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 proves it: Job For A Cowboy are for real. Their second full length album sold over 10,000 for a great debut for any album, let alone a death metal one. They’ve gone from internet curiosity to full-on phenomenon, and with the Mayhem Festival having just started, they’ll be everywhere this summer. At metal radio, Darkest Hour is most added, while the Roadrunner hat trick of Devildriver, Killswitch and Dream Theater top the most-spun charts.
Notable Debuts:
Job For a Cowboy, Ruination (Metal Blade) #42, 10,600 sold
Another home run from Brian Slagel and Metal Blade.
Born of Osiris, A Higher Place (Sumerian) #73, 6,000 sold
Sumerian-core band’s second album has an amazing debut.
Poison the Well, The Tropic Rot (Ferret) 2,700 sold
The band, currently co-headlining the 10 Bands for $10 tour, have a good launch with their follow-up to Versions.
Notable Sales:
Killswitch Engage, Killswitch Engage (Roadrunner) #21, 19,500 sold
Having a 67% decline from last week and still selling nearly 20,000 records? Well done, guys.
Chickenfoot, Chickenfoot (Redline/Fontana) #28, 16,000 sold
Definitely more butt-rock than metal, but in six weeks, this Sam Halen hybrid is almost halfway to gold.
Hollywood Undead, Swan Songs (Octone) #52, 8,400 sold
Has this album really been out for almost a year?
Kid Rock, Rock N’ Roll Jesus (Atlantic) 6,300 sold
I said I wouldn’t write about Kid Rock again until he sold 3 million copies. That just happened. It’s like having a diamond (10X platinum) album today.
Dream Theater, Black Clouds and Silver Linings (Roadrunner) #77, 5,800 sold
The prog-rock/metal leaders are still cranking things out.
Suicide Silence, No Time To Bleed (Century Media) #83, 5,600 sold
20,000 sold in two weeks. The new wave of American heavy metal is here.
Disturbed, Indestructable (Reprise) #135, 3,700 sold
David Draiman can afford some more polish for his head.
Marilyn Manson, The High End of Low (Interscope) #144, 3,500 sold
Nearly two months in and the album hasn’t sold over 100,000 yet. Not bad, but for Manson, it’s more like the low end of low.
Metallica, Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.) #147, 3,400 sold
This is currently former Metallica-hater Dan Rodriguez’s favorite Metallica album.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner), #163, 3,000 sold
Officially at 800,000 sold. Nice run, and not done yet.
The Devil Wears Prada, With Roots Above and Branches Below (Ferret) #176, 2,800 sold
What’s Jesus wear? How about Mohammed (just kidding, Middle Eastern MI readers, don’t put a jihad on us)?
Darkest Hour, Eternal Return (Victory) 1,400 sold
All this and #1 Most Added at FMQB adds up to a good week for the band.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season (Epitaph) 1,100 sold
These guys are benchmarks of consitency – they haven’t dipped below 1,000 sold since the album came out.
Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening (Century Media) 800 sold
Ihadalongbandnamewithoutpunctuationjusttofuckwithvenuesthathadtotrytoputournameonthemarqueeonce.
Goatwhore, Carving out the Eyes of God (Metal Blade) 700 sold
The best death metal album of the year? It should definitely be in the running.
Bury Your Dead, It’s Nothing Personal (Victory) 650 sold
Every band should have a theme song, not just these guys and KMFDM.
Obituary, Darkest Day (Candlelight) 600
This sells about 50% less than last week, but it’s still hanging in there.
Eyes Set To Kill, World Outside (Suburban Noize) 600 sold
I don’t know anyone that claims to be a fan of these guys (and girls), but with 7,000 sold, they’re on to something.
Sunn O))), Monoliths and Dimensions (Southern Lord) 550
This has sold upwards of 5,000, which should make the label and band happy. Especially since they’re one and the same.
Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Hot N’ Heavy (Suretone) 500 sold
Not a good band name. Nope.
FMQB Most Added
1. Darkest Hour, Eternal Return (Victory)
2. Bury Your Dead, It’s Nothing Personal (Victory)
3. Clutch, Strange Cousins From the West (Weathermaker Music)
4. Suffocation, Blood Oath (Nuclear Blast)
5. Judas Priest, A Touch of Evil – Live (Epic)
FMQB Top Ten Albums
1. DevilDriver, Pray For Villians (Roadrunner)
2. Killswitch Engage, Killswitch Engage (Roadrunner)
3. Dream Theater, Black Clouds and Silver Linings (Roadrunner)
4. Job For a Cowboy, Ruination (Metal Blade)
5. Clutch, Strange Cousins From the West (Weathermaker Music)
6. Voivod, Infini (Relapse)
7. Arkaea, Years in the Darkness (E1 Entertainment)
8. Chimaira, The Infection (Ferret Music)
9. Heaven & Hell, The Devil You Know (Rhino)
10. Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening (Century Media)
