U2 Chart/Sales Statistics

[fedeu2]

So, how many copies has the Best of 1990-2000 really sold?
I would guess worldwide sales are at 6 million, more or less.

Originally posted by STING2 The sales figure was from mediatraffic which does not track an albums sales once it drops out of the global top 40.

[doctorwho]

Originally posted by fedeu2 So, how many copies has the Best of 1990-2000 really sold? I would guess worldwide sales are at 6 million, more or less.

Although I couldn't name sources at this moment, from places I read on line, I think you are in the right ballpark. Estimates seem to have it around 5.5M worldwide. This is nothing like the 80's "Best Of" which has about double those sales, but then "Pop" and "Zooropa" were not nearly as popular as UF, "War", "Boy", JT and R&H. The big selling points helping the 90's "Best Of" were the AB and ATYCLB tracks. As most people already had AB and ATYCLB, there was less reason to buy the album.

[edge3]

There was another worldwide chart from that period (2002-2003, although the actual end of year chart was dated for 2003) which had total worldwide sales of BO 90-00 at 4,064,000 (it was the 19th best selling album of the year on their chart). So I would say it's sold about 4.5-5M to date.

According to Music Week it shipped 5.2M outside the UK in 2002. So it's shipped a minimum of 5.8M worldwide 'cos it's also, now, 2xPlatinum in UK (with sales of just over 500,000).

[STING2]

Originally posted by edge3 There was another worldwide chart from that period (2002-2003, although the actual end of year chart was dated for 2003) which had total worldwide sales of BO 90-00 at 4,064,000 (it was the 19th best selling album of the year on their chart). So I would say it's sold about 4.5-5M to date. According to Music Week it shipped 5.2M outside the UK in 2002. So it's shipped a minimum of 5.8M worldwide 'cos it's also, now, 2xPlatinum in UK (with sales of just over 500,000).

........and when stating total global sales figures, the shipment figure is the one typically used, so about 6 million is correct.

[Zoovation]

ATYCLB was the 13th best selling album in Denmark in 2000.

ATYCLB was the 16th best selling album in Denmark in 2001.

Best Of 1990-2000 was the 22nd best selling album in 2002.

Best Of 1990-2000 was the 63rd best selling album in 2003.

[edge3]

Correction :

Only the Best Of 1990-2000 / b sides should now have sold just over 500,000 copies in the UK as it sold about 350,000 in 2002 + 120,000 in 2003 & 492,000 total by Oct 2004 (according to Music Week). But the single disc edition also sold about 150,000 in 2002 alone & this is the one which has been doing well on the charts recently. So, together, both editions of the Best Of 1990-2000 should now have sold around 700,000 in the UK.

[Axver]

Originally posted by doctorwho Although I couldn't name sources at this moment, from places I read on line, I think you are in the right ballpark. Estimates seem to have it around 5.5M worldwide. This is nothing like the 80's "Best Of" which has about double those sales, but then "Pop" and "Zooropa" were not nearly as popular as UF, "War", "Boy", JT and R&H. The big selling points helping the 90's "Best Of" were the AB and ATYCLB tracks. As most people already had AB and ATYCLB, there was less reason to buy the album.

I also think part of the problem was releasing the Best Of 1990-2000 only two years after that era was over! I really don't think that was a wise decision.

[BigMacPhisto]

Originally posted by Axver I also think part of the problem was releasing the Best Of 1990-2000 only two years after that era was over! I really don't think that was a wise decision.

These songs are only going to get less popular as time goes on........so, the sooner the better.

[Axver]

Originally posted by BigMacPhisto These songs are only going to get less popular as time goes on........so, the sooner the better.

I disagree. If it were released, say, five years later, a lot of people would be just starting to dig into U2's catalogue (i.e. how many discovered the eighties catalogue via the Best Of 1980-1990), but releasing it in 2002 when that music is still fresh in the public's eye was a mistake in my opinion.

[edge3]

From the UKMIX website i just got some new Soundscan era (only) sales figures for Joshua tree, War & Rattle & Hum :

- Joshua Tree had scanned 2,986,000 up untill August 2005. The last update i saw was 2,801,705 for week ending 11th Jan 2004 so it sold about 185,000 during this time...or 2,200-2,400 copies per week.

- War had scanned 1,311,000 up untill November 2003

- Rattle & Hum had scanned 1,114,000 up untill May 2005

[STING2]

Originally posted by edge3 From the UKMIX website i just got some new Soundscan era (only) sales figures for Joshua tree, War & Rattle & Hum : - Joshua Tree had scanned 2,986,000 up untill August 2005. The last update i saw was 2,801,705 for week ending 11th Jan 2004 so it sold about 185,000 during this time...or 2,200-2,400 copies per week. - War had scanned 1,311,000 up untill November 2003 - Rattle & Hum had scanned 1,114,000 up untill May 2005

Remember though, when Soundscan first started in 1991, it only tracked 40% of retail sales. It took several years for it to get up to the 90% to 95% level.

[Zoovation]

Switzerland:

Best Of 1990-2000 was certified with 2xPlatin (80.000 units)

[Zoovation]

Austria:

U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Platin UNIVERSAL 10-01-2005
U2 Best of 1990-2000 Platin UNIVERSAL 13-11-2002
U2 All you Can Leave Behind PLATIN UNIVERSAL 23-10-2000
U2 Best Of 1980-1990 2xPLATIN POL 14-01-1999
U2 Best Of 1980-1990 PLATIN POL 17-11-1998
U2 Pop PLATIN POL 20-03-1997
U2 Zooropa GOLD BMG 27-07-1993
U2 The Joshua Tree 2xPLATIN BMG 17-06-1993
U2 Achtung Baby PLATIN BMG 27-11-1991
U2 Achtung Baby GOLD BMG 19-11-1991
U2 Joshua Tree 3xGOLD BMG 11-12-1990

Platin 30.000 units
Gold 15.000 units

[Zoovation]

Korea:

ATYCLB 15.425

The Best Of 1990-2000 7.798

HTDAAB 7.555

[STING2]

Originally posted by Zoovation Korea: ATYCLB 15.425 The Best Of 1990-2000 7.798 HTDAAB 7.555

Sells that low in Korea suggest that mainly foreigners living there have purchased the albums including US troops. The number of Koreans actually buying the albums is a fraction of the above figures. Surprising for a country of over 50 million people.