Thanks!

Yes, 40 Licks had impressive sales.
I always wondered why the Decca Record Company re-appeared on the sleeve credits
(UK and European) when I thought they were completely out of the picture.
Still, they claim a copyright along with ABCKO, Universal and of course Promotone.

40 Licks was released on a good moment, album sales on a high level, no digital market yet, low piracy levels, no Stones album in a while, a great and unique tour, etc
Sadly it was released at the same time of Elvis #1's album and missed the #1 even with impressive sales during the first week.

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GasLightStreet

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georgelicks
40 licks is out of print since late 2006 and is not available on download sites as iTunes too, the album was their best seller from 2002-2007 with over 7 million copies worldwide.
In term of sales we have:
1- Hot Rocks (15 million worldwide)
2- 40 Licks (7,5 m)
3- Jump Back (5,5 m)
4- Big Hits (5 m)
5- Through The Past Darkly (3 m)
6- Rewind/Made In The Shade (2 m)
7- Grrr (1.6 m)
8- Rolled Gold (1.5 m only in Europe)

Oh man! The two best comps aren't on that! SUCKING IN THE SEVENTIES and TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE!

SITS had to of sold at least 500,000 in 1981 alone... I know it's sold at least two more since then since I bought the original CD issue and the Virgin reissue...

Thanks for posting those numbers.

I recall at the time SITS had the unique status of being the album that broke the Rolling Stones continuous run of albums in the top ten. I think it only got to number 15.

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treaclefingers

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GasLightStreet

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georgelicks
40 licks is out of print since late 2006 and is not available on download sites as iTunes too, the album was their best seller from 2002-2007 with over 7 million copies worldwide.
In term of sales we have:
1- Hot Rocks (15 million worldwide)
2- 40 Licks (7,5 m)
3- Jump Back (5,5 m)
4- Big Hits (5 m)
5- Through The Past Darkly (3 m)
6- Rewind/Made In The Shade (2 m)
7- Grrr (1.6 m)
8- Rolled Gold (1.5 m only in Europe)

Oh man! The two best comps aren't on that! SUCKING IN THE SEVENTIES and TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE!

SITS had to of sold at least 500,000 in 1981 alone... I know it's sold at least two more since then since I bought the original CD issue and the Virgin reissue...

Thanks for posting those numbers.

I recall at the time SITS had the unique status of being the album that broke the Rolling Stones continuous run of albums in the top ten. I think it only got to number 15.

Yes, but only on a technical note of that alone. By default it's an album.

If they'd promoted it... maybe it would've done better. Chumps. It was a contract record. I don't get that. If it's part of the contract but it's not going to be promoted WHY BOTHER?

I'm glad they did because I love it but Keith liked to grumble about it back then.

Just shows that Rolling Stones Records was nothing but a silly name. It meant nothing. Especially since they signed a contract with Atlantic Records...

Hi Gaslight, Time Waits For No One wasn't released in the US or Canada so that would have been a huge effect on sales. In looking at the sales for Hot Rocks, of the 15 million worldwide, 12.5 million are from the US alone! Can't believe it wouldn't have sold more in the rest of the world.

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GasLightStreet

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treaclefingers

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GasLightStreet

Quote
georgelicks
40 licks is out of print since late 2006 and is not available on download sites as iTunes too, the album was their best seller from 2002-2007 with over 7 million copies worldwide.
In term of sales we have:
1- Hot Rocks (15 million worldwide)
2- 40 Licks (7,5 m)
3- Jump Back (5,5 m)
4- Big Hits (5 m)
5- Through The Past Darkly (3 m)
6- Rewind/Made In The Shade (2 m)
7- Grrr (1.6 m)
8- Rolled Gold (1.5 m only in Europe)

Oh man! The two best comps aren't on that! SUCKING IN THE SEVENTIES and TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE!

SITS had to of sold at least 500,000 in 1981 alone... I know it's sold at least two more since then since I bought the original CD issue and the Virgin reissue...

Thanks for posting those numbers.

I recall at the time SITS had the unique status of being the album that broke the Rolling Stones continuous run of albums in the top ten. I think it only got to number 15.

Yes, but only on a technical note of that alone. By default it's an album.

If they'd promoted it... maybe it would've done better. Chumps. It was a contract record. I don't get that. If it's part of the contract but it's not going to be promoted WHY BOTHER?

I'm glad they did because I love it but Keith liked to grumble about it back then.

Just shows that Rolling Stones Records was nothing but a silly name. It meant nothing. Especially since they signed a contract with Atlantic Records...

I didn't understand why they released it, to be followed just a few months later with Tattoo You. A cash grab maybe? The last two albums had done well so maybe they thought they'd just throw out some odds and sods to see whether it might do well.

Hot Rocks is #167 on the new Billboard 200 chart, it drops a spot from last week with sales at the same level, around 6k.
With this new rule (sales-streaming combined) and with US dates coming soon we can see more Stones albums charting this year.

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treaclefingers
I didn't understand why they released it, to be followed just a few months later with Tattoo You. A cash grab maybe? The last two albums had done well so maybe they thought they'd just throw out some odds and sods to see whether it might do well.

I don't understand why I didn't get this version...



I got this version...



Here's a funny article about the record.

Not on did the Stones happily release a piece of swill, they actually announced right in the title that it was a piece of swill, that’s how confident they were that the great undiscerning herd would go out and plunk down their hard-earned shekels for it anyway.

And by God, the Stones were right. Sucking in the Seventies reached #15 on the U.S. album charts, which should discourage all those do-gooders who believe that a clear warning will deter people from buying products that are deleterious to their health.

[www.thevinyldistrict.com]

Hilarious!

...the only thing I ever liked about the song was the part where I thought Jagger sang, “Give me a witness/I can suck a duck.” Imagine my disappointment to discover that what he’s actually singing is “All your sickness/I can suck it up,” which isn’t 1/50th as good and makes him sound like a fetishist who enjoys gobbling vomit.

Keith: That's just going along with record company demands and what's written in the contract.

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GasLightStreet

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treaclefingers
I didn't understand why they released it, to be followed just a few months later with Tattoo You. A cash grab maybe? The last two albums had done well so maybe they thought they'd just throw out some odds and sods to see whether it might do well.

I don't understand why I didn't get this version...



I got this version...



Here's a funny article about the record.

Not on did the Stones happily release a piece of swill, they actually announced right in the title that it was a piece of swill, that’s how confident they were that the great undiscerning herd would go out and plunk down their hard-earned shekels for it anyway.

And by God, the Stones were right. Sucking in the Seventies reached #15 on the U.S. album charts, which should discourage all those do-gooders who believe that a clear warning will deter people from buying products that are deleterious to their health.

[www.thevinyldistrict.com]

Isn't the top one the Euro version?

I have several copies of this, a couple of sealed 'promo' versions. I'm hoping I'll be able to sell in the future and finance a new car.

Alternatively, maybe I'll be able to use the money to buy lunch.

I have no idea if the original tongue sticker is the Euro version.

May Update:

Hot Rocks seems to be their best selling product again after all, this week is up to #149 on the chart selling close to 6,000 copies last week.
[www.billboard.com]

The album spent 5 weeks on the Billboard 200 this year, and reached the 250 weeks on chart since 1972 (it charted on 1972-73-74-75-79-80-81-82-89-90-13-14-15)

Hot Rocks on 2015:

17/01/2015: #166
24/01/2015: #167
25/04/2015: #195
02/05/2015: #194
16/05/2015: #149

Another week on the Billboard 200 for Hot Rocks (at #197) with 251 weeks on the chart.
[www.billboard.com]

Hot Rocks on the Billboard 200 in 2015:

17/01/2015: #166
24/01/2015: #167
25/04/2015: #195
02/05/2015: #194
16/05/2015: #149
23/05/2015: #197

Keith complained about SITS being released because of record label demands yet... what, Rolling Stones Records demanded a compilation and he's pissed about it? HA!

I was one of the people who bought Hot Rocks when it peaked in 2013

Another week on the Billboard 200 for Hot Rocks (at #179), an impressive 252 weeks on the chart since 1972 and the 7th this year, it looks like the general public discovered the Stones again with this album after all these years.
[www.billboard.com]

Hot Rocks on the Billboard 200 in 2015:

17/01/2015: #166
24/01/2015: #167
25/04/2015: #195
02/05/2015: #194
16/05/2015: #149
23/05/2015: #197
06/06/2015: #179

I did my part, I bought the clear vinyl version when it came out...haven't bought another copy this year though.

Maybe my support is slipping...

It sold 4,000 copies last week and about 70-80k this year, with the tour behind it could end up with sales close to 175-200k by years' end, its by far their best selling album and it looks like the only product that the general public wants from them, I can't see the new Sticky Fingers doing much, the most popular songs there are Brown Sugar and Wild Horses, both on Hot Rocks.

The cover is featured most prominently in their new intro montage, so the casual attendee knows what to buy. Smart move!

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GasLightStreet
Keith complained about SITS being released because of record label demands yet... what, Rolling Stones Records demanded a compilation and he's pissed about it? HA!

atlantic records was who they were under contract for distribution with, and must have been who forced it.

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treaclefingers

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georgelicks
Some Girls (10 m)
Tattoo You (8 m)

Then there is a bunch of albums all around the 5-6 million mark:
Voodoo Lounge, Steel Wheels, Goats Head Soup, Exile and Sticky Fingers

To extrapolate, no matter how much the diehards love their best albums, the wider audience see them as a 'singles' band.

I guess they really are a mix of both, sort of like the Beatles and to a lesser extent the Kinks and the Who.

By contrast Zeppelin and Pink Floyd are rather obvious 'album' bands that had a few singles sprinkled in.

well it also helped that zeppelin and floyd didn't have a true hits collection until the 90's. no choice before that but to buy the albums and they have far less albums than the stones so easier to get all of the albums

Hot Rocks went 179-130 this week with 6,000 copies sold, 253 weeks on the top 200.
[www.billboard.com]

Hot Rocks on the Billboard 200 in 2015:

17/01/2015: #166
24/01/2015: #167
25/04/2015: #195
02/05/2015: #194
16/05/2015: #149
23/05/2015: #197
06/06/2015: #179
13/06/2015: #130

Is GRRR selling at all? People might know of the stupid album cover than anything else. How funny that the first double LP hits compilation is what's selling the most now - and has been all these years anyway.

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GasLightStreet
Is GRRR selling at all? People might know of the stupid album cover than anything else. How funny that the first double LP hits compilation is what's selling the most now - and has been all these years anyway.

Grrr! is not selling at all, much less in the US, it was a popular European release but it didn't sell very much in the States, about 250k.
A good indication of the current sales (and they look very much as the official Billboard 200) is the Itunes chart, here are the Stones' sales right now on Itunes USA Top 1500:

136 The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-1971
349 The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers
359 The Rolling Stones Jump Back: The Best of the Rolling Stones '71-'93
1239 The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (Deluxe)
1379 The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet
1453 The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed
1465 The Rolling Stones Exile On Main St.

[www.livepopbars2.com]

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georgelicks

Quote
GasLightStreet
Is GRRR selling at all? People might know of the stupid album cover than anything else. How funny that the first double LP hits compilation is what's selling the most now - and has been all these years anyway.

Grrr! is not selling at all, much less in the US, it was a popular European release but it didn't sell very much in the States, about 250k.
A good indication of the current sales (and they look very much as the official Billboard 200) is the Itunes chart, here are the Stones' sales right now on Itunes USA Top 1500:

136 The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-1971
349 The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers
359 The Rolling Stones Jump Back: The Best of the Rolling Stones '71-'93
1239 The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (Deluxe)
1379 The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet
1453 The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed
1465 The Rolling Stones Exile On Main St.

[www.livepopbars2.com]

well look at that. no wonder they play warhorses.

Love that this classic double album is still doing so well. It's the second album I bought, after Emotional Rescue. I have many copies, including a couple of sealed, an original promo and the Shelley copy with the alternate Brown Sugar and Wild Horses.

Great commentary on their sixties singles that it's doing so well after all these years. It's the big 4, and Hot Rocks...that's the core of the stones.

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Turner68

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georgelicks

Quote
GasLightStreet
Is GRRR selling at all? People might know of the stupid album cover than anything else. How funny that the first double LP hits compilation is what's selling the most now - and has been all these years anyway.

Grrr! is not selling at all, much less in the US, it was a popular European release but it didn't sell very much in the States, about 250k.
A good indication of the current sales (and they look very much as the official Billboard 200) is the Itunes chart, here are the Stones' sales right now on Itunes USA Top 1500:

136 The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964-1971
349 The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers
359 The Rolling Stones Jump Back: The Best of the Rolling Stones '71-'93
1239 The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers (Deluxe)
1379 The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet
1453 The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed
1465 The Rolling Stones Exile On Main St.

[www.livepopbars2.com]

well look at that. no wonder they play warhorses.

One more reason for them not to bother recording a new record! Just keep touring the old songs and making that money!!!!!!!!!

Hot Rocks went 130-128 this week with 6,000 copies sold, 254 weeks on the top 200.
[www.billboard.com]

Hot Rocks on the Billboard 200 in 2015:

17/01/2015: #166
24/01/2015: #167
25/04/2015: #195
02/05/2015: #194
16/05/2015: #149
23/05/2015: #197
06/06/2015: #179
13/06/2015: #130
20/06/2015: #128

SF is expected to sell around 32-35k this week, that's almost a Top 10 entry next week.
In the UK, the album is #5-#6 on midweeks.