Elvis By Request : The Australian Edition CD debuts at No. 4

I have nothing against well designed, purposeful compilations. Elvis doesn't need countless reimaged compilations year after year and 2012's have to be frank, sucked.

Australia already has a current, good compilation. "By Request" fails on so many levels as a concept.

This is a flash in the pan excercise really. All this talk of huge promotion et al. Credible promotion might help to establish something long lasting but all that's going to come out of this gimmick is a few more CDs get shifted. No one's going to really give a crap about Elvis off the back of this. Maybe there'll be a couple of hits that will land some new fans. But this release will come and go in a heartbeat.

Yeah, I had a compilation back in the day - Readers Digest's "The Legend Lives On" 5 disc. I also had access to vinyl from the ol' man's vast collection from his radio days. No TV gimmick got me. The music did. I remember playing "Return To Sender" over and over from a bonus Elvis cassette that came with a Rock 'n' Roll tape collection that my mother had - that was the seed. Then I discovered all these singles and albums in my Dad's collection - countless riches. I got the Digest set and the very next purchase was "In Person". I didn't pursue compilations thereafter. Elvis Monthly and Capitol Gold's Elvis Hour expanded my horizons - its all I knew. Frequent trips to the record stores to pour over the record listings. I remember searching for "Stranger In My Own Home Town", which I first heard on Elvis Hour and not having the slightest clue how to find it, when it was recorded, what it came out on. No internet then!

Let the music do the talking, not a freak-show.

Return To SEnder is one of my favorite Elvis songs. I saw Girls Girls Girls at the Astor Theatre it was a good movie with plenty of songs and the girls were going nuts over Elvis. The first lp I bought was Raised on Rock and its still one of my favourites.

Buying newspapers is "DEAD"
buying FTD only has a few years left as selling CD's is almost "dead"
is anything 'alive?"

[quote="midnightx"]Not exactly. In the U.S., there is no way an Elvis reissue cracks the top 5. No matter what gimmick you employ, the days of moving significant units, particularly in the present music retail climate in the U.S., is over.

agree, but Sony could have done much better than the poor concept and showing of the I AM AN ELVIS FAN release!! That example should not be where we set the bar at, that`s for dam sure!

[quote="minkahed"]I'm obviously dealing with an uneducated, very misguided and troubled indivdual, so with that, goodnight my friend.

people that no they are wrong usually resort to other tactics

Checking on chart statistics I can tell you that Elvis By Request : The Australian Edition CD is only the second Elvis Presley album since records were reasonably kept [From 1965] to debut at No. 4 in Australia..

The other album being Elvis : 2nd To None in 2003, however that album had the benefit of the Rubberneckin' remix single [A No. 3 chart hit] as promotion and also being the follow up to the previous year’s ultra-smash hit album, 'ELV1S : 30 #1 Hits'. So again a good performance, but we want it to accumulate sales and continue into the Christmas trade.

The Elvis By Request : The Australian Edition CD has debuted at No. 4 on the Australian ARIA Album Charts.

Can you please tell us how many copies were sold?

They are actually quite good as you would expect for a #4 chart spot. But these figures are kept confidential.

But regardless it would be of little point to compare sales figures in Australia with a population of 22 million compared to the 300 million in the United States or even the 51 million in England.

A Gold record in Australia is achieved with 35,000 sales. Platinum is 70,000 units. In the United States it Gold requires 1 Million sales, in England Gold is 100,000 sales.

I am told it is very difficult to achieve Gold status today. CDs apparently don't sell as well as they used too. I can understand that with music that appeals to the younger market, they download, but I would have thought an Elvis album immune from this. Apparently not. Maybe people are more in to their smart phones these days!

My point before was that there are more downloads than physical sales. If Elvis doesn’t sell downloads it’s a big ask to get even gold sales. I don’t agree that its hard to get big sales. This weeks top 50 albums has 30 albums certified (12 gold, 7 platinum, 11 multi platinum). If EBR doesn’t get gold wouldnt it be a flop. My friend who works in the industry says sales of EBR are below 10000 and will drop each week.

The fact remains is that the Elvis market has diminished alot since 2002 but it is still possible to achieve something much, much better than the I AM AN ELVIS FAN results! Sony screwed up, that`s it, end of story....

Not exactly. In the U.S., there is no way an Elvis reissue cracks the top 5. No matter what gimmick you employ, the days of moving significant units, particularly in the present music retail climate in the U.S., is over.

There must be a reason why they issue a 'different' Christmas 'compilation' nearly EVERY year? (IE, the same 20 tracks in a slightly different running order!).

Because it is very cheap to produce a new compilation of masters in an attempt to capitalize on 4th quarter holiday shopping.

Because it is very cheap to produce a new compilation of masters in an attempt to capitalize on 4th quarter holiday shopping.

That makes it sound like people go to the supermarket and put in their trolleys - Xmas pudding, pot of custard, box of Christmas crackers, large turkey, sweets for the kids, decorations for tree, Elvis Presley Christmas CD with the same songs on it as the last 30 years, stuffing..................

Because it is very cheap to produce a new compilation of masters in an attempt to capitalize on 4th quarter holiday shopping.

very true, and that`s why sony should have scrapped the I AM AN ELVIS FAN cd in favour of something more artistic and respectful to elvis, however I am looking forward to PFAP. A nice blues compilation would have been great!!

EBR doing badly now droping to no. 33. EIN news is its sales very weak.

if anyone can suggest a genuine practical alternative let's hear it.

How 'bout, just let it go ...

It was a nice ride, but the Elvis era is over.

Just come to grips with reality, enjoy the wonderful legacy Elvis Presley left behind and stop taking this crap so seriously.

He will live in our hearts and minds forever, so what's the problem, it's all icing.

Because it is very cheap to produce a new compilation of masters in an attempt to capitalize on 4th quarter holiday shopping.

very true, and that`s why sony should have scrapped the I AM AN ELVIS FAN cd in favour of something more artistic and respectful to elvis, however I am looking forward to PFAP. A nice blues compilation would have been great!!

Sure, Sony did release an excellent retrospective, "Elvis r&b" collection in '06, but sales never exceeded 50,000.

Sure, Sony did release an excellent retrospective, "Elvis r&b" collection in '06, but sales never exceeded 50,000.

but at least it had more artistic merit than that other one!! seriously though a great blues compilation requires more than one cd to do it justice!

Buying newspapers is "DEAD"
buying FTD only has a few years left as selling CD's is almost "dead"
is anything 'alive?"

Michael Jackson's crotch?

Here's the full chart-run;

04-09-14-33-42-63-72-80-98-OUT

Here's the full chart-run;

04-09-14-33-42-63-72-80-98-OUT

Sony has to be disapointed in this. Its time they stopped pushing Elvis greatest hits compiles and concentrated on his legacy. Elvis doesnt sell big any more.