This morning a press release went out touting Amazon presales for Britain’s Got Talent-propelled belter Susan Boyle’s debut album; “Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed A Dream is Amazon.com Music’s Largest CD Pre-Order,” the headline touted, and once again, many a media outlet eagerly reported this bit of non-news. While the appetite for Boyle’s sorta-brassy voice and up-from-under backstory among the segment of people who still buy CDs—your Streisand fans, your Bubléholics—is probably undeniable, the lack of numbers in the press release is enough to make me get all existential. You know—what does it all mean, man? After the jump, a little bit of number-crunching with the press release’s top 10.
Here’s Amazon’s just-released preorder top 10, and overall first-week sales for those records.
1. Susan Boyle, I Dreamed a Dream (2009—first-week sales TK)
2. Norah Jones, Not Too Late (2007—first-week sales 405,000)
3. U2, No Line on the Horizon (2009—first-week sales 484,000)
4. Bruce Springsteen, Magic (2007—first-week sales 335,000)
5. Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way (2006—first-week sales 526,000)
6. Coldplay, “Viva La Vida (2008—first-week sales 722,000)
7. U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004—first-week sales 840,000)
8. David Cook (2008—first-week sales 280,000)
9. Diana Krall, Quiet Nights (2009—first-week sales 104,000)
10. Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways (2006—first-week sales 211,000)
Unfortunately, Amazon numbers for these first-week sales aren’t available. But we can sorta extrapolate; data for Amazon.com and other online CD retailers (not digital-music stores) is broken out on the “Internet” chart. Here’s this week’s top five on that chart, with online sales and corresponding Billboard 200 data in parentheses:
1. Michael Bublé, Crazy Love (16,000 Internet, 203,000 overall (No. 1))
2. Bob Dylan, Christmas In The Heart (7,200 Internet, 20,000 overall (No. 23))
3. Rosanne Cash, The List (5,800 Internet, 18,000 overall (No. 28))
4. Barbra Streisand, Love Is The Answer (4,700 Internet, 49,000 overall (No. 4))
5. The Flaming Lips, Embryonic (4,500 Internet, 32,000 overall (No. 8))
If you put together the two charts, it’s not too much of a stretch to posit that an album’s ranking on CD-selling sites is little more than a leading indicator that it appeals to an that’s slightly more classicist (classic rock, classic pop) in its tastes than buyers of the New Moon soundtrack (No. 7 on the Internet chart, 2,700 sales) and Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 (No. 11 on the Internet chart, 1,100 sales). Perhaps this constant cawing about Boyle’s Amazon ranking is actually Sony’s way of reminding the public that she has an album coming out, and that people really liked to watch her on the Internet back in the day! (You know, in May.)
So then, will the Susan Boyle record sell well in the States? Sure; if the above pre-orders are any indication of wider interest, she’s likely to at least break the six-figure mark, which is “success” in the current moment. Is I Dreamed A Dream likely to top the charts the week it comes out? That’s actually an interesting question; it’s currently slated to be released on Nov. 23, the same day as new albums by Rihanna, Timbaland, and the similarly Cowell-beloved Adam Lambert. Not to mention the re-release of Lady GaGa’s The Fame, which, thanks to its tacking on an extra eight tracks, seems like a much better deal than most expanded editions these days. But as the recent lessons of Bublé and Streisand have shown, the purchasing power of the Oprah viewer is not to be trifled with! So it’s a toss-up, really—but definitely not a sure thing because of the stat-free boastings of one online retailer.
Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed a Dream is Amazon.com Music’s Largest CD Pre-Order [BusinessWire]
Earlier: Attention Everyone: Please Stop Reporting Chart Data That Isn’t Backed Up By Hard Numbers, Because Doing So Makes You Look Dumb
I can say with some assurance that I expect to get this or see this given as a gift this Christmas among all of the members of my family over the age of forty-five. These are people who consider Susan Boyle a powerhouse vocal (which, she is), who think “Wild Horses” is a brilliant understated ballad that is the opposite of a balls-out Christina Aguilera/Mariah Carey ballad (which, it is), and who look longingly and sympathetically at Boyle’s rags-to-riches, ‘it could happen to any of us’ story. I will be shocked if this doesn’t do well in the states, especially following Buble’s success, because it appears that the only people buying physical CDs are the over forty-five’s, and I can see them going out en force to Target, in addition to its Amazon’s sales, and making this a hit.
@ampersandparade: It’ll for sure be a hit. But Adam Lambert’s fans are craaaaazy!
@ampersandparade: Hey I’m over 45 and I’d laugh in the face of anyone who tried to give me this pap for Christmas. Your stereotypical comments about age reflect poorly on you.
As to Boyle’s rendition of “Wild Horses” it is beautifully sung but utterly devoid of emotion or soul and she apparently lacks any understanding of what the song is about and is ultimately dull and ponderous.
@MhS: It wasn’t my intent to offend, Lordy, I was just saying who the woman’s primary demographic of fans are, which are women who are of a similar age as her and who grew up during an era where these sorts of rags-to-riches tales were a part of the narrative of popular success. I don’t think all twelve year olds like Miley Cyrus or all British teenagers get up to the same things that are shown on Skins, but a lot of them do.
@ampersandparade: Aw, I was just being cranky, you know how us are people are ;)
old people are. We can’t read so good either
I am in my 40’s, afluent and purchase form Amazon frequently.
I AM NOT buying Susan Boyle’s CD.
She sings well, but not well/different enough for me to buy her album. She is neither unique or interesting, except for her 15 minutes of fame story.
I wish her well and hope she makes enough off this album deal to secure her retirement.
I agree with MhS, if anyone actually gave this to me as a gift I’d laugh, thank them kindly and never open it. It would be garage sale fodder next summer.
SB has one of the best back stories ever. I think she has a beautiful voice, but I’m not a fan of the show she was on and I’m not going to purchase her music.
She seems real sweet and tbqh, i can’t understand one word she has ever spoken. i’ve only heard her sing two songs and they were both great…i can understand her when she sings.lol
My money is going to be spent on Adam’s album. His voice is absolutely amazing. Listening to him sing will make you feel good. He’s entertaining and he’s going to be our next superstar.
Hmmmmmmmm, i am not sure if 45 is there age or there iq, because they talk such nonsense, Anin for instance,15 minutes of fame,what planet are you on, Holly can’t understand a word she has ever spoken, 340 million can but you can’t, go and see an ear specialist dear. ampersandparade, Wild horses isutterly devoid of emotion or soul and she apparently lacks any understanding of what the song is about and is ultimately dull and ponderous.Another person who would not know class if it fell out the sky and hit him on the head.Mick jaggers comment,A ghostly rendition and better than anything i have ever done.Praised by critics worldwide as hauntingly beautiful and soulfull,Voted on the rolling stone site as the best version ever out of 6 versions, Anins 15 mins of fame now let me see. World record holder on amazon,340 million video views up until october 31st.Number 1 on amazon ca,amazon,barnes and noble and will sell millions. great comment for you, Better to keep your mouth shut and have others believe your a fool than to open it and prove it to them,in your cases internet typing replaces the mouth.
Amazon just announced that Susan Boyle’s CD is the largest selling GLOBAL pre-order in its history. Now we’ll read here how that really doesn’t mean anything in terms of overall sales, little old ladies are her only market, yada yada.
@xeno: Until numbers are released it doesn’t mean anything! Sorry to burst your bubble!