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Journey's Timeless Power Ballad "Don't Stop Believin'" Becomes First Catalog Track Ever to Reach 2 Million Mark in Digital Sales

NEW YORK, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- "Don't Stop Believin'," the classic
Journey power ballad, has just become the first catalog track in history to
achieve online digital sales of more than 2 million units, according to
SoundScan.

First made available through the iTunes Store on April 28, 2003, the
truly timeless "Don't Stop Believin'" has become the top-selling catalog
track in iTunes history and the sole catalog track to have crossed the 2
million (double platinum) threshold. (The term "catalog" is used to refer
to a pre-digital era track released for digital sales prior to the launch
of the iTunes Store.)

"Don't Stop Believin'" enjoyed a massive resurgence in popularity in
June 2007 after serving as the soundtrack to the climactic final set-piece
of HBO's hit mafia family television series, "The Sopranos." Download sales
of the song on iTunes rocketed an incredible 482% for the period from
Saturday, June 9th (the night before "The Sopranos" finale) through
Tuesday, June 12th, of that year.

As downloads of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" reached record
numbers, demand for the band's CD catalog began accelerating and continue
to this day.

Following its original release in 1981, "Don't Stop Believin'," the
second single from Journey's groundbreaking chart-topping "Escape" album,
peaked at #8 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and at #9 on the Pop
Singles chart. Propelled by what the All Music Guide has called "one of the
best opening keyboard riffs in rock," "Don't Stop Believin'" quickly
established itself as one of Journey's signature songs while defining the
possibilities of the classic rock power ballad.

Like the rest of the Journey catalog, "Don't Stop Believin'" continues
to connect with the hearts and lives of pop music lovers. The song has been
a perennial favorite with producers and directors of both movies and
television. It was featured memorably in "Monster," starring Charlize
Theron and made its way onto iTunes' "Top 10 Most Downloaded Singles" list
in 2005 following same-week appearances on both Fox's "Family Guy" and
MTV's "Laguna Beach."

"Don't Stop Believin'" hit a grand slam in 2005 when it became the
unofficial theme song for the Chicago White Sox, World Series Champions.
Journey frontman Steve Perry performed the song at the World Series
Championship celebration in Chicago.

SOURCE Legacy Recordings

Ballad? DSB isn't a ballad...Open Arms is a ballad...Faithfully is a ballad...DSB is definately NOT a ballad!

RossValoryRocks wrote:Ballad? DSB isn't a ballad...Open Arms is a ballad...Faithfully is a ballad...DSB is definately NOT a ballad!

That's what I was going to say!

I've always considered DSB to be the epitome of a "mid-tempo" song. Not a ballad, but not a rocker.

Paloofer wrote:Journey's Timeless Power Ballad "Don't Stop Believin'"

Power ballad??? Um, NO!


John from Boston

Paloofer wrote: First made available through the iTunes Store on April 28, 2003, the
truly timeless "Don't Stop Believin'" has become the top-selling catalog
track in iTunes history and the sole catalog track to have crossed the 2
million (double platinum) threshold. (The term "catalog" is used to refer
to a pre-digital era track released for digital sales prior to the launch
of the iTunes Store.)

Wow, that's great. I'd call that one a mid-tempo too.

Always considered the term 'ballad' to mean 'short story', or different poetic pieces that tell an overall story. Music is just the supporting vehicle to tell the story. It can be slow or fast.

For example, GnR's 'Sweet Child of Mine' is a ballad too.


later~

bal⋅lad   /ˈbæləd/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [bal-uhd]

–noun 1. any light, simple song, esp. one of sentimental or romantic character, having two or more stanzas all sung to the same melody.

What is a "power ballad"... a turbo-charged ballad?

Just another reason Perry doesn't have to release anything in the future. Royalties that just go on and on and on and on.

I agree with the "story-telling" definition. Ballad isn't reserved for a slow love song. The fact DSB is "up-tempo" makes it a "power" ballad.

I love this song -- you'd think, as Journey fanatics, we would be tired listening to it. Just a perfect marriage of voice & musicianship. The lyrical content, too, I guess, hits a cord with people, making it a timeless piece of composition.

Cool! And I helped.

Arkansas wrote:Always considered the term 'ballad' to mean 'short story', or different poetic pieces that tell an overall story. Music is just the supporting vehicle to tell the story. It can be slow or fast.

For example, GnR's 'Sweet Child of Mine' is a ballad too.


later~

I consider songs like SCOM and DSB "epics," along with tunes like Stairway, Come Sail Away, Freebird, November Rain, etc.

and when talking with fellow prog fans they're "mini-epics," especially if thrown up against 2112, Supper's Ready, Anesthetize, The Odyssey, etc.

annie89509 wrote:you'd think, as Journey fanatics, we would be tired listening to it.

I am.

jrnyman28 wrote:

annie89509 wrote:you'd think, as Journey fanatics, we would be tired listening to it.

I am.

Me too, haha... I only ever spin a handful of the GH anymore (ATL, IBAWY, BGTY, SW)

ProgRocker53 wrote:

jrnyman28 wrote:

annie89509 wrote:you'd think, as Journey fanatics, we would be tired listening to it.

I am.

Me too, haha... I only ever spin a handful of the GH anymore (ATL, IBAWY, BGTY, SW)

I AM tired of SW .... DSB I still love listening to ... by only the SP version, haha.

Gunbot wrote:Just another reason Perry doesn't have to release anything in the future. Royalties that just go on and on and on and on.

Assuming it's around 1.00 per sale, I'd guess it comes out to around 500k or less for the band/song writers to divvy up.