2010, Ironbound sold 4100 copies in its first week.
in 2012, Electric Age opened with 6500 copies (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=172220)
These obviously are only US figures for the SoundScan era. Here's an old interview with Blitz from October 16th, 1997, where it was mentioned that the bands collective worldwide sales exceeded a million copies (http://prime-choice.com/mag/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=2). Bear in mind that it was over 15 years ago.
As for the other bands. I've been interested in Overkill's sales, but there's even less info thereon than in the case Testament. Here's what I know:
As of November 3, 1999 (Necroshine was released earlier that year)
Overkill "Necroshine"20,585
Overkill "Coverkill" 1,815 (source: http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/modules/subjects/pages/SludgeScansNovember99.htm)
As Of May 17, 2000
Overkill "Years Of Decay" 67,368
Overkill "I Hear Black" 70,761
(source: http://www.metalsludge.tv/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=994&Itemid=39)
As Of November 1, 2000 (8 days after the release of Bloodletting)
Overkill "Bloodletting" 2,450
(source: http://www.metalsludge.tv/main/modules/subjects/pages/SludgeScansNovember2000.htm).
The most current info is from Blabbermouth, according to which:
In 2007 (2 years after the release) they reported that ReliXIV sold 15.500 copies (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=82936).
in 2007, Immortalis sold 2800 copies in its first week (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=82936).
in 2010, Ironbound sold 4100 copies in its first week.
in 2012, Electric Age opened with 6500 copies (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=172220)
These obviously are only US figures for the SoundScan era. Here's an old interview with Blitz from October 16th, 1997, where it was mentioned that the bands collective worldwide sales exceeded a million copies (http://prime-choice.com/mag/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=2). Bear in mind that it was over 15 years ago.
one man
Active Member
I've only looked into Exodus' sales as a comparison with Testament. Here's some info:
As of 1/30/04 their US career total (SoundScan era) was 245,776 (as compared to Testament's 1,123,801).
As of February 24th, 2002:
EXODUS - Force Of Habit: 52,262
EXODUS - Another Lesson In Violence: 7,241
(source: http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=1871)
According to BBM:
"Exhibit B: The Human Condition" sold around 4,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. EXODUS' previous album, "The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A", opened with 3,600 units back in October 2007 (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=184234).
Let there be blood sold 2000 copies in the first week. At the same time the count on Atrocity A was on the 22,000 mark (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=108311)
That's all I know. I hope it's of any use to you. Should you find any info on the Testament record sales that's not in this thread, please share it with us. Thanks!
As of 1/30/04 their US career total (SoundScan era) was 245,776 (as compared to Testament's 1,123,801).
As of February 24th, 2002:
EXODUS - Force Of Habit: 52,262
EXODUS - Another Lesson In Violence: 7,241
(source: http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=1871)
According to BBM:
"Exhibit B: The Human Condition" sold around 4,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. EXODUS' previous album, "The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A", opened with 3,600 units back in October 2007 (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=184234).
Let there be blood sold 2000 copies in the first week. At the same time the count on Atrocity A was on the 22,000 mark (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=108311)
That's all I know. I hope it's of any use to you. Should you find any info on the Testament record sales that's not in this thread, please share it with us. Thanks!
Thanks you guys I greatly appreciate it Im gunna add all this to wikipedia. also would anyone happen to know a link that confirms that The Years of Decay has sold over 4 million copies worldwide? everybody knows they did but they wont take it unless its like in an interview or an album review or article or stuff like that.
one man
Active Member
4 million copies worldwide? That's just absolutely improbable, although I wish it were true. I highly doubt all of their albums combined have sold that!
You have to keep in mind that, unlike Testament, Overkill sells a vast majority of their albums in the US. Other than that they're only big in Germany. So if the Sounscan number for The Years of Decay was less than 70k 12 years ago, it might be around 100k now (probably less than that). Obviously, Soundscan does not gather information on all the sales, so let's even assume it sold 150k in the Soundscan era (although I'm pretty sure that is way exaggerated). They could have sold no more than another 150k between October 13, 1989 (the release day) and May 1991 (the introduction of Soundscan). Combine that and it's 300.000 copies in the US, which - I'm pretty sure - is still highly over-estimated. There is absolutely no way they could have sold more than 12 times that number in the rest of the world.
I wish Overkill nothing but the best (they've always been among my favourite bands), but let's be realistic and not put totally unreliable info out there.
Perhaps you could get some info at the Overkill forum (this was pretty active last time I checked; maybe Blitz or DD read that and could shed some light). Also, some of the guys here mentioned that there is a man on the Megadeth forum who posts Soundscan updates every now and then. You could try there too. Good luck on finding any info!
You have to keep in mind that, unlike Testament, Overkill sells a vast majority of their albums in the US. Other than that they're only big in Germany. So if the Sounscan number for The Years of Decay was less than 70k 12 years ago, it might be around 100k now (probably less than that). Obviously, Soundscan does not gather information on all the sales, so let's even assume it sold 150k in the Soundscan era (although I'm pretty sure that is way exaggerated). They could have sold no more than another 150k between October 13, 1989 (the release day) and May 1991 (the introduction of Soundscan). Combine that and it's 300.000 copies in the US, which - I'm pretty sure - is still highly over-estimated. There is absolutely no way they could have sold more than 12 times that number in the rest of the world.
I wish Overkill nothing but the best (they've always been among my favourite bands), but let's be realistic and not put totally unreliable info out there.
Perhaps you could get some info at the Overkill forum (this was pretty active last time I checked; maybe Blitz or DD read that and could shed some light). Also, some of the guys here mentioned that there is a man on the Megadeth forum who posts Soundscan updates every now and then. You could try there too. Good luck on finding any info!
one man
Active Member
Here's another place where the number 200.000 is mentioned for Demonic. The review is from '99. It does not, however, specify whether it's the US or worldwide. I'm pretty sure it's the latter:
http://www.metaljudgment.com/albums/testament_gathering.html
BTW, here are some interviews with Erice from 1999, where he explains the distribution problems with Demonic. I remember one where he mentioned the number of copies that album sold (it was 200k or 300k), but I can't find it now.
http://www.metal-rules.com/interviews/Eric_Peterson.htm
http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/articles/chats/1-240_testament.aspx
As a bonus, here's one from '97. Pretty good read. It's funny to see how he's excited about the label, knowing how it all turned out.
http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/articles/chats/1-130_testament.aspx
http://www.metaljudgment.com/albums/testament_gathering.html
BTW, here are some interviews with Erice from 1999, where he explains the distribution problems with Demonic. I remember one where he mentioned the number of copies that album sold (it was 200k or 300k), but I can't find it now.
http://www.metal-rules.com/interviews/Eric_Peterson.htm
http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/articles/chats/1-240_testament.aspx
As a bonus, here's one from '97. Pretty good read. It's funny to see how he's excited about the label, knowing how it all turned out.
http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/articles/chats/1-130_testament.aspx
I see 4 million posted everywhere with that and it may not be as impossible as you think. I Hear Black sold 1.3 million WW and Feel the Fire has sold over 1 million WW as of 15 years ago. Plus they say Overkill has sold 16-23 million WW. As for them selling more than Testament in the U.S, I'm not too sure about that one Overkills top known sales in the States is Horrorscope with over 120,000 and The Ritual has sold nearly Gold. Also Electric Age sold 6,500 in its first week while Dark Roots of Earth sold 20,000. In the States Testament tops them and do u have a link to the Overkill forum and Megadeth forum? I also greatly appreciate your assistance by the way
one man
Active Member
I see you've already put some of the info on Wikipedia. It's good to see that. If you find the time, could you please update the info on DROE's chart positions, 'cause it's incomplete. Here's all the exact info: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/testament/822461-droe-sales-charts.html. The sources are here: http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Testament&titel=Dark+Roots+Of+Earth&cat=a.
