Appendix VIII : The Album Sales Update
Thanks to kglee for the 10/03 figures (from the KO BBS) and HEH from the Sludge boards for the 3/06 figures. Math errors by the author. Note, the first numerical column is a representation of the currently recognized RIAA certifications for each KISS album. These are hotly contested, particularly in the case of “Alive!” which is only currently recognized as having attained Gold status (500,000). One should also note that RIAA awards are based on shipment units. In the USA 500,000 = Gold, 1,000,000 = Platinum, etc.
The third column represents the SoundScan figure for the reporting period 5/1991 through 10/2003, or other date indicated within the first set of brackets. The fourth number is the accumulated SoundScan figure 5/1991 through 03/2006, thus for albums that had the majority of their sales prior to 1991 those figures are not reflected. The fifth column is the SoundScan figure from February 2007. The final column represents the rough number of units scanned in the period 10/2003 through 2/2007. Totals for each can be found at the bottom of the table.
Nielsen SoundScan “is an information system that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada. Sales data from point-of-sale cash registers is collected weekly from over 14,000 retail, mass merchant and non-traditional (on-line stores, venues, etc.) outlets. Weekly data is compiled and made available every Wednesday. Nielsen SoundScan is the sales source for the Billboard music charts” (Nielsen SoundScan PR). Additionally, it should be remembered that not all sales “scans” are reported to the SoundScan system as only reporting member’s can be counted.
Remember the old quote about statistics and lies? Well, take this data with a grain of salt. It is anything but all inclusive or “carved in stone,” and should be considered roughly illustrative at best.
| Title | RIAA | Oct. 2003 | Mar. 2006 | Feb. 2007 | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KISS | 500,000 | 163,593 | 172,000 | 174,000 | 10,407 |
| Hotter Than Hell | 500,000 | 145,680 | 152,000 | 153,000 | 7,320 |
| Dressed To Kill | 500,000 | 156,410 | 164,000 | 166,000 | 9,590 |
| Alive! | 500,000 | 235,643 | 254,000 | 258,000 | 22,357 |
| Destroyer | 2,000,000 | 530,886 | 568,000 | 580,000 | 49,114 |
| Rock And Roll Over | 1,000,000 | 172,373 | 181,000 | 183,000 | 10,627 |
| Love Gun | 1,000,000 | 182,359 | 191,000 | 193,000 | 10,641 |
| Alive II | 2,000,000 | 281,796 | 292,000 | 295,000 | 13,204 |
| Double Platinum | 1,000,000 | 481,613 | 506,000 | 510,000 | 28,387 |
| Gene Simmons | 1,000,000 | 28,160 | no data | 31000 | 2,840 |
| Ace Frehley | 1,000,000 | 37,542 | no data | 46000 | 8,458 |
| Peter Criss | 1,000,000 | 19,863 | no data | 23000 | 3,137 |
| Paul Stanley | 1,000,000 | 27,163 | no data | 33000 | 5,837 |
| Dynasty | 1,000,000 | 148,487 | 156,000 | 157,000 | 8,513 |
| Unmasked | 500,000 | 166,836 | 170,000 | 171,000 | 4,164 |
| Music From “The Elder” | n/a | 105,836 | 109,000 | 110,000 | 4,164 |
| Killers | n/a | n/a | 10,000 | n/a | n/a |
| Creatures Of The Night | 500,000 | 140,452 | 147,000 | 148,000 | 7,548 |
| Lick It Up | 1,000,000 | 85,856 | 90,000 | 92,000 | 6,144 |
| Animalize | 1,000,000 | 85,999 | 92,000 | 93,000 | 7,001 |
| Asylum | 500,000 | 75,845 | 80,000 | 81,000 | 5,155 |
| Crazy Nights | 1,000,000 | 87,433 | 93,000 | 104,000 | 16,567 |
| Smashes, Thrashes, & Hits | 2,000,000 | 778,134 | 804,000 | 810,000 | 31,866 |
| Hot In The Shade | 500,000 | 108,915 | 111,000 | 112,000 | 3,085 |
| Revenge | 500,000 | 591,586 | 595,000 | 596,000 | 4,414 |
| Alive III | 500,000 | 538,180 | 550,000 | 552,000 | 13,820 |
| KISS My Ass | 500,000 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| MTV Unplugged | 500,000 | 296,625 | 299,000 | 300,000 | 3,375 |
| You Wanted The Best | 500,000 | 328,197 | 329,000 | 329,000 | 803 |
| Greatest KISS | n/a | 388,512 | 392,000 | 394,000 | 5,488 |
| Carnival Of Souls | n/a | 165,384 | 172,000 | 175,000 | 9,616 |
| Psycho Circus | 500,000 | 475,141 | 479,000 | 479,000 | 3,859 |
| Detroit Rock City OST | n/a | 74,691 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Box Set | 500,000 | 121,383 | 139,000 | 141,000 | 19,617 |
| The Very Best Of KISS | n/a | 208,179 | 394,000 | 433,000 | 224,821 |
| Alive IV | 102819 | 133,000 | 134,000 | 31,181 | |
| Millennium Best Of Vol. 1 | n/a | 22,694 | 193,000 | 311,000 | 288,306 |
| Alive IV SDE | n/a | n/a | 17,000 | n/a | n/a |
| Millennium Best Of Vol. 2 | n/a | n/a | 64,000 | n/a | n/a |
| KISS Gold (1974-82) | n/a | n/a | 66,000 | 100,500 | 34,500 |
| Totals: | 24,500,000 | 7,561,051 | 8,164,000 | 8,467,500 | 915,926 |
Best selling “Originals” album, 2003-7 = “Destroyer” (49,114) Best selling non-makeup album, 2003-7 = “Smashes Thrashes, & Hits” (31,866). Ace still leading the solo album race...
OK, What does this mean? In reality, not a bloody thing. However, it is obvious that there will be more KISS compilations as they’re still selling. The “Very Best Of KISS” has sold a respectable 433,000 copies in the four year period noted (it probably *would* have attained Gold status, but has been deleted from Universal’s catalog). Even the “Millennium Collection Volume I” has shifted 311,000 units, a figure better than “Alive IV.” The sad reality for those who complain about compilation is that they sell. And serve a purpose.
Notes:
First "Detroit Rock City" OST figures from 9/99. First "Alive IV Symphony" figures from 12/03.