Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
As we get to the end of the year, there’s really not too much happening with the charts. Usually, there’s an uptick with almost every band on the charts as people start to buy for the holidays. However, with more and more digital sales happening, we probably won’t really see a jump until the week after Christmas, as iTunes gift cards get redeemed. Meanwhile, the lone debut that can even qualify as metal is a Chevelle greatest hits album. Read on.
Notable Debuts
Chevelle, Stray Arrows – A Collection of Favorites (Epic) #129, 5,000 sold
Not a ton of people thought that Chevelle’s first greatest hits album was a necessary purchase.
Notable Sales
Led Zeppelin, Celebration Day (Atlantic) #15, 40,500 sold
Maybe the Letterman appearance helped sales, since this sold more than it did last week. Or, y’know, Christmas and stuff.
Kid Rock, Rebel Soul (Atlantic), #16, 40,250 sold
It probably would’ve sold more this week if Joe C. was around. 233,000 copies in three weeks ain’t a bad place to be tho.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Dreams of Fireflies (On A Christmas Night) (Lava) #28, 26,000 sold
This is good and all, but listen to a Savatage album instead.
Aerosmith, Music From Another Dimension! (Columbia) #59, 10,200 sold
Taylor Swift sold more copies in her seventh week than Aerosmith has in three combined.
Soundgarden, King Animal (Universal) #61, 10,200 sold
This has wound up on some best of the year lists, but it still fell 11% this week.
Deftones, Koi No Yokan (Reprise) #90, 7,250 sold
Speaking of year-end polls, this album tops Revolver‘s.
AC/DC, Live At River Plate (Columbia) #104, 6,200 sold
Wondering how AC/DC goes over in Buenos Aires? Then this is the concert for you!
Stone Sour, House of Gold & Bones (Roadrunner) #136, 4,800 sold
The band’s first part of a two-part album has an 8% uptick in sales this week.
Rock of Ages, Soundtrack (WaterTower Music) #148, 4,300 sold
This soundtrack to the abomination of a movie sold just about the same as it did last year, breaking the 250,000-sold barrier.
In This Moment, Blood (Century Media) #151, 4,200 sold
Whether it’s the band’s new management, their longevity, or whether the music’s just connecting, the band’s fourth album is its most successful yet.
KISS, Monster (UMe) #153, 4,150 sold
The band’s 20th album was recorded using all analog equipment. It’s only sold 120,000 so far.
Halestorm, The Strange Case Of… (Atlantic) #159, 4,000 sold
This album takes a hefty 22% leap in sales this week.
Flyleaf, New Horizons (A&M/Octone) #163, 3,900 sold
This will cross 50,000 s0ld next week.
All That Remains, A War You Cannot Win (Razor & Tie) #179, 3,350 sold
The band’s tour with Dethklok and Machine Head wraps up this week.
Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (Universal) 2,700 sold
This band’s quickly becoming as popular in America as they are in Sweden. A 20% jump in sales this week.
Crown The Empire, The Fallout (Rise) 1,650 sold
Hey guys, you have a new album out. Maybe it’s time to update your Tumblr page?
Woe, Is Me, Genesi[s] (Rise) 1,250 sold
They’ve sold 8,500 in three weeks.
Otherwise, True Love Never Dies (Century Media) 880 sold
A tour with Three Doors Down and Duaghtry is about the last place we’d want to be, but it’s most likely picking these guys up some fans.
Bad Brains, Into the Future (Megaforce) 700 sold
The hardcore/reggae pioneers fall 27% in their third week.
Porcupine Tree, Octane Twisted (Kscope) 570 sold
Doesn’t seem like there’s any urgency on Steven Wilson’s part to put a new P Tree album out anytime soon. There will be another solo album from him though.
Affiance, The Campaign (Bullet Tooth) 500 sold
A pretty huge 54% jump in it’s fourth week.
Graveyard, Lights Out (Nuclear Blast) 460 sold
The band’s Joakim Nilsson and Rikard Edlund were both once in a band called Norrsken …
Witchcraft, Legend (Nuclear Blast) 410 sold
…along with guitarist Magnus Pelander, who founded Witchcraft
Wintersun, Time I (Nuclear Blast) 400 sold
With an almost 50% drop this week, it’s Time II put out the second album. See what I did there? Boo…
Pig Destroyer, Book Burner (Relapse) 400 sold
A hefty 28% jump suggests that some people actually do buy music based off of reviews.
The Devin Townsend Project, Epicloud (HevyDevy) 340 sold
This will break the 10,000 sold barrier next week. If this world was just, it would have done that in its first week.
In Fear & Faith, In Fear And Faith (Rise) 340 sold
The band’s third album is their most successful yet.
Texas Hippie Coalition, Peacemaker (Carved) 350 sold
This album has been a consistent seller, no doubt due to Big Dad Ritch’s posterboy good looks.
Upon This Dawning, To Keep Us Safe (Fearless) 300 sold
This Italian metalcore band has sold over 5,000 copies in six weeks.
