Don wrote:superreverb wrote:Again.. lots and lots... and LOTS of posts about "The Numbers" - I was more commenting, and confused on the OTHER statements, that Eclipse is "Not charting at all" and "Not Charting well", and #4 rock album, and #13 of all the albums released in the world, on something as official as Billboard, ASIDE from the numbers, still MUST mark a successful record by some social, society, industry standards... doesn't it ?
I don't see any other 30+ year old bands in the top 20 of the top 200 albums right now. "I" think it's pretty good for Journey, after front man changes, disappearing for a decade, to still put out material that debuts in the Billboard top 20. let alone top 5 in the Rock Genre.
I'm confused by your comments regarding complaints about the chart position. For the most part, everyone is talking about the numbers, only a few are talking about the chart itself.
If you think losing 80,000 sales as compared to three years ago isn't a big deal, that's fine.
As far as other older acts in the Top 20, we have to look at when their albums actually came out first. The only oldie band who came out with Journey this week was NKOTB, #7 on the chart.
This past 12 months of old rock bands debuting on the chart. None of these acts had the mega exposure of DSB but still did alright. None of them had a platinum album three years ago either.
This is their ranks for the overall Billboard chart when they debuted.
Heart, debuted at #10
Cars at #7
Beastie Boys #2
Stevie Nicks at #6
Paul Simon at #4
Iron Maiden at #4
Tom Petty at #2
So what you are really trying to say is that we should ignore what Journey accomplished with Revelation and The Manila DVD and just call this a pretty good debut anyway?
I'm not trying to bust your balls or anything but it's not like they didn't have success with Arnel already, this isn't a no-name debut from a band that no one's heard of.
When you think about it, Journey was one one the most talked about bands of 2010.
Last but not least, this album has three distributors to Revelation's one. Not so much a Wal-Mart exclusive as it sounded at first.
I get it that "YOU" think it's pretty good to be #13, just like some of "US" don't think it' a good debut, all things considered.
In the final analysis, Journey will tour well, the greatest hits will continue to sell and the band will go on. The only thing low sales may inhibit is the rush for someone to pay Journey for another studio album. This one took three years. Who knows when they next one will come?
Don, thats a very good, well informed post, I'm definitely coming from a less informed place, which is what is with all the question marks in my posts, including the title. I'm genuinely asking questions, looking for a lot of the information you just provided, as comparison.
Again I know the sales are dismal, i never imagined this record to sell even close to revelation, that record, people were buying yet another version of the dirty dozen, a Live concert DVD, and the cinderella story of Arnel, and his introduction to the world as seen on Oprah. Pretty big competition for ANY album of all new material the world has never heard before, in any shoes. I think, and have always thought, that it will be a slow seller, as they tour across the world the next 2 years, I have no prediction, i just thought it was a pretty cool accomplishment to see the record as Billboards #4 rock album, and had read numerous posts about how poorly the album was "Charting" not just posts about how it was "Selling", and really had no comparative perspective, again till your post... so, you're not busting my balls, you're providing some perspective, and information I asked for.
Even after all of this, i'd be willing to bet a wager, that of all the people that know the name Journey, at least 1/2 of them think it was a band in the 80's led by Steve Perry, that either fell off the planet, stopped making music, or is completely unaware of the last 3 singers including AP. Especially with all of the current attention on DSB.
I think that having a record even show up on billboard, that doesn't contain the dirty dozen, might bring at least some current day awareness to some new public, that SP is no longer in the band, and that there's been a BUNCH of new music, (Past and present) and maybe not. In the end... Journey are Journey, they're a rock band on the billboard charts with new music, after 30+ years. I really like this new record, it's really different, and took some balls to make, and i'm glad it's an evolution for the band (Regardless of sales, and chart sacrifices), we've already got a BUNCH of greatest hits, and Live packages, this its truly the 1st different thing this band has offered us in a long time. They can't diminish their legacy, it already is... so i'm glad they're willing to make new, different music, even for perhaps a mere 100,000 people in the end that might appreciate this record, then the masses that already get, and have gotten their legacy over, and over again, and will continue to, as SP keeps re packaging the Greatest hits in new formats, shapes and colors as they arise.
This all got a little OT - the back half of this post, I suppose was for another thread. Anyways, thanks for the post Don.
Because of the Dirty Dozen, and Concert DVD, I personally wouldn't compare the Billboard Debut of Eclipse with Revelation, Rather I'm curious... Where on billboard did Arrival, Red 13, and Generations debut on the Rock charts and on the All Albums charts? anyone have any idea about those albums debut? as they were Just albums (And an EP) with only New Journey material.