Testament Record Sales

[Necroshine95]

You have to remember they tour a lot long than most bands do. They release an album and then go the road for two or three years.

True, but alot of bands write new songs while they're on the road so by the time they enter the studio, they should already have a good idea of what they wanna do. Megadeth writes on the road, Exodus does, Testament, Overkill, Anthrax, Heathen, they all do it including Metallica. They're being lazy

 

[Necroshine95]

Indeed, that was smart of you as the band members are the best source you can get (provided that they don't lie, lol). Anyway, I hope that one day Eric will read this thread and give us some numbers.

Hate to be a bitch about it, but could you update the chart positions and sales for DROE too? Here's the post with the chart positions (I've added additional sources for each of the countries, all of them are reliable so there will be no problem in adding them):



I've provided the number of copies sold in the US in one of the last posts. I've also found the first week figure for UK. I've yet to find the number of copies sold in Japan (I've only found it for Formation).

It would be great to have all that up on Wikipedia (both here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testament_discography and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Roots_of_Earth), so thanks a lot in advance. Obviously, the Formation data is not complete too, but since DROE was more successful and is more current, it's better to update/correct this one.

Surprisingly, the older albums info is more accurate. The only omissions I've found are:

1) the lack of info about the positions of Practice (#29, source: http://www.charts.de/album.asp?artist=Testament&title=Practice+What+You+Preach&cat=a&country=de) and New Order (#49, source: http://www.charts.de/album.asp?artist=Testament&title=The+New+Order&cat=a&country=de) on the German charts.

2) the lack of Japaneese charts for: Souls of Black (#70), The Ritual (#58), Low (#77), First Strike (#70) and Formation (#42) (source: http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/107042/ranking/cd_album/).

If you could add that info (supplement the table) here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testament_discography, it'd be great too. Thanks!

It's up

 

[one man]

I don't see it, to be honest. The table (chart) at the discography page still shows 10 countries (US, AUT, FIN, FRA, GER, NLD, NOR, SWE, SWI, UK, no POL, JPN, CZE, HUN, ITA, ESP etc.), while the DROE page still has only 16 charts, and none of the additional 15 I've named (worldwide, Poland, Norway, Czech, etc. and the correction of the Belgium numbers). Maybe it takes someone to approve your entry before everyone can see it. But thank you, anyway!

 

[Necroshine95]

I don't see it, to be honest. The table (chart) at the discography page still shows 10 countries (US, AUT, FIN, FRA, GER, NLD, NOR, SWE, SWI, UK, no POL, JPN, CZE, HUN, ITA, ESP etc.), while the DROE page still has only 16 charts, and none of the additional 15 I've named (worldwide, Poland, Norway, Czech, etc. and the correction of the Belgium numbers). Maybe it takes someone to approve your entry before everyone can see it. But thank you, anyway!

Huh. It shows it on wikipedia

 

[one man]

I guess not on mine. It's neither here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Roots_of_Earth, nor here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testament_discography. It's weird.

Does anyone else see it?

 

[Necroshine95]

I guess not on mine. It's neither here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Roots_of_Earth, nor here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testament_discography. It's weird.

Does anyone else see it?

Ur right it ain't. That's VERY wierd. Check the other albums cuz mine said it was there

 

[one man]

Ok, I'll try to be more specific about this:

-->1. If you go to the main Testament discography page here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testament_discography

you will see that the chart (table) showing the chart positions in various countries for each album has not been updated, i.e.:

1.A. There are still only 10 columns there (US, AUT, FIN, FRA, GER, NLD, NOR, SWE, SWI, UK), which means that the columns for JPN (Japan), POL (Poland), CAN (Canada), ESP (Spain), CZE (Czech Republic), HUN (Hungary), BEL(Belgium)-Flanders, BEL-Walloonia, DEN (Denmark), ITA (Italy) and WORLDWIDEhave not been added, and thus the chart positions of "Dark Roots of Earth" for these 11 markets cannot be displayed on the main Testament discography page.

To sum up, what I'd asked for was extending the chart table over the next eleven positions (columns) concerning those 11 additional markets.

1.B. In addition to the foregoing the chart positions for the older albums in some of the existing columns have not been indicated there, and there is "-" (as in: "not charted"), where a chart position should be. These are the German (GER) positions for Practice what you preach and New Order [I've noticed you added them in the respective albums' subpages, i.e. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practice_What_You_Preach and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Order, but they are not on the main discography page, please see also item 3 hereinbelow]. Also the Japaneese (JPN) positions are not there, but to supplement them one needs to create the relevant (JPN) column in the chart (table).

-->2. I've also asked you to update the subpage devoted to the "Dark Roots of Earth" album: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Roots_of_Earth

2.1. This page indicates only 16 charts (Austria through US Hard Rock). It does not show other markets where the album has charted (Worldwide charts #9, Poland #8, Norway #11, Italy #27, Denmark #29, Czech Republic #45, France #46, Japan #56, Spain #57, US Independent Albums #1, US Tastemaker albums #1, UK Indie Top 40 #3, UK Rock Top 40 #3, Sweden Rock #1, Ireland Indie #13).

So my request was to have these 15 additional charts added to the 16 already included at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Roots_of_Earth.

2.2. Additionally, the chart positions for 2 markets that are included there are wrong:

a) Belgium-Flanders: it says #86 is the peak position, whereas it is only the entry position, as the album peaked the next week at #54;
b) Belgium-Walloonia: it says #40 is the peak position, whereas it is only the entry position, as the album peaked the next week at #29.

Therefore, my request concerned correcting these positions and replacing 86 with 54 and 40 with 29.

-->3. Finally (this is the least important thing), also the sub-pages for some of the older albums are incomplete chart-wise:

- The New Order (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Order) shows only the US and German charts, but does not show the NLD (#66) and SWE (#49) charts;
- Practice What You Preach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practice_What_You_Preach) shows only the US and German charts but does not show the NLD (#57), NOR (#20) and UK (#40) charts;
- Souls of Black (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souls_of_Black) shows only the US and JPN charts, but does not show the UK charts (#35);
- The Ritual (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ritual_(Testament_album)) shows only the US and JPN charts, but does not show the GER charts (#73);
- Low (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_(Testament_album)) shows only the US and JPN charts, but does not show the SWI charts (#39);
- Formation of Damnation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Formation_of_Damnation) shows only the US, FIN, GER, SWE, JPN charts, but does not show the AUT (#23), FRA (#95), NLD (#47), NOR (#29), SWI (#33), UK (#122), CZE (#47), HUN (#49), BEL (#71), ITA (#87), DEN (#90), CAN (#94) charts.


OK, I hope now this is as precise as it can be. I appreciate your patience, hopefully you'll manage to have this info added. BTW, any luck finding sales data for Overkill and Testament?

 

[Necroshine95]

Hey does anybody know how to be "in" Soundscan?

 

[one man]

I think you need to ask them for permission to access their data, and they'll tell you the conditions of such access. There are no general rules, I think. Try contacting them through here. http://nielsen.com/us/en/industries/media-entertainment.html

I'm sure if you were from the press they'd treat you more seriously. Who knows, maybe if you ask for info on specific albums and justify the need for obtaining it properly, you'll get it.

 

[Necroshine95]

I think you need to ask them for permission to access their data, and they'll tell you the conditions of such access. There are no general rules, I think. Try contacting them through here. http://nielsen.com/us/en/industries/media-entertainment.html

I'm sure if you were from the press they'd treat you more seriously. Who knows, maybe if you ask for info on specific albums and justify the need for obtaining it properly, you'll get it.

Ok than but only if u do it too lol the more people ask for something the more likely they'll give it to them

 

[Necroshine95]

So far nothin lol. And my email says "send failed" when I try sending it to Sludgescan

 

[one man]

Like I said, the direct SludgeScan mail isn't working. You've got to contact them through the general MetalSludge email I posted here before.

In other news, Dark Roots of Earth has sold 56.633 copies in the US so far (source: http://vakseen.com/site/nielsen-soundscan-sales-22013/ - choose "Indie Albums" once you download the file). BTW, have you tried to contact these guys? Got any reply?

I'm assuming no reply from Metal Insider, Metal Sucks, Maiden Fans, Megaforce, Atlantic and UKmix as well? I kinda hoped at least some of them would be willing to share some info. Hopefully, at least the guy at the Megadeth board will help you.

 

[Necroshine95]

56,000??? Wow look at them go! They may break 100,000 with this one

 

[one man]

They surely will, although most likely not within a year after the release. After all the less successful Formation broke 100.000 some time ago. Hopefully, DROE will hit it way faster. Still we probably won't see it certified gold in the States in many years to come, unless something really unusual happens (like the next album, followed by 3 videos, TV appearances, a Grammy and Metallica + AC/DC tours, helps them reach the mainstream and drags the sales of the previous efforts ;-).

So, did you get any replies from Vakseen, Metal Insider, Metal Sucks, Maiden Fans, Megaforce, Atlantic or UKmix yet? As for Soundscan official - I'm sure it may take time 'til you get an answer (if any). Same with Atlantic. The rest of the sources, however, should be more available and willing to help or at least point at someone who could be helpful.

One more idea would be to contact Blabbermouth. They are posting some soundscan figures for old albums from time to time, so they must have their access - it'd be great if they could publish the current numbers for the whole Testament and Overkill discographies.

Final thought - a few years ago there was an official list of 10 best selling death metal bands and albums of all time somewhere in the Internet. I can't recall if it came directly from SoundScan official or from elsewhere. Perhaps whoever did that should be encouraged to do the same for Thrash or at least Testament and Overkill.

 

[Necroshine95]

I gotta reply about sludgescans they're taking a break apperantly. Also what I would like to see is Practice What You Preach and the Ritual certified gold. PWYP sold over 450,000+ records as of 1999. You mean to tell me that it hasn't sold 50,000 copies in 13 years?? Same with Ritual I'm pretty sure it sold 15,000 copies in the last 6 years. Also do u have a link for that website about top 10 selling death metal albums?

 

[one man]

Here you go: http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=16769. It seems BBM is the source for that (the ones who obtained the info from Soundscan).

 

[one man]

Also what I would like to see is Practice What You Preach and the Ritual certified gold. PWYP sold over 450,000+ records as of 1999. You mean to tell me that it hasn't sold 50,000 copies in 13 years?? Same with Ritual I'm pretty sure it sold 15,000 copies in the last 6 years.

With the Ritual - yeah, most likely, providing that Chuck was correct with the 485.000 number he gave 6 years ago. It would seem strange given the Fear of the Dark numbers, but who knows - maybe Iron Maiden had only a big first week, while Testament continued to sell well. Could it have sold another 268.000 after March 1996? Not completely unlikely, but given the state of metal in the late 90's that would be a big accomplishment.

Like I said, Practice is another thing. With 300k sold before Soundscan they must have easily sold at least 150k since 1991. I'm assuming it has exceeded 500k or be very close to it, but we won't get an official confirmation. I'm wondering if Souls of Black isn't close to that number too (pre and after SoundScan).

Anyway, should we get any updated info on the SoundScan-era sales of Ritual, Practice and Souls and should such info indicate that these should be gold, we'll have to start applying pressure upon Atlantic Records to ask RIAA for having them certified. Of course, since Testament is not in their roster, and they're not focused on metal anymore, it may not be their priority but it always is advantageous for a record company to get another gold certification or two, isn't it? They just need to find out about it and see that there are people that care about it

 

[Necroshine95]

Here you go: http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=16769. It seems BBM is the source for that (the ones who obtained the info from Soundscan).

Cool. How do I send em an email?

 

[one man]

Here's the address: blabbermouthinbox@gmail.com.

 

[Necroshine95]

Here's the address: blabbermouthinbox@gmail.com.

I sent them an Email asking for up to date sales for non Big 4 Thrash Metal bands like Overkill, Testament, and Exodus