Troubling CD sales figures- Page 5

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 10:41pm

they only need 200,000 to break even? That's not too bad. I think the thing with Cast Recordings is they have a lot of "shelf life" because high schools / community theaters and whatnot are constantly doing shows and ppl see those and like it so they pick up a copy of the CD or whatnot. They're not like normal CDs because ppl don't see profits quickly, but like the owner of Sh-K-Boom said, they pay themselves off in the long run.

[tourboi]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 10:57pm

It saddens me that IN MY LIFE never recorded. It had some good songs ("My Mothers Son" was great). Surprises me too, since it was such a "vanity project" for Brooks. With his money, he could easilly have backed a recording and I'm shocked that he didn't after everything else he did for the show!

*shrug* I'd buy one.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 10:59pm

So would I but thems the breaks

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/26/06 at 12:10am

A friend brught me a couple of copies of teh 4-song promo disc, but being a completist I too would buy the full Cd IF one were done. But despite Bryan's pleas it isn't lilely to happen. And since there won't likely be much of a regional or community theatre life for the show, that would kill off any future demand.

What is most troubling is that even the hits sell so poorly. Meanwhile WEST SIDE STORY which sold a million copies in its first year of release (1957/5 on LP still sells 20,000 copies a year!

[jv92]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 1:31pm

Well, part of this is due to the rising popularity of downloadable music. As a subscriber to Yahoo Music, I just put most of the new Sweeney Todd Cast Album onto my MP3. (I think I will buy the disc eventually though, it's the type of album I want to own.)

[Billboard Girl]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 1:43pm

Just as a point of reference, the cast recording for The Color Purple sold approximately 6,000 copies during its first week in stores, placing it at #158 on the Billboard 200 (the first cast recording to debut on the BB200 since last June) and #2 on the new Top Cast Albums chart (behind Wicked).

[Bluewatergables]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 4:38pm

I have purchased everthing except Altar Boyz (I thought it was one of the worst shows i have ever seen, with the exception of Carrie)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 4:40pm

I didn't see CARRIE, but ALTAR BOYZ is definitely up there on my list of worst theatrical experiences ever. I still bought the CD, just because I have OCD when it comes to owning every cast recording. I never listened to it, though...

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:53am

Sales rankings for cast albums (Week ending Feb 4):
TOP BROADWAY ALBUMS:
1. WICKED
2. JERSEY BOYS
3. MAMMA MIA!
4. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: HIGHLIGHTS
5. RENT: HIGHLIGHTS
6. MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT
7. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
8. RENT
9. AVENUE Q
10. HAIRSPRAY
11. LES MISERABLES: HIGHLIGHTS (BROADWAY)
12. ANNIE
13. THE LION KING
14. WEST SIDE STORY
15. THE WOMAN IN WHITE

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 8:00am

I used to buy cast recordings whether or not I saw the show. If Color Purple wasn't $5.99, I would not have bought it. I'm curious as to why they wouldn't hire a true orchestrator, because the arrangements for most of the songs, especially the opening are cheesey and just plain bad.

On the other hand, Light in the Piazza is a recording a listen to again and again.

[sanda]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:47pm

If I have money, I will spend it on the show ticket instead of cds. Honestly, most of the cast recordings cannot stand on its own. I only buy cds which scores I truly love.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 6:58pm

Of course it is always better to see the show live, but what happens after a show closes? At least the cast album serves to enhance your memory of the performance.

One other chief benefit of cast albums is that they allow us to focus on the score, removed from its scenery and visual effects. Some shows positively gain... think of all the flop shows (CANDIDE, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, MACK AND MABEL) that would have been lost to us were it not for the cast albums. The one downside is that shows with weak scores (THE FULL MONTY, SUNSET BLVD) make less attractive listening.

[rickydrummer]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:38am

I usually make it a point to buy every Broadway cast album that comes out, but this past year, I passed on "All Shook Up" and "Jersey Boys," just because I'm getting tired of the jukebox musical thing. I'm sure the recordings are fine, but I figure it's about the same as my buying an Elvis CD, which I probably wouldn't do. I must say though that the sampler CD for "All Shook Up" at the Broadway Flea Market did tempt me. "C'mon Everybody" is quite catchy!

It really does bother me when Broadway fans take to burning CDs. It seems that most people don't recognize the necessity of supporting the sales of cast recordings. If I ever burn a CD or download songs, as long as it's not absolutely horrible, I make it a point to purchase the CD. And, no, I'm not rich. I just make sacrifices to support the entertainment that I love. If people don't keep buying the cast recordings, they may stop existing all together.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 3:08am

I bought all the CDs you mentioned in the initial posting. At least I did my part.

[Billboard Girl]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 5:35pm

The Color Purple came in at #150 on the Billboard 200 this week, with a nice increase in sales from the previous week:

150 COLOR PURPLE ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDI 7,110 21 5,887 13,044

The Sweeney revival recording debuts at #3 on Top Cast Albums and missed the Billboard 200 by about 100 units (#200 sold 5,433 copies this week).
http://www.billboard.com/bb/images/pdf/BroadwayAlbums.pdf

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 6:00pm

"Honestly, most of the cast recordings cannot stand on its own."

I have to disagree. For shows I've seen the cast recordings present an opportunity to relive the show, and for shows I've not seen cast albums present an opportunity to imagine and create the shows in my own mind. I find that well-produced cast albums are able to stand alone quite well, perhaps even better than most of my rock albums because I don't skip from song to song to hear the hits.

If you've never just sat down with a record, closed your eyes and lived the show, you're missing out on one of the best things about being a Broadway fan.

[Jud Faginsky]

Posted: 2/10/06 at 7:27pm

I agree completely with Ourtime. I have many CDs for shows I haven't seen, and I probably won't ever see them. Parade, Last 5 Years, Amour, A Man of No Importance, A Class Act, Children of Eden, and scores of others. I value each of them. For one thing it is great to have a variety of musicals to listen to (which is why I'm addicted to BWW radio). But it's really nice to imagine what a show is like by listening to the album. And if I ever do get to see the show, I can enjoy it more because I'm familiar with the show. In fact I think I'm more likely to buy a cast album for a show I haven't seen than one I have seen. I just saw DRS, Bee, and Piazza last month, and I'm still trying to decide if I want the albums. I loved all three shows, but I'm afraid of spoiling the memory of the show by buying the CD, which is the opposite sentiment of many on this board. I'm sure I will end up buying all three eventually, however. Funny, as I type this BWW radio is playing a song from Bee.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 3:07am

Here's the rankings for last week (that is week ending Feb 4):

1. COLOR PURPLE (Angel)
2. WICKED (Decca)
3. SWEENEY TODD (Nonesuch)
4. JERSEY BOYS (Rhino)
5. MAMMA MIA (Decca)
6. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Decca - highlights)
7. SPAMALOT (Decca)
8. RENT (Geffen - I CD highlights)
9. HAIRSPRAY (Sony)
10. AVENUE Q (RCA Victor)
11. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Decca - complete 2 CD vers)
12. RENT (Geffen - complete)
13. LES MIZ (Geffen - highlights)
14. THE LION KING (Disney)
15. ANNIE (Sony)

+++++++++++++++++++++

ANNIE? after almost 29 years it is STILL selling that well???

BTW COLOR PURPLE actually made it on the Billboard top 200 albums chart at #150, so it is selling really well. (Or did Oprah give away a bunch on her TV show??)

Updated On: 2/11/06 at 03:07 AM

[Billboard Girl]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 3:18am

Actually, those rankings are based on the week ending February 5. Billboard's sales charts are based on a Monday-Sunday week and are posted online the following Thursday.

As you can see from what I posted a little bit further up in the thread, The Color Purple actually sold more this week than it did last week (the week it was released in stores), which is impressive.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 3:26am

Thanks! I'll correct the date.

Either way PURPLE and SWEENEY are selling quite well.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 5:55am

I surely don't buy every OBC cd that comes out, and most just fall by the wayside unless it is a "Hedwig" or something BIG I need a fix of. So, as I was browsing the music store the other evening, I saw it "Sweeney Todd" and I knew it had some material left out of this CD set, But I loved the show so much and it was packaged so well and, It was on a specil "New Arrival" Sale so I got it and am so glad I did. It plays very well on the ears and is as good as one remembers in the Theatre as well. I think I own all the Sweeney Todd's out there now. My next buy will be "Tick, Tick, Boom!" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"!

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/17/06 at 11:52am

Cast album rankings for the week ending Feb 11:

1. WICKED (Decca)
2. THE COLOR PURPLE (EMI)
3. SWEENEY TODD (Nonesuch)
4. JERSEY BOYS (Rhino)
5. MAMMA MIA! (Decca)
6. MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT (Decca)
7. RENT (Geffen - highlights on 1 CD)
8. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Decca - highlights)
9. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Decca - Complete 2 CD)
10.AVENUE Q (RCA)
11.RENT (Geffen - complete 2 CD)
12.LES MISERABLES (Geffen - Broadway cast highlights)
13.THE LION KING (Disney)
14.ANNIE (Sony)
15.HAIRSPRAY (Sony)

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 9:28pm

I hate how people trade cast albums online or just download them for free. It is very dissapointing and it hurts Broadway and that show. Why not just buy the CD? Is there a website that has Broadway CD grosses?

[morosco]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 9:41pm

Like someone else mentioned I miss the ability to actually BROWSE all cast recordings that are offered online. Whenever I would go to Tower or other such brick and morter I would flip though ALL the cast recordings from A-Z and would end up purchasing things that I hadn't planned on purchasing. I can't think of any sites online that allow me to browse each and every Broadway cd from A-Z like I could when I was in a store.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 9:46pm

Another question is:

When you buy an album at a store (wal mart, target, one of those) the day it comes out, even though the price is 10 dollars, does it bring just as much money in for the show or movie as it would if you bought it for 20 dollars at borders?