Relatively young groups in Europe have won impressive sales feats with their latest albums
The only two rock bands to reach the top of the main album parade in the United States in the last 18 months are relatively young. And they have won this done in recent weeks.
Skeletánew record of Ghostand Even in Arcadianewly launched work from Sleep tokenthey reached different weeks, the first position of the Billboard 200 ranking. The sales numbers revealed by Luminate, responsible for the count, were as follows:
Ghost – Skeletá (first week numbers in the USA):
- 86 thousand units equivalent to albums sold in total;
- Of these, 77 thousand physical copies of CDs, vinyls and cassette ribbons;
- In turn, there was 12.5 million of streaming reproductions.
Sleep token – Even in Arcadia (first week numbers in the US):
- 127 thousand units equivalent to albums sold in total;
- Of these, 73.5 thousand physical copies of CDs, vinyls and cassette ribbons;
- In turn, there was 68.8 million of streaming reproductions.
It is worth remembering that a unit sold corresponds to:
- 01 PHYSICAL COPY (CD, vinyl, cassette tape etc), of course;
- 10 PAID Downloads Individuals of the same album;
- 1,250 streams of users paid music streaming platforms;
- or 3,750 streams of users free of music streaming platforms (when ad reproduction to the track).
Since November 2023 a rock album has not reached the top of the ranking in the United States. The last one had been One More Time…which marked the meeting of BLINK-182 with Tone.
Skeletá and Even in Arcadia It was also the first albums of “Hard Rock” – as cataloged by Billboard – leading the main record stop in over four years. In this more specific area, the post had previously been Power up (2020), from AC/DC.
Both still hit a considerable record: they had the biggest weekly vinyl sales of a hard rock album in the so -called “Modern Era” – since 1991, when Luminate began to monitor sales. First, Ghost managed to have 44,000 units sold in LP of Skeletá. Weeks later, Sleep token surpassed colleagues with 47,000 copies of the Even in Arcadia.
Ghost and Sleep token
Graduated in 2006 in Sweden, Ghost released their debut album, Opus Eponymousin 2010. The identity of its members remained secret until the middle of the last decade, when a lawsuit filed by musicians dismissed against the singer and leader Tobias Forge revealed the names of all. The group presents itself with fantasies: Forge assumes a persona of religious reference, as a kind of Pope, while the other members emerge as “Ghouls.”
The dynamic is similar to that of Sleep Token, which also comes up with fantasies and masks, but with the caveat that the band created in London in 2016 is anonymous. There are only two fixed members: Vocalist, vocalist and responsible for all Studio String and Keys instruments, and II, drummer. The others involved are tour musicians, also with preserved identity. Your first album, Sundowningcame out in 2019.
If the visual question brings Ghost and Sleep token closer, the sound drives away. Tobias Forge’s band has over time became an arena attraction, very inclined to the hard rock properly formatted for radios, with easy refreshes, sticky melodies and little relationship with traditional metal. Already the group of Vessel has a very experimental approach, merging alternative and progressive metal elements with pop, indie pop/rock, R&B and even electronic music.
Ghost Tobias Forge interview with Rolling Stone Brazil
A complete interview by Tobias Forge to Rolling Stone Brazil was published in full in the special edition printed Seu Jorge + Future of Music. The magazine is available on the Shop Profile website.
See this photo on InstagramA publication shared by Rolling Stone Brasil (@rollingstonebrasil)
+++ Read more: when Ghost intends to come to Brazil, according to Tobias Forge
+++ Read more: the appearance of the ghost that can end soon, according to Tobias Forge
+++ Read more: “We created a persona in the band so that they are not to be ourselves,” says Ghost guitarist about disguise
+++ Follow Rolling Stone Brasil @rollingstonebrasil on Instagram
+++ Follow journalist Igor Miranda @igormirandasite on Instagram
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
