What are your commercial expectations for In Your Dreams?
 

Just wondered what people thought.

Considering the state of the music industry these days, I don't think we can measure album success for Stevie in Gold/Platinum status anymore. After all, apparently TISL only sold about 250,000... but since it was in the pre Sound Scan days, they went ahead and gave her a Gold record because Warner Brothers shipped 500,000 copies. Note: they only sold half the amount of copies they shipped. Since Sound Scan only calculates retail sales and NOT shipped copies, she would not have received a Gold record in 2011. Since it's now 10 years since TISL was released, and downloading music online has killed retail music sales, I can't say Stevie will ever see a Gold rating for In Your Dreams. Especially if you consider Stevie's stagnation in the business will also undoubtedly equal poorer sales. But just because Stevie won't receive a Gold rating won't mean IYD is a bomb. It's just a sign of the changing times. Like I've said quite a few times, I don't think the success of this album can or will be measured by sales... but will instead be judged by critical respect and industry recognition, something that has long evaded Stevie.

I know one thing- it will debut at number one on the Billboard 200 Album chart.

This is not true, SoundScan began tracking sales data since March 1, 1991, TISL did go gold (actual sales of 500K units) in a little over a month after it's release, actual sales of it to date are a bit under 700K. I'm sure someone on here has the actual umbers, (which need to be updated), Im to tired to look it up. And SYW only sold @200k more units than TISL, but I digress.

I've been reading alot about older women in the industry and they just aren't fairing that well. Even Reba Mcentires last album only sold about 250,000. Course it didn't have a single that got played to death like her Duets album. However, Country fans really support their artists. It should of done better. Sheryl Crows last album only sold 150,000 in the US. I think Melissa Ehtridge last album did about the same or a little worse. Hole's album Nobody's Daughter (which is actually a really good rock record) was considered one of the biggest commercial flops of 2010, selling only 22,000 copies in its first week. Crows and Ethridge albums sold like 50k avg starting out then tanked like hot potatoes. Hearts album did not fair well.

I don't think it will. They are basically giving away Fleet Foxes album for $8.99 and have been doing so for awhile. Stevie's album has dropped on Amazon again and is no longer in the top 100 bestellers. Fleet Foxes album is like number 50 and has been the top 100 for awhile. Stevie's album is like $14.50. It's not heavily discounted like a lot of the others.

I think as long as Stevie is happy with the album and her fans are happy with it that it will not be considered a failure or a bomb. This in not 2001 anymore ..let alone 1981.I don't know of any real fan that isn't very excited just over the snippets and Stevie herself seems genuinely happy about this music and it will probably be the most creative work she has produced in years.

And Stevie is older than all of the above..measuring any of them or her by past album sales of their respective heydeys or against Taylor Swift or GaGa today is preposterous.

Well stated. I couldn't agree more. I hope Stevie understands that too!

My bad! It was actually Street Angel which was given Gold Status even though it only sold 231,000 copies:

http://ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/showpo...08&postcount=1

Thanks for keeping me on my toes lately! :wavey:

This.

If she ends up with a gold album, I'll be very surprised, and that has no bearing whatsoever on whether it's any good or not. Female artists over the age of 25 do not sell records, and haven't for a long time. Plus, a lot of people simply do not buy CDs anymore. I don't.

I couldn't give a rat's backside about sales, or gold albums, or radio airplay. If Stevie wants to make another album, she'll make one and find a way to get it out there.

I don't think it matters at all. But if I had to guess... I'd say mmm... 530,000 copies.

Heart was in this same matter last year with their new album 'Red Velvet Car' which did debut on billboard at #1o, not bad at all!! I still don't know how many copies it's sold, though.

They also got some great reviews for the album.:)


Things have changed just in the last 10 years. There was no myspace, youtube , facebook & twitter in 2001 so promotion is alot better!:cool:

Last year, a Sade Adu sold 1.2 million copies of "Soldier of Love." She was 51.

Susan Boyle's 2nd album "The Gift" sold 1.4 million in the U.S. and five million worldwide.

Miranda Lambert's album went platinum. She's 27.

The list goes on,

Why are you mentioning Susan Boyle? She is a totally different story all together. Stevie will never get that kind of hype.

The list doesn't go on for female rockers, especially the older ones.

That's really surprising Sade's album sold over a million copies! Soldier Of Love apparently debuted at #1 and went Gold in it's first week alone! Maybe there is some hope for Stevie after all :)

I think Sade actually appeals to a broader audience than Stevie does, though. :shrug:

I'm expecting a high debut on the billboard album charts, simply because of name recognition alone. Although I think it'll go Gold eventually, if not higher, I have to agree with those who say Stevie will measure its success based on critical, rather than commercial, response.

Surely there will have to be a way in the future, if there isn't already, for download sales to be included when tallying how many copies an album has sold? It could sell as little as 20, 000 physical copies but hundereds of thousands more digital ones. Is there nothing out there that can account for this yet? Maybe time SoundScan was updated/replaced?

I think it will debut in the top 10. Depending on the promotion, a top 5 debut may be in the cards. What else is coming out that week?

I believe Beastie Boys and Fleet Foxes.

And what's even more impressive is that Soldier of Love was a foul smelling piece of rubbish. More than anything I think it was the novelty of getting something new from Sade, who makes Greta Garbo look like a media whore. Strangely enough, disappearing completely for ten years actually worked in her favor.

I doubt Sade is any kind of bellwether for Stevie- they are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum musically. Nobody really knows Sade, and in a way that kind of works to her advantage. She's a blank slate without any eccentricities, which means she is unlikely to offend anyone's sensibilities. Stevie is a much more divisive figure.

Well Sade previous album sold over 2.3 million copies. Soldier of Love only stayed on the Billboard charts for 14 weeks, but in that time managed to sale 1.2 million copies. Over 500,000 was sold in the first week. She appeals to a wider audience and like someobody said, she's got alot of mystery behind her.

i am thinking at least a top 5 debut for stevie. there is really nothing come out that week so that would work in her favor. these days she could hit #1 with selling around 35k copies. i know cake's latest cd hit #1 and sold around that. craziness!

i dont get the appeal of sade. i only have ever known like 1 person that likes her but i know alot of people that love stevie which i am sure is partly due to her being in fm but i will take it, ha!! i know that sade/john legend is coming to pittsburgh but i dont know anybody that would want to see her. i cant imagine her being able to sell out an arena. now when stevie comes here she usually sells pretty good.

I like Sade and so does my dad and my brother. So now you know four people who like her :laugh: Sade is playing in Dublin in the O2 arena in May - the same venue Fleetwood Mac played at in 2009, and I'm going. The arena has a 9,500 seat capacity and I'm pretty sure the tickets are selling well.

Anyway back to Stevie, I agree I don't think the success of a record should depend on sales. It should depend and the quality of the music and the fact that Stevie and the fans are happy with it and if it sells well, all the better! :D