How does Adele keep finding new fans?
Are you one of the almost six million people who’ve bought Adele’s 21? If not, there’s no real hurry. You don’t have to rush into the decision. Adele has somehow managed to find at least 100,000 new people to buy her album every week for 32 (non-consecutive) weeks now.
At the end of last year, Billboard ran a story about the 14 albums that have notched at least 30 weeks of 100,000-plus sales since 1991:
• Alanis Morissette, “Jagged Little Pill” – 64 (1995-1997)
• Britney Spears, “…Baby One More Time” – 50 (1999-2000)
• Creed, “Human Clay” – 49 (1999-2001)
• Celine Dion, “Falling Into You” – 43 (1996-1997)
• Shania Twain, “Come on Over” – 42 (1997-2000)
• Hootie & the Blowfish, “Cracked Rear View” – 40 (1995-1996)
• Santana, “Supernatural” – 39 (1999-2000)
• Backstreet Boys, “Millennium” – 34 (1999-2000)
• Usher, “Confessions” – 33 (2004-2005)
• Spice Girls, “Spice” – 32 (1997-1998)
• Billy Ray Cyrus, “Some Gave All” – 31 (1992-1993)
• NSYNC, “No Strings Attached” – 31 (2000-2001)
• Kid Rock, “Devil Without a Cause” – 30 (1999-2000)
• Adele, “21″ – 30 (to date) (2011-2012)
That was two weeks ago, and Adele sold 124,000 copies this week and 144,000 copies the week before. So she’s at 32 weeks now, which ties the Spice Girls. If she can find 100,000 new buyers for two more weeks she’ll pass Usher and have the most weeks of 100,000-plus sales since 2001. I hope she does it.
But I don’t get how she’s still managing to reach new people. By now, even Appalachian hermits and the Amish know all the words to “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You.” Is it just that most people are happy to download the singles? (“Rolling” and “Someone” sold 5.81 million and 3.75 million downloads in 2011, respectively.) There’s a new single storming up the charts again, so maybe this one will tip the remaining holdouts over the edge. Maybe this song will convince another huge batch of people that perhaps it’s time to just buy the whole damn album.
Video: Adele – Set Fire To The Rain (Live)
Todd Totale
126 days ago
I don’t get why Adele’s success continues to blow your mind. I know you’re old enough to remember Thriller. That record was so ubiquitous when it was released that I still can’t listen to it to this day.
Jake Brown
125 days ago
This is a much different world for album buying than 1983. Many new releases by major artists sell 100,000 copies total! Adele attracts 100,000 new people every week. It’s just so different from the way most albums sell these days, where they have a big opening week and then fall off the top ten altogether over the next week or two. It’s just weird in today’s climate to have sustained sales like that.
Jake Brown
119 days ago
Another week, another #1, and another 104,000 copies sold. So that’s 33 weeks of selling more than 100,000 and 16 weeks at the top of the album chart.
I might actually have to go out an buy the album this week to help it get to 34 weeks, ha ha.
Jake Brown
112 days ago
Bummer, only 95,000 copies this week. That’s still 17 weeks at #1 though. Not too shabby.
Jake Brown
105 days ago
Yay! She sold 116,000 this week, giving her 34 weeks of 100,000-plus sales. Tied with the Backstreet Boys! Will she pass them? I bet she will.
Jake Brown
98 days ago
She sold another 122,000 this week, giving her 35 weeks, passing the Backstreet Boys. Next big hurdle will be 39 weeks to tie Santana. Will she do it? I’m on the edge of my seat!
Jake Brown
90 days ago
Another 237,000 with a 1-day Grammy bump. Next week will be even more. 20th Week At #1, 36 weeks of 100,000-plus sales.
Jake Brown
84 days ago
In the world’s biggest Grammy bump, 21 sold another 730,000 copies last week. 21 weeks at #1, 37 weeks of 100K+ sales. Incredible. Keep in mind this was the album’s 52nd week on the chart. Happy birthday!
21 has sold 7,353,000 copies in the United States. Billboard points out that this means 2.34% of the U.S. population owns it (based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s current population estimate of 313,059,000; and if each “21″ owner only has one copy).
Jake Brown
76 days ago
Another week, another 297,000 copies. No big deal.
22 weeks at #1, 38 weeks of 100K+ sales, 7.7 million total.
Jake Brown
70 days ago
Another week, another 247,000 copies.
That’s 23 weeks at #1, 39 weeks of 100K+ sales.
Jake Brown
63 days ago
Another 195,000 this week.
Bruce beat her to #1, so that’s still 23 weeks at #1. And now she’s got 40 weeks of 100K+ sales, beating Santana and tying Hootie!
Jake Brown
56 days ago
Another 148,000 this week. 41 weeks of 100K+ sales.
Jake Brown
49 days ago
Another 130,000 this week.
42 weeks of 100K+ sales. Only 5 other albums have done that in the Soundscan era.
Jake Brown
42 days ago
121,000 this week. 43 weeks of 100K+ sales.
Jake Brown
35 days ago
153,000 this week. 44 weeks of 100K+ sales. Amazing.
Jake Brown
28 days ago
Only 92,000 this week. Thinks she’s maxed out? Has everybody who purchases albums finally bought 21 now?
Jake Brown
8 hours ago
Mother’s Day bump: 101,000 this week. 45 weeks of 100K+ sales.