<![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney - Idolator Comments]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/idolator.com.png <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney - Idolator Comments]]> http://idolator.com Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:40:24 EST Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:40:24 EST http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2892011 Billboard is broke -- thanks to Wal-Mart. This matter really brings to question what is in fact "popular" in the so-called American pop music scene verses what is being constantly shoved down our throats by crafty manipulation (and that's what this is) of the charts. Fact is, if Wal-Mart (or any big-boxer) is willing to reveal sales figures to Billboard, and Billboard can verify the numbers, then the numbers should be counted, regardless if the album in question is exclusive or otherwise.

thewriteguy

]]> 33:319640:c2892011 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:40:24 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2890454 @DrSpaceman: You are indeed reading it correctly.

The above story is hereby obsolete -- Billboard caved:

[www.billboard.com]

Chris Molanphy

]]> 33:319640:c2890454 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:24:42 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2890292 Oh wow. If I wasn't vehemently against the whole counting-double-albums-twice thing, I'd say it's a shame Billboard didn't count the Eagles, or they could've had one of the biggest one week sales figures in years.

Al Shipley

]]> 33:319640:c2890292 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:59:15 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2889574 @GovernmentNames: The numbers reflect 700,000 two-disc units sold. So for RIAA certification purposes, the total sold is 1.4 million (hence the PR quote about certifying multiplatinum status), but for SoundScan/sales purposes it's 700k.

Maura Johnston

]]> 33:319640:c2889574 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:18:46 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2889544 I was surprised to see no mention in this post of the fact that the Eagles released a double album, and presuming that Wal-Mart counted each unit twice just like Billboard does for all double CDs, that makes their 700k a little less impressive (although still enough to beat Britney, apparently).

As for this lesser of two evils nonsense, "How Long" is a better single than "Gimme More."

Al Shipley

]]> 33:319640:c2889544 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:15:08 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2889428 You know, ever since the Eagles "Greatest Hits" overtook Thriller for the top-selling album of all time, I've been championing an anti-Eagles platform. Therefore, I would've preferred a Britney win here also.

troutblood

]]> 33:319640:c2889428 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:59:57 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2889253 Hits seem to be saying now that Billboard will put the Eagles at the top of their regular album charts, not just the Comprehensive, if I'm reading this gloating snippet right: No sooner did we announce that the Eagles would be #1 on HITS' Building Album Sales chart this week than that other trade magazine has come out with the news that, despite the fact Long Road Out of Eden is available exclusively at Wal-Mart and the band's website, it will be #1 on theirs as well.

DrSpaceman

]]> 33:319640:c2889253 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:43:34 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2888348 @dennisobell: Hey dude, wasn't being critical or anything. It's just that when I read that, I chuckled a bit.

Rob Murphy

]]> 33:319640:c2888348 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:18:10 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2888172 @DHMBIB: Fair point. A quarter-mil ain't exactly close.

UPDATE: HITS has decided to lump in the report from Wal-Mart with their semi-official SoundScan chart and are giving the Eagles their official No. 1. In the article announcing this, they preemptively poke fun at Billboard, official keeper of SoundScan data, for neglecting to do the same -- which is kinda unfair (what's Billboard gonna do? change the policy this week?!) but then that's HITS for ya.

It'll be interesting to see how Billboard handles this news tomorrow, when they make the chart official. I don't envy them tonight; this is sticky.

Chris Molanphy

]]> 33:319640:c2888172 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:03:37 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2888136 Man, Billboard has some crazy rules! Kudos to you for keeping up with all this and patiently explaining it to the rest of us.

extracrispy

]]> 33:319640:c2888136 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:02:19 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2888053 Also, how many ways does this statement go wrong [from Wal-Mart's press release]:

"We've notified the RIAA of the sales to quickly certify 'Long Road Out of Eden's' multi-platinum status."

["thank you" Gary Severson, senior vice president of Entertainment [sic], Wal-Mart]

Rob Murphy

]]> 33:319640:c2888053 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:56:21 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2887999 ...back in September, they would've beaten 50 Cent and come within a quarter-million copes of Kanye West's Graduation...

I love how dryly un-self-aware [???] this sentence comes out. "...within a quarter-million copies..." There've been, what, like maybe 2 dozen records that have sold 250K in their first week all year long? And as eye-popping as 700K is this year, Long Road Out Of Eden is still a quarter-million shy of the best week?

[bows down to the 'Ye...]

Rob Murphy

]]> 33:319640:c2887999 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:51:41 EST <![CDATA[Blanking 'Blackout': Eagles Declare Victory Over Britney]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/take-it-easy%2C-everybody/blanking-blackout-eagles-declare-victory-over-britney-319640.php#c2887916 Crazy! I never knew that. And I worked music retail for 6 years! Indie blinders, man.

rogerniner

]]> 33:319640:c2887916 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:46:09 EST