Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week as well as what’s getting played at Metal radio courtesy of radio trade magazine FMQB, whose metal panel consists of about 80 college and commercial stations that have metal shows, as well as SiriusXM, Music Choice, and more.
This week, the biggest selling record by far is Relapse! No, not anything from one of our favorite metal labels, but the latest Eminem album, his first in five years. Speaking of first album in five years, is CkY a metal band? It’s arguable, but a) they’re signed to Roadrunner, b) they’re tight with metal bands, having toured with Clutch and others and c) the Bam Margera connection gives them metal cred as well, since you probably never had Slayer play in your backyard, Mr. Anonymous Internet Hater. Their damn fine album Carver City sold almost 11,000 copies to be the biggest metal debut of the week. Dream Theater and Chimaira top FMQB’s Most Added and Most Spun, respectively, while iwrestledabearonce enters the metal radio top ten.
Notable Debuts:
Eminem Relapse (Interscope) #1 609,000 sold
Eminem isn’t remotely metal, but to have sold this much in one week in 2009 is pretty amazing.
CkY, Carver City (Roadrunner) #46, 10,750 sold
New label, new start for a band that hasn’t put an album out in five years. This is a nice, solid first week.
Warbringer, Waking Into Nightmares (Century Media) 2,000 sold
The sophomore album from the band is off to a good start.
Tim “Ripper” Owens, Play My Game (Steamhammer/SPV) 800 sold
The hardest working man with the best resume in show business? Iced Earth, Judas Priest, Yngwie, Beyond Fear, and a solo album? Yeah, probably.
O.S.I., Blood (Inside Out) 700 sold
This project featuring former members of Dream Theater and Fates Warning brings in 700 prog/tech metal fans.
Eluveitie, Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion (Nuclear Blast) 600 sold
Pagan fest veterans stripped this album down to be as folky as possible, and the renaissance faire fans reacted!
Deathstars, Night Electric Night (Bieler Bros.) 900 sold
Swedish electo-goth-metal band have a decent American debut.
Notable Sales:
Hollywood Undead, Swan Songs (Octone) #54, 9,500 sold
“Undead, you better get up out the way, Tomorrow we’ll rise so let’s fight today.” True words to live by this summer, Metal Insider readers.
Kid Rock, Rock N’ Roll Jesus (Atlantic) #79, 6,800 sold
In the same way that I opted not to write about Disturbed until they went platinum, I solemnly promise not to write about Kid Rock until his album hits 3 million sold. He’s currently at 2.95 million.
The Devil Wears Prada, With Roots Above and Branches Below (Ferret) #91, 5,600 sold
This will probably break 50,000 next week, which is when my new band, Fried Green Tomatoes, releases our debut album, Fools Gold.
Metallica, Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.) #116, 4,500 sold
1.76 million sold so far, and they ain’t done yet.
Disturbed, Indestructable (Reprise) #118, 4,400 sold
The best band to cover Genesis’ “Land of Confusion” ever! Well, except for In Flames.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner), #124, 4,100 sold
Iowa has a population of 3,002,555. The latest Slipknot album has sold 778,000. That’s about one copy for every 3.5 people in the state!
Heaven & Hell, The Devil You Know (Rhino) #130, 4,000 sold
What? You’re reading this and you haven’t entered our contest to win a signed Heaven and Hell picture yet?!
Lacuna Coil, Shallow Life (Century Media) #141, 3,800 sold
Since there’s no Evanescense record out right now, many at rock radio are finding out that Lacuna did it first (and better, in MI’s opinion).
Mastodon, Crack the Skye (Reprise) #145, 3,700 sold
The best by-product of Atlanta since Coke? Well, at least since the double bypass burger at Vortex.
AC/DC, Black Ice (Columbia) #198, 2,700 sold
Despite the fact that it’s been a while since the album’s come out, and it’s only available at Wal-Mart, this is continuing to kill it week after week.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season (Epitaph) 1,100 sold
Another thousand peeps got the Horizon brought to them.
Psychostick, Sandwich (Rock Ridge) 950 sold
For some reason, there’s an uptick in sales this week in the band’s third week. Metal radio, maybe?
Oceano, Depths (Earache) 600 sold
Looks like there’s a lot of Depth metal fans out there.
Seventh Void, Heaven is Gone (Big Vin) 500 sold
They’re consistently selling 500. Not a bad place to be.
Big Business, Mind the Drift (Hydra Head) 500 copies sold
These guys are awesome.
FMQB Most Added
1. Dream Theater, “A Rite of Passage” single (Roadrunner)
2. Dirtfedd, The American Nightmare, (E1)
3. Goes Cube, Another Day Has Passed (The End)
4. Graves of Valor, Salerian Gate (Relapse)
5. Eyes Set to Kill, The World Outside (Suburban Noize)
FMQB Top Ten Albums
1. Chimaira, The Infection (Ferret Music)
2. Heaven & Hell, The Devil You Know (Rhino)
3. Daath, The Concealers (Century Media)
4. Hatebreed, For The Lions (E1)
5. Mastodon, Crack the Skye (Reprise)
6. Seventh Void, Heaven is Gone (Big Vin)
7. Lazarus A.D., The Onslaught (Metal Blade)
8. Lamb of God, Wrath (Epic)
9. Oceano, Depths (Earache)
10. Iwrestledabearonce, “You Ain’t No Family” single (Century Media)
