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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1918368

Post by Jaime1234 »

Elvis has two albums on the Billboard 200, December 9, issue, The Essential Elvis at 162 and the Classic Christmas Album, at 42 the latter with sales of 16,000 units.




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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1918842

Post by marvan »

6th BPI AWARD this year for Elvis ! :D Silver award for "Don't Be Cruel".
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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1919567

Post by Jaime1234 »

Elvis has two albums in the Billboard Top 200 , Classic Chritmas Album at #34 with about 20,000 units sold and Elvis Essential at #174. The top Xmas seller last week was Buble, who sold 54,000 unites.,



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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1919574

Post by bajo »

It's always nice to see an Elvis release in the charts, even today! But, "times they are a changing"! :smt023


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1919642

Post by emjel »

bajo wrote:
Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:38 am
It's always nice to see an Elvis release in the charts, even today! But, "times they are a changing"! :smt023
Yes the times certainly are changing as every Christmas album, and there are lots of them in the chart too, are getting their sales via streaming - people aren’t buying physical copies. Elvis’ album has equivalent album sales via streaming of 17k compared with 3k physical sales. Phil Spector’s annual Christmas favourite album has streams of nearly 40k and just 600 physical sales. There are a few non Christmas albums where physical matches or betters the streaming numbers - Michael Jackson’s Thriller sold another 18k made up of nearly 12k physical and 6k streaming.

What must rank as the achievement of the week is Paul McCartney’s new massive rather expensive $600 Boxset that came into the Billboard 200 chart at #126 selling 2,000 physical boxes (it sold out of its 2k allocation in a day) with the set also getting streamed at a more affordable price of $75 to give additional equivalent sales of 6.7k bringing the total up to nearly 9k units.
Last edited by emjel on Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:23 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1919654

Post by martin018 »

I always find it strange that each christmas in the UK many christmas re-appear on the charts to high positions but Elvis always struggles. Apart from the wonderful Boom radio you rarely hear Elvis' christmas songs on UK radio, especially the BBC. Blue Christmas was only No.99 last week.



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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1919701

Post by bajo »

martin018 wrote:
Wed Dec 14, 2022 3:47 pm
I always find it strange that each christmas in the UK many christmas re-appear on the charts to high positions but Elvis always struggles. Apart from the wonderful Boom radio you rarely hear Elvis' christmas songs on UK radio, especially the BBC. Blue Christmas was only No.99 last week.
That is a pattern through all the years with Elvis' Christmas releases in the UK! It's simply The Way It Is/Was!


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920043

Post by minkahed »

Jaime1234 wrote:
Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:15 am
Classic Chritmas Album at #34 with about 20,000 units sold
Has this album ever been in the Top 40 before ???

If not, another Top 40 album entry for Elvis ??


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920053

Post by emjel »

minkahed wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:04 am
Jaime1234 wrote:
Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:15 am
Classic Chritmas Album at #34 with about 20,000 units sold
Has this album ever been in the Top 40 before ???

If not, another Top 40 album entry for Elvis ??
Sony released an album called The Classic Christmas Album back in 2012 which has been on chart for 52 weeks during the last 10 years. I guess this current entry must be a new release with the title Classic Chritmas Album. No doubt, a few thousand of the faithful will have bought it again because of the slightly different title, but with 17k streaming, the revamped title probably doesn’t matter. :wink: :lol:


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920080

Post by moonandback »

https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/how-elvis-presley-became-the-king-of-christmas
What is the best selling Christmas album of all time?

So who holds the title for the biggest Christmas album? In the 21st century, that accolade belongs to Michael Buble’s Christmas, which has returned to the UK’s top ten almost every year since its release in 2011, and shifted more than 12 million copies worldwide.
But looking further back, beating Buble by a fair mile at 20 million copies is Elvis Presley.



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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920088

Post by emjel »

moonandback wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:24 pm
https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/how-elvis-presley-became-the-king-of-christmas
What is the best selling Christmas album of all time?

So who holds the title for the biggest Christmas album? In the 21st century, that accolade belongs to Michael Buble’s Christmas, which has returned to the UK’s top ten almost every year since its release in 2011, and shifted more than 12 million copies worldwide.
But looking further back, beating Buble by a fair mile at 20 million copies is Elvis Presley.
But would Elvis’ album have generated so many sales without the album going to the budget label in 1970 and getting a slightly revised track listing. The original 1957 release was a respectable seller initially and then regular sales annually with total sales of around 4.3 million during the 12 years it was available. In the U.K., it never got back into the chart outside of the initial Christmas period of 1957 when it was in the chart for 6 weeks. So are you comparing like with like for comparison purposes? I don’t know exactly because I don’t follow Buble


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920104

Post by FredAistair »

emjel wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:58 pm
moonandback wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:24 pm
https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/how-elvis-presley-became-the-king-of-christmas
What is the best selling Christmas album of all time?

So who holds the title for the biggest Christmas album? In the 21st century, that accolade belongs to Michael Buble’s Christmas, which has returned to the UK’s top ten almost every year since its release in 2011, and shifted more than 12 million copies worldwide.
But looking further back, beating Buble by a fair mile at 20 million copies is Elvis Presley.
But would Elvis’ album have generated so many sales without the album going to the budget label in 1970 and getting a slightly revised track listing. The original 1957 release was a respectable seller initially and then regular sales annually with total sales of around 4.3 million during the 12 years it was available. In the U.K., it never got back into the chart outside of the initial Christmas period of 1957 when it was in the chart for 6 weeks. So are you comparing like with like for comparison purposes? I don’t know exactly because I don’t follow Buble
Elvis has multiple Xmas compilations that have multi million sales on the US, very messy



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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920107

Post by emjel »

FredAistair wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:00 pm
emjel wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:58 pm
moonandback wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:24 pm
https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/how-elvis-presley-became-the-king-of-christmas
What is the best selling Christmas album of all time?

So who holds the title for the biggest Christmas album? In the 21st century, that accolade belongs to Michael Buble’s Christmas, which has returned to the UK’s top ten almost every year since its release in 2011, and shifted more than 12 million copies worldwide.
But looking further back, beating Buble by a fair mile at 20 million copies is Elvis Presley.
But would Elvis’ album have generated so many sales without the album going to the budget label in 1970 and getting a slightly revised track listing. The original 1957 release was a respectable seller initially and then regular sales annually with total sales of around 4.3 million during the 12 years it was available. In the U.K., it never got back into the chart outside of the initial Christmas period of 1957 when it was in the chart for 6 weeks. So are you comparing like with like for comparison purposes? I don’t know exactly because I don’t follow Buble
Elvis has multiple Xmas compilations that have multi million sales on the US, very messy
Yes it is, especially when tracks from both Christmas albums are used. The original to a certain extent, could be regarded as a classic yet now we have Elvis The Classic Christmas album in the chart which contains 6 tracks from the second Christmas album. As I wrote, I wonder how many sales of the original album there would be if it had remained on catalogue in its original form and at full price.


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Elvis UK sales and world

#1920108

Post by ForeverElvis »

FredAistair wrote:
emjel wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:58 pm
moonandback wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:24 pm
https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/how-elvis-presley-became-the-king-of-christmas
What is the best selling Christmas album of all time?

So who holds the title for the biggest Christmas album? In the 21st century, that accolade belongs to Michael Buble’s Christmas, which has returned to the UK’s top ten almost every year since its release in 2011, and shifted more than 12 million copies worldwide.
But looking further back, beating Buble by a fair mile at 20 million copies is Elvis Presley.
But would Elvis’ album have generated so many sales without the album going to the budget label in 1970 and getting a slightly revised track listing. The original 1957 release was a respectable seller initially and then regular sales annually with total sales of around 4.3 million during the 12 years it was available. In the U.K., it never got back into the chart outside of the initial Christmas period of 1957 when it was in the chart for 6 weeks. So are you comparing like with like for comparison purposes? I don’t know exactly because I don’t follow Buble
Elvis has multiple Xmas compilations that have multi million sales on the US, very messy
It is very messy.
If there had not been a budget reissue and the 1957 album had stayed in print I think it would have still been one of his biggest selling albums.

It could have reached 17,000,000 in certifications if all the pricing, marketing and mail order availability had been the same as the 1970 reissue and 1985’s It’s Christmas Time through the decades. Why? I don’t think it was the content changes that led to those higher sales.
Last edited by ForeverElvis on Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920109

Post by minkahed »

There is this incredible, fascinating article that I read on chartmasters.com that deciphers all of this mess concerning Elvis's Christmas records.

I highly suggest anyone here to check it out.


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920118

Post by emjel »

ForeverElvis wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:37 pm
FredAistair wrote:
emjel wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:58 pm
moonandback wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:24 pm
https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/how-elvis-presley-became-the-king-of-christmas
What is the best selling Christmas album of all time?

So who holds the title for the biggest Christmas album? In the 21st century, that accolade belongs to Michael Buble’s Christmas, which has returned to the UK’s top ten almost every year since its release in 2011, and shifted more than 12 million copies worldwide.
But looking further back, beating Buble by a fair mile at 20 million copies is Elvis Presley.
But would Elvis’ album have generated so many sales without the album going to the budget label in 1970 and getting a slightly revised track listing. The original 1957 release was a respectable seller initially and then regular sales annually with total sales of around 4.3 million during the 12 years it was available. In the U.K., it never got back into the chart outside of the initial Christmas period of 1957 when it was in the chart for 6 weeks. So are you comparing like with like for comparison purposes? I don’t know exactly because I don’t follow Buble
Elvis has multiple Xmas compilations that have multi million sales on the US, very messy
It is very messy.
If there had not been a budget reissue and the 1957 album had stayed in print I think it would have still been one of his biggest selling albums.

It could have reached 17,000,000 in certifications if all the pricing, marketing and mail order availability had been the same as the 1970 reissue and 1985’s It’s Christmas Time through the decades. Why? I don’t think it was the content changes that led to those higher sales.
I am sure the original would have carried on selling throughout the years, and may have become one of his best selling albums, but I see no reason to believe that it would have had similar sales numbers as the budget re-issue. Whilst it was on catalogue between 1957 and 1969, it sold around 4.3 million copies over 13 Christmases with its highest sales in 57/58.

Selling an average 330k per year, it’s difficult to believe that had the album remained exactly the same with content and price, that the average sales would have increased during the 70s/80s by any substantial number that would have pushed it up to the 17 million mark. I am sure there were any number between half a million and a million fans who bought the budget album when it was released in 1970, because of the keen price, the fact that it had a couple of different tracks that had never been on an album and a rather nice sleeve for the collection.


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920125

Post by TheKingOfMusicEP »

minkahed wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:04 am
Jaime1234 wrote:
Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:15 am
Classic Chritmas Album at #34 with about 20,000 units sold
Has this album ever been in the Top 40 before ???

If not, another Top 40 album entry for Elvis ??
Billboard 200 - https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/
writes that this album (Elvis Presley The Classic Christmas Album)
has been already on this charts all together for 52 weeks with a peak position of 28



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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920127

Post by TheKingOfMusicEP »

honor to whom honor is due:
According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Elvis' Christmas Album along with its reissues has shipped at least 17 million copies in the United States. It is the first Presley title to attain Diamond certification by the RIAA, and is also the best-selling Christmas album of all time in the United States. With total sales of more 20 million copies worldwide, it remains the world's best-selling Christmas album.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis%27_Christmas_Album

1. Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album

Sold: 2o million

Head and shoulders above the rest, Elvis Presley almost triples the sales of the Kenny G. In 1957 It should a more tender side to the King when the public thought he would do something outrageous.
It was the first time Elvis tackled anything remotely resembling a concept album, with Blue Christmas going down as one of the most recognisable holiday tunes ever.
https://happymag.tv/here-are-the-top-selling-christmas-albums-of-all-time/



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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920143

Post by emjel »

TheKingOfMusicEP wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 1:25 am
minkahed wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:04 am
Jaime1234 wrote:
Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:15 am
Classic Chritmas Album at #34 with about 20,000 units sold
Has this album ever been in the Top 40 before ???

If not, another Top 40 album entry for Elvis ??
Billboard 200 - https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/
writes that this album (Elvis Presley The Classic Christmas Album)
has been already on this charts all together for 52 weeks with a peak position of 28
I guess you missed this - https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1920125#p1920053


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920145

Post by emjel »

TheKingOfMusicEP wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 1:43 am
honor to whom honor is due:
According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Elvis' Christmas Album along with its reissues has shipped at least 17 million copies in the United States. It is the first Presley title to attain Diamond certification by the RIAA, and is also the best-selling Christmas album of all time in the United States. With total sales of more 20 million copies worldwide, it remains the world's best-selling Christmas album.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis%27_Christmas_Album

1. Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album

Sold: 2o million

Head and shoulders above the rest, Elvis Presley almost triples the sales of the Kenny G. In 1957 It should a more tender side to the King when the public thought he would do something outrageous.
It was the first time Elvis tackled anything remotely resembling a concept album, with Blue Christmas going down as one of the most recognisable holiday tunes ever.
https://happymag.tv/here-are-the-top-selling-christmas-albums-of-all-time/
But the point is that it is not 20 million on just the original album that was released in 1957. The 20 million is basically distorted - almost a manipulated total from a couple of re-issues - an original album that went from being a full priced album to a budget album with a few different tracks, different artwork and also at one point, even a different title. And the budget re-issue might be the first Elvis album to attain Diamond status, but the word "first" implies there were others, yet as far as I am aware, there were not others - so in that case, it is the only one to do so.


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920166

Post by TheKingOfMusicEP »

emjel wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 3:54 am
TheKingOfMusicEP wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 1:43 am
honor to whom honor is due:
According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Elvis' Christmas Album along with its reissues has shipped at least 17 million copies in the United States. It is the first Presley title to attain Diamond certification by the RIAA, and is also the best-selling Christmas album of all time in the United States. With total sales of more 20 million copies worldwide, it remains the world's best-selling Christmas album.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis%27_Christmas_Album

1. Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album

Sold: 2o million

Head and shoulders above the rest, Elvis Presley almost triples the sales of the Kenny G. In 1957 It should a more tender side to the King when the public thought he would do something outrageous.
It was the first time Elvis tackled anything remotely resembling a concept album, with Blue Christmas going down as one of the most recognisable holiday tunes ever.
https://happymag.tv/here-are-the-top-selling-christmas-albums-of-all-time/
But the point is that it is not 20 million on just the original album that was released in 1957. The 20 million is basically distorted - almost a manipulated total from a couple of re-issues - an original album that went from being a full priced album to a budget album with a few different tracks, different artwork and also at one point, even a different title. And the budget re-issue might be the first Elvis album to attain Diamond status, but the word "first" implies there were others, yet as far as I am aware, there were not others - so in that case, it is the only one to do so.
But the point is more that it sells and sells and sells.
It happens all the time, that they bring out special editions and variations of great selling albums, because of selling more and more of the same product.



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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920228

Post by emjel »

TheKingOfMusicEP wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 9:56 am
emjel wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 3:54 am
TheKingOfMusicEP wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 1:43 am
honor to whom honor is due:
According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Elvis' Christmas Album along with its reissues has shipped at least 17 million copies in the United States. It is the first Presley title to attain Diamond certification by the RIAA, and is also the best-selling Christmas album of all time in the United States. With total sales of more 20 million copies worldwide, it remains the world's best-selling Christmas album.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis%27_Christmas_Album

1. Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album

Sold: 2o million

Head and shoulders above the rest, Elvis Presley almost triples the sales of the Kenny G. In 1957 It should a more tender side to the King when the public thought he would do something outrageous.
It was the first time Elvis tackled anything remotely resembling a concept album, with Blue Christmas going down as one of the most recognisable holiday tunes ever.
https://happymag.tv/here-are-the-top-selling-christmas-albums-of-all-time/
But the point is that it is not 20 million on just the original album that was released in 1957. The 20 million is basically distorted - almost a manipulated total from a couple of re-issues - an original album that went from being a full priced album to a budget album with a few different tracks, different artwork and also at one point, even a different title. And the budget re-issue might be the first Elvis album to attain Diamond status, but the word "first" implies there were others, yet as far as I am aware, there were not others - so in that case, it is the only one to do so.
But the point is more that it sells and sells and sells.
It happens all the time, that they bring out special editions and variations of great selling albums, because of selling more and more of the same product.
I’m not denying that every Christmas, the music sells or these days, it seems streaming is the preferred option.

And I’m not denying and nobody’s is that the original 1957 album went on to sell 4 million world wide or that the budget album from 1970 with a slightly different track list, different artwork and much lower price has sold around 12 million worldwide. Nor that It’s Christmas Time has sold very well in the US and that the current incarnation called The Classic Christmas album which includes tracks from the second Christmas album continues to sell, or rather gets streamed, just as every other artists Christmas albums do every year - it’s not unique to Elvis. But it is wrong to simply say that Elvis’ Christmas album has sold 20 million copies worldwide because it has not.

Now you might assume that had the original album been kept on catalogue, that it would have gone on to sell in the number you quote, because we know you have the need or desire for that, but there are no guarantees especially if the price was kept at the normal full price. Take a look at the fiasco with the Frankie and Johnny album from 1966. It is noted that the album has sold a million copies and certified platinum but it is not just from the 1966 release but also the sales of the Pickwick budget version from 10 years later that have generated those total sales - around 400k from the ‘66 release and 600k from the budget release, and the awards should show that separately instead of combining them.


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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

#1920231

Post by FredAistair »

emjel wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 9:39 pm
TheKingOfMusicEP wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 9:56 am
emjel wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 3:54 am
TheKingOfMusicEP wrote:
Sun Dec 18, 2022 1:43 am
honor to whom honor is due:
According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Elvis' Christmas Album along with its reissues has shipped at least 17 million copies in the United States. It is the first Presley title to attain Diamond certification by the RIAA, and is also the best-selling Christmas album of all time in the United States. With total sales of more 20 million copies worldwide, it remains the world's best-selling Christmas album.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis%27_Christmas_Album

1. Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album

Sold: 2o million

Head and shoulders above the rest, Elvis Presley almost triples the sales of the Kenny G. In 1957 It should a more tender side to the King when the public thought he would do something outrageous.
It was the first time Elvis tackled anything remotely resembling a concept album, with Blue Christmas going down as one of the most recognisable holiday tunes ever.
https://happymag.tv/here-are-the-top-selling-christmas-albums-of-all-time/
But the point is that it is not 20 million on just the original album that was released in 1957. The 20 million is basically distorted - almost a manipulated total from a couple of re-issues - an original album that went from being a full priced album to a budget album with a few different tracks, different artwork and also at one point, even a different title. And the budget re-issue might be the first Elvis album to attain Diamond status, but the word "first" implies there were others, yet as far as I am aware, there were not others - so in that case, it is the only one to do so.
But the point is more that it sells and sells and sells.
It happens all the time, that they bring out special editions and variations of great selling albums, because of selling more and more of the same product.
I’m not denying that every Christmas, the music sells or these days, it seems streaming is the preferred option.

And I’m not denying and nobody’s is that the original 1957 album went on to sell 4 million world wide or that the budget album from 1970 with a slightly different track list, different artwork and much lower price has sold around 12 million worldwide. Nor that It’s Christmas Time has sold very well in the US and that the current incarnation called The Classic Christmas album which includes tracks from the second Christmas album continues to sell, or rather gets streamed, just as every other artists Christmas albums do every year - it’s not unique to Elvis. But it is wrong to simply say that Elvis’ Christmas album has sold 20 million copies worldwide because it has not.

Now you might assume that had the original album been kept on catalogue, that it would have gone on to sell in the number you quote, because we know you have the need or desire for that, but there are no guarantees especially if the price was kept at the normal full price. Take a look at the fiasco with the Frankie and Johnny album from 1966. It is noted that the album has sold a million copies and certified platinum but it is not just from the 1966 release but also the sales of the Pickwick budget version from 10 years later that have generated those total sales - around 400k from the ‘66 release and 600k from the budget release, and the awards should show that separately instead of combining them.
And people say miracles don't happen these days, F&J selling a million copies at any price is a miracle



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Jaime1234
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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

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Elvis has two albums on the Billboard 200, December 17, issue, The Essential Elvis at # 174 and the Classic Christmas Album, at #34 the latter with sales of 22,600 units.



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Re: Elvis UK sales and world

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emjel wrote:
ForeverElvis wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:37 pm
FredAistair wrote:
emjel wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:58 pm
moonandback wrote:
Sat Dec 17, 2022 7:24 pm
https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/how-elvis-presley-became-the-king-of-christmas
What is the best selling Christmas album of all time?

So who holds the title for the biggest Christmas album? In the 21st century, that accolade belongs to Michael Buble’s Christmas, which has returned to the UK’s top ten almost every year since its release in 2011, and shifted more than 12 million copies worldwide.
But looking further back, beating Buble by a fair mile at 20 million copies is Elvis Presley.
But would Elvis’ album have generated so many sales without the album going to the budget label in 1970 and getting a slightly revised track listing. The original 1957 release was a respectable seller initially and then regular sales annually with total sales of around 4.3 million during the 12 years it was available. In the U.K., it never got back into the chart outside of the initial Christmas period of 1957 when it was in the chart for 6 weeks. So are you comparing like with like for comparison purposes? I don’t know exactly because I don’t follow Buble
Elvis has multiple Xmas compilations that have multi million sales on the US, very messy
It is very messy.
If there had not been a budget reissue and the 1957 album had stayed in print I think it would have still been one of his biggest selling albums.

It could have reached 17,000,000 in certifications if all the pricing, marketing and mail order availability had been the same as the 1970 reissue and 1985’s It’s Christmas Time through the decades. Why? I don’t think it was the content changes that led to those higher sales.
I am sure the original would have carried on selling throughout the years, and may have become one of his best selling albums, but I see no reason to believe that it would have had similar sales numbers as the budget re-issue. Whilst it was on catalogue between 1957 and 1969, it sold around 4.3 million copies over 13 Christmases with its highest sales in 57/58.

Selling an average 330k per year, it’s difficult to believe that had the album remained exactly the same with content and price, that the average sales would have increased during the 70s/80s by any substantial number that would have pushed it up to the 17 million mark. I am sure there were any number between half a million and a million fans who bought the budget album when it was released in 1970, because of the keen price, the fact that it had a couple of different tracks that had never been on an album and a rather nice sleeve for the collection.
If the 1957 album had stayed as a full price album and in print every year then I agree it wouldn’t have.

But, if the budget pricing, marketing strategy and mail order availability of the 1957 LP had been the same as used on the 1970 reissue and 1985’s It’s Christmas Time through the decades, I think it would have.

They may have had to change the cover to “refresh” the album but the content didn’t need to change.

Removing the four gospel cuts and adding “if everyday was like Christmas” and “mama liked the roses” didn’t generate the additional 13 million.


Always Elvis
Anthony
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