Classic FM Top 300 of 21st Century: 28-31 Dec 2007

[Richard]

Hello Jeff!

All Angels did well in the Top 300 chart too, with their first album at No.16 and 'Into Paradise' at No.116. You can see Dazza's video of their performance on the New Year Show HERE.

Richard

[Dave]

Hello again everyone, I have expanded the chart (with added sales) to a top 100 now, so here it is!

Note that after further investigation, I have substantially increased my estimate of Russell Watson's sales of his second album Encore - it's sold almost as many as The Voice.... astonishing! My estimates for Pure and Odyssey have gone down slightly and Odyssey may still be slightly on the high side, arguably it's 200,000 not 205,000 (which would mean the special edition has now caught up the original version - 100,000 each).

I have also discovered that if Classic FM had gone back a full ten years, Voice of An Angel (Charlotte Church) would have been no. 4 (or 5, read on!) as it's sold about 600,000 copies in the UK since 1998. But then, the Titanic soundtrack would have been no. 1 as it's sold *almost* a million copies. Perhaps Classic FM didn't want a soundtrack to win (quite right too, they aren't included in the weekly Classical Artist charts - though they are allowed into the main album chart - strange).

Finally, if the cut-off date for sales could have been a week later than December 9, Into Paradise by All Angels would have been well inside the top 100 at no. 84.

UK Classical Artist Top 100 of 21st Century - sales to 9/Dec/07

1 Pure - Hayley Westenra ( 770,000 )
2 The Voice - Russell Watson ( 741,500 )
3 Encore - Russell Watson ( 720,000 )
4 Voices Of The Valley - Fron Male Voice Choir ( 490,000 )
5 Living A Dream - Katherine Jenkins ( 485,000 )
6 Second Nature - Katherine Jenkins ( 480,000 )
7 Bryn - Bryn Terfel ( 470,000 )
8 Sentimento - Andrea Bocelli ( 450,000 )
9 Serenade - Katherine Jenkins ( 440,000 )
10 Gladiator Ost - Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard ( 400,000 )
11 Reprise - Russell Watson ( 350,000 )
12 Viaggio Italiano - Andrea Bocelli ( 300,000 )
13 The Voice The Ultimate Collection - Russell Watson ( 280,000 )
14 The Lord Of The Rings OST - Howard Shore ( 260,000 )
15 The Choirboys - Choirboys ( 240,000 )
16 All Angels - All Angels ( 225,000 )
17 Simple Gifts - Bryn Terfel ( 215,000 )
18 Odyssey - Hayley Westenra ( 205,000 )
19 Aria The Opera Album - Andrea Bocelli ( 195,000 )
20 Pieces In A Modern Style - William Orbit ( 185,000 )

21 Aled - Aled Jones ( 175,000 )
22 Premiere - Katherine Jenkins ( 170,000 )
23 The Opera Band - Amici Forever ( 165,000 )
24 The Christmas Album - Aled Jones ( 160,000 )
25 Dream A Dream - Charlotte Church ( 155,000 )
26 Sacred Arias - Andrea Bocelli ( 151,000 )
27 The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace - Karl Jenkins ( 148,000 )
28 Lord Of The Rings Return Of The King - Howard Shore ( 145,000 )
29 Verdi - Andrea Bocelli ( 140,000 )
30 Higher - Aled Jones ( 135,000 )
31 Lord Of The Rings The Two Towers OST -Howard Shore ( 130,000 )
32 Popular Music From TV Film & Opera - Maria Callas ( 125,000 )
33 We'll Keep A Welcome - Bryn Terfel ( 120,000 )
34 Harry Potter & The Philosopher's OST - John Williams ( 115,000 )
35 Ti Adoro - Luciano Pavarotti ( 110,000 )
36 Voices Of The Valley Encore - Fron Male Voice Choir ( 107,000 )
37 Echoes The Collection - Ludovico Einaudi ( 103,000 )
38 Classical Graffiti - Planets ( 100,000 )
39 Beyond Imagination - Operababes ( 97,000 )
40 Charlotte Church - Charlotte Church ( 93,000 )

41 The Ultimate Collection - Luciano Pavarotti ( 89,000 )
42 I Will Wait For You - Lesley Garrett ( 83,000 )
43 The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy - Howard Shore ( 77,000 )
44 Gift Collection - Lesley Garrett ( 72,000 )
45 Treasure - Hayley Westenra ( 71,000 )
46 Spirit Of The Glen - Royal Scots Dragoon Guards ( 70,000 )
47 The Collection - John Rutter ( 69,000 )
48 Operatunity Winners -Denise Leigh & Jane Gilchrist ( 67,000 )
49 New Horizons - Aled Jones ( 64,000 )
50 Kashif/The Queen Symphony - Royal Philharmonic Or/Kashif ( 62,000 )
51 Blake - Blake ( 60,000 )
52 Braveheart OST - LSO/Horner ( 59,000 )
53 At Her Very Best - Nana Mouskouri ( 58,000 )
54 The Christmas Carols Album - Guildford Cathedral Choir ( 57,500 )
55 Titanic OST - James Horner ( 57,000 )
56 Classics - The Best Of Sarah Brightman ( 56,500 )
57 Holst/The Planets/Mystic Trumpeter - Rutter/RSNO/Lloyd Jones ( 56,000 )
58 The Piano OST - Michael Nyman ( 55,000 )
59 Songs From The Labyrinth - Sting ( 54,500 )
60 Classic Kennedy - Kennedy/ECO ( 54,000 )

61 The Three Tenors Christmas -Carreras/Domingo/Pavarotti ( 53,500 )
62 Romantic Callas - The Best Of Maria Callas ( 53,000 )
63 Voice Of An Angel - Charlotte Church ( 52,000 )
64 Captain Corelli's Mandolin OST - Ingman/Warbeck ( 51,000 )
65 Moving On - Myleene Klass ( 50,500 )
66 Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon OST - Tan Dun ( 50,000 )
67 Elgar/Cello Concerto/Sea Pictures - Du Pre/Baker/Lso/Barbirolli ( 49,000 )
68 Prelude - The Best Of Charlotte Church ( 48,500 )
69 Requiem - Karl Jenkins ( 48,000 )
70 Star Wars Episode III Revenge Of The Sith - John Williams ( 47,000 )
71 You Raise Me Up - The Best Of Aled Jones ( 46,500 )
72 The Definitive Collection - Mario Lanza ( 46,000 )
73 More Music From Gladiator OST - Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard ( 45,000 )
74 The Singer - Lesley Garrett ( 44,500 )
75 Rutter/Requiem - Clare College Choir/Brown ( 44,000 )
76 Star Wars Episode II - LSO/Williams ( 43,000 )
77 Plays Bach - Nigel Kennedy/BP ( 42,500 )
78 The Magic Of Inspector Morse - Barrington Pheloung ( 42,000 )
79 Spanish Guitar Music - John Williams ( 41,000 )
80 Saint Saens/Carnival Of Animals - Johnny Morris ( 40,500 )

81 Prokofiev/Peter & The Wolf - Dame Edna/Mel So/Lanchbery ( 40,000 )
82 Tavener/Christmas Proclamation - St John's College Ch/Robinson ( 39,500 )
83 A Tribute - Kathleen Ferrier ( 39,000 )
84 Filippa Giordano - Filippa Giordano ( 38,500 )
85 Hannibal OST - Hans Zimmer ( 38,000 )
86 Icons - Luciano Pavarotti ( 37,700 )
87 Star Wars The Phantom Menace - LSO/Williams ( 37,300 )
88 Greatest Hits 1969:1999 - John Williams ( 37,000 )
89 Holst/The Planets - Simon Rattle ( 36,700 )
90 Greatest Hits - Nigel Kennedy ( 36,300 )
91 Gilbert & Sullivan The Gold Collection - D'Oyly Carte Opera Company ( 36,000 )
92 Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets - John Williams ( 35,700 )
93 Kamen/Band Of Brothers OST - London Metropolitan Or/Kamen ( 35,300 )
94 The Gold Collection - Lesley Garrett ( 35,000 )
95 Carols At Christmas - Choir Of Guildford Cathedral ( 34,700 )
96 Brassed Off OST - Grimethorpe Colliery Band ( 34,300 )
97 Le Onde - Ludovico Einaudi ( 34,000 )
98 I Giorni - Ludovico Einaudi ( 33,700 )
99 Kiri - Kiri Te Kanawa ( 33,300 )
100 Glass/Violin Concerto - Anthony/Ulster Orchestra/Yuasa ( 33,000 )

Cheers, Dave

[gerrit]

Interesting statistics.

The combined sales of numbers 51 to 60 would only make it to number 4 on the list. Are sales at that level really interesting to record companies from a commercial point of view?

There are also interesting remarks to be made about the so-called "best of" albums.

53: Nana Mouskouri: At her very best
56: Sarah Brightman: "Classics: The best of Sarah Brightman"
62: Romantic Callas: The best of Maria Callas"
68: Prelude: The best of Charlotte Church
71: You Raise Me Up: The best of Aled Jones

How come these "Best of" albums fare so poorly? Is the buying public perhaps smarter than the record companies give them credit for, and does the buying public realise that the "Best of" albums are nothing more than ripp-offs, contrived by the record companies to make a quick buck and milk the public?

I find especially the Aled Jones and Charlotte Church Best off albums overkill. Even Voice of an Angel (Charlotte's first album, released in the previous century) has sold more copies in this century than her so-called "Best of" album, which apparently was released so contractual arrangements could be met.

Record companies, please take note. The buying public prefers original, new material, not a rehash of material previously available on other CDs.

Gerrit

[gerrit]

PS

I do think the future is to completely web-based sales of individual tracks. That will obviate the need for the public to buy complete albums, which may include tracks they don't like.

And it will certainly be the end of money flogging by the record companies with 'Best of' albums, as everyone can then put together a personalised best-of album ...

[Dave]

gerrit said:

Record companies, please take note. The buying public prefers original, new material, not a rehash of material previously available on other CDs.

Hi Gerrit, I see your point but... not always.

The new Andrea Bocelli "Best Of" album Vivere has already sold 450,000 copies and by next week it will have sold more UK copies than any of his classical albums in that Chart of the Century.

Cheers, Dave

[Jeff]

Thanks for all your hard work on this thread, Dave. It's a real help to those of us who didn't listen to the whole chart. I have a valid excuse though. It was my birthday last Monday (a bad day for a birthday, almost as bad as Xmas Day itself !) so I had other things to celebrate as well.

Like Paddy I re-read page 79 of Hayley's book and as a former member of an orchestra, I had to laugh when she says she prefers to record the vocal seperately from the orchestra to avoid paying them overtime !! So that's why she arranges her concert set for just violin and piano !! What with buying things in charity shops and doing her own pedicures, this girl must be saving a fortune. She'll probably be able to retire when she's 25 !! (But I hope not!)

[postscript]

Thank you Dave for all your efforts.

I don't wish to sound complacent but this simply confirms where we all feel Hayley ought to be. Right now this is solely upon talent because, as Dave has rightly cautioned for the future, she hasn't done the best for herself in terms of 'making the chart numbers', she has simply gone along doing her own thing.

I don't imply she has sat on her laurels but despite her claims she is clearly focused she in fact has been singularly diverse--pursuing her own development interests in 'Il Divo', 'Celtic Woman', her autobiography and her church concerts. In short, she has been enjoying herself.

This year it would be foolish (and I am sure she recognises this) to allow herself to drop from sight. This must be the year to capitalise on this announcement and to plan her concert tour in conjunction with her new album release, making sure she is in the right country at the right time to establish the new album and from that remind people of the preceding ones.

For me, this is great news and a valediction of how I responded to her when I first saw her live at The Palladium. I thought then, 'Lady, you are not just 'good', you're 'd----ed good'. She was delayed over two hours for what we later believed was discussions with New Zealand Air about her transport needs and their desire to use her to promote the airline, so I did not stay long enough because of trains. I had to wait a month to meet her for the first time in Northampton.

It was at The Palladium that I had the desire to meet her as I had never desired for any other performer before. I knew then, this was an encounter that was very very special. Since then she has consistently proved that value, simply doing what she wanted but if she is to hold a permanent place in the records and in history, this year at least is the year she has to 'work for it'. Not any harder than she has done in the past, in fact, arguably pacing herself better but working 'not as she pleases' but strategically to hold that chart posiiton.

Peter S.

[Paddy]

Hi, Peter!

postscript said:

Thank you Dave for all your efforts.

Let me second that again (as I just did in the 'Pure/Odyssey/Treasure' thread)!


'Great to read your 'on the ball' advice for Hayley's future (chart-topping) success!

It seems to tie in well with Dave's statistical analysis and plan of action.

postscript said:

I don't wish to sound complacent but this simply confirms where we all feel Hayley ought to be. Right now this is solely upon talent because, as Dave has rightly cautioned for the future, she hasn't done the best for herself in terms of 'making the chart numbers', she has simply gone along doing her own thing.

I don't imply she has sat on her laurels but despite her claims she is clearly focused she in fact has been singularly diverse--pursuing her own development interests in 'Il Divo', 'Celtic Woman', her autobiography and her church concerts. In short, she has been enjoying herself.

This year it would be foolish (and I am sure she recognises this) to allow herself to drop from sight. This must be the year to capitalise on this announcement and to plan her concert tour in conjunction with her new album release, making sure she is in the right country at the right time to establish the new album and from that remind people of the preceding ones.

So, thank you too for adding a touch of 'realisability' to my our hopes for Hayley's (forthcoming?) success in the charts.


But, hopefully, that success will also allow her to continue to enjoy 'doing her own thing', while she's still young.

Indeed, the 'doing her own thing' (Hayley-style - unlike others) might well help to provide some of the essential ingredients for a chart-topper?


Paddy

[Dave]

dave said:

UK Classical Artist Top 100 of 21st Century - sales to 9/Dec/07

1 Pure - Hayley Westenra ( 770,000 )
Cheers, Dave

Hi everyone,

I will mention this in this thread because in spite of very limited publicity about the Chart of the Century result, Pure has today re-entered the Classical Artist Chart at no. 19.

Nothing spectacular then - but an indication of the potential for getting renewed interest in Pure if the record company organises it properly and at the right time. It is the only "old" CD to re-enter the chart.

Treasure is at no. 16.

Cheers, Dave

[Nordly]

eee- I'm so proud of Hayley for being at no 1!!!!

[grant]

dave said:

Pure has today re-entered the Classical Artist Chart at no. 19

It is the only "old" CD to re-enter the chart.

Thanks for the update Dave!

I find it quite amazing that "Pure" keeps 'popping up' in the charts the way it does. Are there examples of this happening to albums of other artists? Or is it just another 'Hayley phenomenon'?

Best wishes
Grant

[Dave]

Hi Grant,

It happens to other artists too but only the big names. The two versions of Pure have spent at least 206 weeks in the chart between them but some of Andrea Bocelli's albums can easily beat that when they pop back in from time to time (Viaggio Italiano 325 weeks!).

Cheers, Dave

[James]

grant said:

dave said:

Pure has today re-entered the Classical Artist Chart at no. 19

It is the only "old" CD to re-enter the chart.

I find it quite amazing that "Pure" keeps 'popping up' in the charts the way it does. Are there examples of this happening to albums of other artists? Or is it just another 'Hayley phenomenon'?

Grant,

I'm sure it's not just Hayley, because whenever there is publicity surrounding someone, their albums tend to sell a few more copies. For example when Pavarotti died, his music experienced a rise in sales. Other examples are when someone performs at a big concert (e.g. Royal Variety/Golden Jubilee type events), or when there is a new album out, older ones often also rise back into the charts.

I guess a few people heard the Classic FM chart and realised they should get the album. I'd be interested to know how many sales number 19 represents - are we talking a few hundred or a couple of thousand sales Dave? I guess in a niche market, alittle extra publicity generating sales can make a big difference.

James

[grant]

Thanks for the update Dave!

dave said:

The two versions of Pure have spent at least 206 weeks in the chart between them

That's still pretty impressive though!

Best wishes
Grant

[gra7890]

grant said:

Thanks for the update Dave!

dave said:

The two versions of Pure have spent at least 206 weeks in the chart between them

That's still pretty impressive though!

Best wishes
Grant

Yes Grant ;
and that is why it is such a hard act to follow !!

Graham