Chart and Sales - Celtic Woman

[Dave]

Hello everyone,

I've been quietly chart-watching during the build-up to the release of Celtic Woman - A New Journey: Live At Slane Castle; as you do Well as no-one else has said anything on the subject (or I missed it) I thought it was time that I did!

The DVD and CD were released this week but we will not find out how well they are doing in the two charts until Tuesday or Wednesday next week. However...

Over at Amazon.com the signs are very good, with the CD currently at no. 8 in the overall rankings and the DVD also at no. 8 in the overall DVD rankings... and no. 1 in the Music DVD rankings. This is spectacular - although we should remember that Hayley spent a few days in the Amazon top ten near the launch of Pure... and only reached no. 71 in the official Billboard chart. However... I expect the new CW CD to do a lot better than that because a lot more physical record stores will stock CW than Hayley.

It will be interesting to see what effect these releases have on the solo albums of the CW performers - especially Hayley.

Cheers, Dave

[roger]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the news and your forecast! As we know, there are two versions of the CD - the "ordinary" one and the Deluxe Edition which contains four extra tracks. Can sales of these be combined for chart (and award) purposes?

Roger

[Dave]

Hi Roger,

Yes they probably can be combined but the Deluxe version is a long way behind at no. 56 and many stores will not stock it... so it is unlikely to make much difference to the eventual chart position, it will obviously help though!

Cheers, Dave

[roger]

Hi Dave,

In that case, I've helped because I bought the Deluxe Edition today!

Roger

[Dave]

Well done lad, you seem to be making all the difference!

I've just read at Hits Daily Double (who know their stuff) that they are predicting a top 5 entry in the Billboard 200 next week with forecast sales of around 70,000.

I should add that their debut CD Celtic Woman never got higher than no. 53 in the Billboard 200 - but has stayed in the top 200 almost continuously since its 2005 release, totalling 79 weeks in the chart and reaching Platinum (over 1 million shipped) status.

So if the new album goes top 5 next week, all I'll be able to say is: Wow!

Cheers, Dave

[Joe]

Hi all,

I had to go to three different stores before I found the DVD...the assistant had to fetch me a copy from their stockroom!

I hope to watch it today!

Joe

[Richard]

Hello Joe and everybody!

To avoid cross-threading, there is a thread for the CD on the Albums board HERE, and a sub-board for the DVD on the DVDs board HERE.

Best Wishes,

Richard

[postscript]

Thank you, Dave. A very interesting post--in very interesting times!!!!
Peter S.

[postscript]

That's the one I reckon I'm going for, Roger, some time next week.

Peter S.

[Dave]

richnorri said:

Hello Joe and everybody!

To avoid cross-threading, there is a thread for the CD on the Albums board HERE, and a sub-board for the DVD on the DVDs board HERE.

Best Wishes,

Richard

Hi Richard,

Oh dear oh dear oh dear, I knew these CW discussions were going to get complicated when the news of Hayley's collaboration was first announced... is that four different places now, or five? And I haven't helped much by starting this thread here!

I'm not going to try and split 'charts' posts between the various CDs and DVDs because that would involve posting in at least four different boards each time the charts are updated - and for Hayley, there is only one place to post charts news (for everything she's ever released).

But I've no idea at the moment where this CW charts and sales thread should be so I'll just have to leave it here for now, while I think about it! I've already decided to amend the thread title to be less specific... so watch this space, where ever it ends up!

Cheers, Dave

[Richard]

Hello Dave!

I agree chart and sales news can stay on this board for the moment, although I'm wondering if it might be better on the 'Chart and Sales News' board as Hayley is involved. Anyway, I only made my previous post to try to ensure discussions about the contents of the CD and DVD take place in the correct thread. I know it's getting complicated, because I've already found myself moving posts around!

Best Wishes,

Richard

[Dave]

Hi everyone,

As alcan1 has just mentioned in passing in the "Beginning of the end?" thread, the new CD has entered the (presumably unofficial HITS Daily Double) chart at number 4 this week on sales of about 75,000 and it is very close to making number three. This is a remarkable result and exactly as predicted by HITS last Friday. It is also far higher than Celtic Woman has ever charted (in the main charts) before - their previous highest being no. 35 with A Christmas Celebration last December.

I will not have the official Billboard 200 chart for a couple of hours yet but hopefully, when it's released, it will match that no. 4 (or better). HITS are usually pretty accurate... we shall see.

Alcan1 have you seen the early release of the Billboard 200 chart yet? Either way, huge congratulations will be in order today for Celtic Woman - all the girls and in particular for Hayley, as she has played an important part in the making of this CD and in the subsequent TV specials and promotion of it !

Cheers, Dave

[Dave]

The above details are now confirmed:

From Billboard:

New at No. 4 is Celtic Woman's "A New Journey" (Manhattan/EMI) with 71,000. It gives the group its third No. 1 on Billboard's Top World Albums chart as well as its best sales week and highest charting Billboard 200 set.

And there's more from Bilboard Chart Alert (subscription only) although it's disappointing that the individual singers' names including Hayley weren't mentioned:

• The PBS phenomenon known as Celtic Woman starts at No. 4 with its second studio set, "A New Journey" (71,000). The act has been a constant presence at No. 1 on Top World Albums, where two of its sets (its self-titled debut and a "Christmas Celebration") have spent a combined 97 weeks atop the list. Now, "A New Journey" gives the group its third No. 1 on the World chart as well as its best sales week and highest-charting Billboard 200 set.

The group, primarily comprising five female vocalists, is a favorite on PBS, especially during the all-important pledge-drive periods. The act's TV appearances and concerts have been the driving force for its album sales. Its first two albums have now sold a combined 1.2 million copies. That's not even counting the spin-off albums that the five members released in January 2006. The sets -- all issued Jan. 10 -- have sold between 17,000 and 30,000 copies each.

So it's Congratulations to Celtic Woman... and congratulations to Hayley for an already highly successful collaboration!

Cheers, Dave

[jeeper]

I can not help but wonder where they collectively and individually would be if they had better distribution. Hayley is the only individuals CD I have seen in my area on the store shelves. If I would not have blundered across a Hayley CD, over a year ago now, I would not have known what a wonderful singer and person she is. Sure can not wait until the new Hayley CD hits the market either here.

I do not know how many other areas are like mine but I would bet it is the same in at least a few more. Here if the "singer" is quality they just seldom, if ever, appear on the shelves. Now if they have trashy music and lifestyles there are hundreds of copies of their work on the shelves displayed prominently.

[postscript]

It would be nice (but naive) to think the reason is that the trash doesn't sell so sticks and the qualilty stuff moves too fast. Of course stock-taking records should show this effect to ensure that buying adapts but...

Regretfully, this is my expereince (now two years out of date since I was in the US) in Plymouth, Mass. What do you think, Russ? And Jeff, in your area?

It does seem she is having difficulty in hitting where Church was and I heard Church had achieved her position in US eyes fairly easily and was a long-stayer. Was it the child aspect of her age at the time? The US do seem fixated on young talent, in contests of all sorts etc. A throwback from their Hollywood chidlhood movie-going?

Peter S.