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.
It’s a strange week in the top ten. In fact, it’s like the ’90s all over again, as Marilyn Manson, Eminem and Green Day are hanging out together in the first four slots. If it wasn’t for Hannah Montana and Taylor Swift, who were wearing footie pajamas a decade ago, we’d declare it a trend. Manson has the top debut of the week, at #4, and since we’re feeling generous, we’ll consider The High End of Low a metal album. Bury Your Dead also debut this week. At FMQB, Heaven and Hell finally ascend to the top of the spins chart at metal radio, while Iwrestledabearonce snag Most Added honors.
Notable Debuts:
Marilyn Manson, The High End of Low (Interscope) #4, 49,000 sold
We’re happy to see that Manson has stopped going door to door to shock people and gotten back to rocking.
Bury Your Dead, It’s Nothing Personal (Victory) #142, 3,200 sold
Will Smith might coming out and singing with them at Ozzfest a few years ago might have helped fuel sales of their fifth album. Or not. Regardless, the debut is bigger than their self-titled album from last year.
Sunn O))), Monoliths and Dimensions (Southern Lord) 1,500 sold
Band co-founder Greg Anderson can’t bitch about these sales figures. And even if he could, he couldn’t blame the label, since he owns it.
Oceana, Birth. Eater (Rise) 900 sold
Not to be confused with Oceano. I’ll bet you’re wondering what we’ll say about Oceano.
Stratovarius, Polaris (Eagle Rock) 800 copies sold
Good debut for a band that’s been around for 26 years.
Notable Sales:
Hollywood Undead, Swan Songs (Octone) #53, 9,400 sold
Being the leaders of the crunk-core explosion is like leading the parade at the Special Olympics, but this album is going to be gold soon, so that’s got to count for something.
The Devil Wears Prada, With Roots Above and Branches Below (Ferret) #107, 4,600 sold
They’ve sold 51,000 so far, and chick flick jokes aside, that’s a damn good total for four weeks. Sorry for saying “damn,” guys. Next week, back to your regularly scheduled chick flick jokes.
Metallica, Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.) #110, 4,400 sold
They just keep selling at least 4,000 a week, even though the album’s been out for nine months.
Disturbed, Indestructable (Reprise) #112, 4,200 sold
Zumma day oppa duppa down with the sickness, you getcha humma dubba down with the sickness!
CkY, Carver City (Roadrunner) #127, 3,800 sold
A pretty predictable 65% second week slide, but it’s still holding up and doing pretty well for itself.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner), #132, 3,600 sold
Closing in on 800,000 copies sold. That’s 4/5ths platinum, y’all!
Heaven & Hell, The Devil You Know (Rhino) #159, 3,000 sold
Enter our contest to win a signed Heaven and Hell picture now – time is running out!!
Mastodon, Crack the Skye (Reprise) #167, 2,800 sold
I’m not sure about the skye, but next week, they should crack the 100,000 sold mark.
Lacuna Coil, Shallow Life (Century Media) #170, 2,700 sold
This is a pretty successful album for Lacuna – almost 50,000 peeps picked the album up in the six weeks it’s been out.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season (Epitaph) 1,000 sold
Another thousand peeps got the Horizon brought to them.
Psychostick, Sandwich (Rock Ridge) 650 sold
A lot more people bought this album than the ones that paid to be shouted out on the album’s las track.
Deathstars, Night Electric Night (Bieler Bros.) 600 sold
Swedish electro-goth-metal band hold on for a modest decline
Oceano, Depths (Earache) 550 sold
Not to be confused with Oceana.
Old Man’s Child, Slaves of the World (Century Media) 500 sold
Symphonic Norwegian death metal is back!
Warbringer, Waking Into Nightmares (Century Media) 500 sold
2,500 sold in two weeks – not bad.
FMQB Most Added
1. Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening (Century Media)
2. Drop Dead, Gorgeous, The Hot ‘N Heavy (Suretone/Rise)
3. Devin Townsend Project, Ki (SPV)
4. Pelican, Ephemeral (Southern Lord)
5. Black Math Horseman, Wyllt (Tee Pee)
FMQB Top Ten Albums
1. Heaven & Hell, The Devil You Know (Rhino)
2. Chimaira, The Infection (Ferret Music)
3. Hatebreed, For The Lions (E1)
4. Mastodon, Crack the Skye (Reprise)
5. Daath, The Concealers (Century Media)
6. Lamb of God, Wrath (Epic)
7. Clutch, “Unstoppable Watts” sampler (Weathermaker Music)
8. Seventh Void, Heaven is Gone (Big Vin)
9. Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening (Century Media)
10. Volbeat, Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (Mascot)
