In regards to record sales of 120 million, as someone here mentioned a few months back, they HAVE to be counting single sales. There is no other explanation. The record industry is in a free fall and album sales (catalog and new) have dramatically dropped in the last 2-3 years. and considering BJ didn't hit the 100 million mark until "TYFR", this is the only possible explanation. . This has to be accurate because I remember reading a Billboard article in 2002 right before the release of BOUNCE how the record company was shooting for 8 million copies sold because that would have put BJ at the 100 million mark.
Needless to say, BOUNCE only sold 4,5 million worldwide and about another 1.5 million in catalog sales in 2002-03. Then TLFR came out and they hit 100 million with 2 million worldwide sales. Now since then, there are no numbers for the box set. But each disc counts which means that since the set sold 100,000 copies in America, it can/should be certified gold at 500,000 units. I say that we should say that since this is what was scanned in America, let's say 2 million were sold worldwide.
HAND I believe is at 4.5 million worldwide at this time.
Do the math and round up and you have 107 million records.
Now, let's say you start adding in singles. I know for a fact that US sales were good for "Always" and "Blaze of Glory". They each sold 1 million copies. Now, let's say each single from SWW and NJ sold 250,000 copies. 8 singles x 250,000=2 million.
Next thing you know we are at 111 million copies.
Begin to add in the thirteen singles the band released overseas between 1992 and 1996 and you have probably another 4 million.
Now, they may very well have begun to add in video sales, dvd, vhs, etc to come up with the 120 million. Basically, it's a bragging right and one I am sick of hearing about. You don't hear about any other act bragging about their record sales the way Bon Jovi does. It's almost as if they have to justify themselves. The only other acts whom I read about their record sales as much is Phil Collins/Genesis (over 200 million) and CHICAGO (over 100 million). In terms of validation and the RNR Hall of Fame that is not good company to be in.
xT
PS: Here is a rundown of worldwide album sales that Billboard published in either 2004 or 2005;
Bon Jovi (1984) 4 million
7800 (1985) 4 million
SWW (1986) 20 million
NJ (198
12 million
Blaze (1990) 5 million
KTF (1992) 10 million
Crossroad (1994) 19 million
These Days (1995) 8 million
Crush (2000) 8.5 million
OWN-Live (2001) 3.5 million (Please note band was awarded plaque's for 12 million records sold in 12 months for these 2 releases)
BOUNCE (2002) 4.5 million
tlfr (2003) 2 million
box set (2004) 2 million
HAND (2005) 4.5 million (based on interviews, Larry King, etc)
107 million TOTAL.
Add in singles, VHS, DVD sales and you prob come up with easily another 12-13 million.
06-16-2007, 06:21 PM
Bon Jovi #18 on Forbes Celebrity
