The Singles 1969-1973, Sales Figures?

[kc4eva]

Think this is my first post/thread on here!

Just wondering if anyone knows what the accurate sales figures for The Singles album are? I've looked all over the internet for them and only know that it went 7 times platinum in the US, but I'm more concerned about the UK sales figures because it was number one for 17 weeks over here and was in the charts for a LONG time I would've thought the album sold over 2 million copies in the UK considering its stay in the charts.

Lewis

 

[Harry]

I bought four of them...

Harry

 

[aaflyer98]

add the 33 1/3 album, cassette and 2 cd's bought by me.....

 

[Dave]

2 LP's, 1 8-Track , (which, Thank God! didn't break!) 1 CD... --Too bad they were used...!!!!

(But would they count?)


-- Dave

 

[Actorman]

According to the BPI database, Singles: 1969-1973 was only cerified as high as platinum (300,000 copies) in the UK but that was back in August of 1974!!! I'm sure it sold many, many more than that, but was just never re-certified. I don't know what other source to go to for UK sales.

But, since I was out there, here are all of the Carpenters' UK sales certification, in case anyone was curious. Date in parentheses is the date of the certification.

Albums (Silver = 60,000, Gold = 100,000, Platinum = 300,000)
Gold - Platinum (12/2000)
Love Songs - Gold (3/1998)
The Best of the Carpenters (Reader's Digest) - Gold (11/1997)
Interpretations - Gold (9/1994)
Only Yesterday - 5x Platinum (11/1993)
Live at the Palladium (Pickwick) - Gold (6/1990)
Yesterday Once More - Platinum (12/1984)
Voice of the Heart - Gold (11/1983)
Made In America - Silver (6/1981)
The Singles: 1974 - 1978 - Silver (12/1978)
Passage - Gold (3/1978)
Live At The London Palladium - Gold (1/1977)
The Carpeneters Collection - Silver (1/1977)
A Kind Of Hush - Gold (8/1976)
Now and Then - Gold (1/1976)
Horizon - Gold (6/1975)
Singles: 1969 - 1973 - Platinum (8/1974)
Top of the World - Silver (1/1974) (This is definitely listed as an album. Not sure what it is. Perhaps a UK-only compliation of some sort?)
Total = 1 multi-platinum, 3 platinum, 10 gold, 4 silver

Singles (Silver = 200,000, Gold = 400,000, Platinum = 600,000)
"Please Mr. Postman" - Silver (3/1975)
"Top of the World" - Silver (1/1974)
"Yesterday Once More" - Silver (9/1973)
Total = 3 silver

BPI (the UK equivalent of America's RIAA) was established in 1973 which is why no albums or singles prior to that year were certified.

 

[mr J.]

The 7 million certification that A&M did in 1998 would be the accurate figure for US sales-and probably about 90% of those copies were sold between 1973-1985.Sales of the Singles album dropped dramatically after the YESTERDAY ONCE MORE anthology was issued in 1985.By the time LOVE SONGS was issued in 1998,the fate of the Singles album was sealed.It wasn't a necessary album anymore.LOVE SONGS became the definitive single disc compilation.The Singles went out-of-print in 2000.

I agree with A&M's decision to delete the Singles album,and I think it should've been done much sooner.(I think Richard probably feels the same way-he's been very candid about his disdain for the album cover).Now that Karen is long gone and K&R's career is over,A&M has an obligation to market compilations that represent Karen's best performances and K&R's best material-and,A&M,to a high degree,accomplished that with "Love Songs",as well as the original "Yesterday Once More" package",40/40" and "Interpretations".

 

[Rick]

My guess is that it has most likely sold about 20 million copies worldwide. but that is only a guess.

 

[adam]

Hi

The Singles 1969 to 1973.

USA . No 1 for 1 week. Over 7 million sales by 1998. 7 x Platinum
UK. No 1 for 17 weeks.Sold over million copies by 1975. Platinum award for sales of over 300,000 copies by August 1974
Canada. No 1 for 1 week..Eventually certified Platinum
Japan .No 1 . 420,000 sales..Gold disc award
Netherlands. No 2. Gold disc award. Sales of 50,000

Does anyone know which other countries this Album charted in?. I know its The Best selling Carpenters Album .But what are total sales ?

 

[Harry]

I bought four of them...

...and now I have two more with the Japanese releases...

 

[adam]

Belgium. no 17
Austria. no 19

Hong Kong..Gold disc award .certified in 1978.
Denmark. Gold disc award. certified in 1976.

Also Singles 1969 to 1973 not released in Australia.

 

[Jeff]

My new book by Craig Halstead entitled CarpenterS ALL THE TOP 40 HITS lists all national and international sales activities. The most recent info included domestically provided dates to 1998. This may be redundant news I haven't perused each post. So USA stats albeit 17 y/o are:
THE SINGLES 69-73 April '98 at 7x platinum
CarpenterS April '78 at 4x platinum
SONG $ U April '98 at 3x platinum
CLOSE TO YOU Apr '98 at 2 x platinum
NOW & THEN " " 2x platinum
YESTERDAY ONCE MORE 04-'98 2x platinum
CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT 04- '98 platinum

 

[mr J.]

My new book by Craig Halstead entitled CarpenterS ALL THE TOP 40 HITS lists all national and international sales activities. The most recent info included domestically provided dates to 1998. This may be redundant news I haven't perused each post. So USA stats albeit 17 y/o are:
THE SINGLES 69-73 April '98 at 7x platinum
CarpenterS April '78 at 4x platinum
SONG $ U April '98 at 3x platinum
CLOSE TO YOU Apr '98 at 2 x platinum
NOW & THEN " " 2x platinum
YESTERDAY ONCE MORE 04-'98 2x platinum
CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT 04- '98 platinum

Christmas Portrait is approaching the 3 million mark.

Yesterday Once More- total sales approximately 2.8 million.

Close To You-approximately 3 million.

 

[adam]

Single 1969 to 1973 went on to sell 1 million 500,000 copies in UK by mid 1980s

 

[Aaron Moyer]

I'm surprised the US Billboard charts even let it have one week at #1.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I wasn't sure where to post this since we don't have an Official Thread.

Harry, did you want to ad this to the Resource site...A&M Promo Ad for The Singles 1969-1973 issued in Billboard Mag on Nov 17, 1973

 

[Harry]

http://www.amcorner.com/forum/threads/aotw-carpenters-the-singles-1969-1973.5584/

 

[Aaron Moyer]

I really love The Singles 1969-73 album. An excellent group of songs that just feels so right together.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

http://www.amcorner.com/forum/threads/aotw-carpenters-the-singles-1969-1973.5584/

Thanks, no wonder I couldn't find it.... that thread was 9 yrs old Ha...I just updated that thread with copy of promo ad as well.

 

[GaryAlan]

The Official Carpenter Web Site has this to say:
"There was a hugely successful album as well – a splendid compilation of ‘The Singles 1969-1973’.
Nine of the 12 tracks had already sold over a million copies when released as singles.
Yet the album still topped both the American and British album charts,
eventually selling over two million in the UK and clocking up over 12 million sales in America."

Source:
http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/biography-7.htm

 

[adam]

This is really a fab album.Carpenters at their best and their best selling Album.