Sales Data & Stats

Is the Music Industry ‘Comeback’ Overrated? A Hard Look at the Latest Stats

November 20, 2019

Just a few short years ago, the music industry was contemplating its very existence. But is it time to get over the comeback celebration? For an industry that nearly collapsed overnight, the past few years h... Read More...

The Black Keys Explain How to Game the Billboard Charts and Get a #1 Album

Paul Resnikoff

October 9, 2019

Once upon a time, the band that sold the most albums topped the Billboard charts. Now, it's a totally different game. Here's a deal that the Black Keys decided to turn down. Appearing recently on The Joe Rog... Read More...

Tool’s ‘Fear Inoculum’ Becomes the #1 Album In the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and Belgium

Paul Resnikoff

September 8, 2019

After a 13 year hiatus, Tool is topping the album charts on multiple continents. Just last week, Tool's Fear Inoculum was drawing huge crowds at record stores across the U.S., with lines out the door at some... Read More...

Billboard Parent Valence Acquires Soundscan from Nielsen

Marsha Silva

September 8, 2019

With Rolling Stone's charts threatening, Billboard acquires Soundscan. Billboard parent company Valence is set to acquire Soundscan, Nielsen's music data and analytics subdivision. Billboard has long use... Read More...

U.S. Recording Industry Booms 18% to $5.4 Billion In the First Half of 2019 — Here’s the Complete Data

Paul Resnikoff

September 5, 2019

Source: Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Despite anxiety over a streaming slowdown, the US-based recording industry is still posting double-digit gains. This is nowhere near the U.S. recordin... Read More...

Taylor Swift’s ‘Lover’ Sells 1 Million Copies In China — Beating the U.S. (Updated)

Paul Resnikoff

August 30, 2019

Taylor Swift's Lover is absolutely crushing it in China. Update, Monday, September 2nd: We've now updated the piece to include sales figures from the U.S., as well as broader global numbers. Taylor Swift is... Read More...

Taylor Swift’s Lover Becomes the Fast-Selling Album of 2019 — After Just 48 Hours

Ashley King

August 26, 2019

Photo Credit: Urban Outfitters Taylor Swift's seventh studio album Lover has become the fastest-selling album of 2019 so far. The 18-song collection was released on Friday, August 23rd. In the two days since... Read More...

Apple Music Launches a Dedicated Shazam Discovery Chart

Ashley King

August 20, 2019

You might not recognize the chart-toppers on Apple Music's newly-launched Shazam chart. And that's exactly the point. Just this morning, Apple Music launched its Shazam Discovery Top 50 list, a weekly globa... Read More...

UK-Based Music Streaming Expanded 25.8% During the First Half of 2019

Marsha Silva

August 12, 2019

The recent biopic of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was promoted with a giant mural on the side of a building belonging to Mercury's former art college in West London in 2018. Bohemian Rhapsody quickly create... Read More...

Streaming Now Makes Up Over 63% of France's Recorded Music Revenue

63% of France’s Recorded Music Revenues Come from Streaming

Daniel Sanchez

July 29, 2019

French music industry trade group SNEP has published its mid-year 2019 report. Earlier this year, the National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (SNEP) revealed that digital revenue accounted for 57% of t... Read More...

Rolling Stone Launches Its Auto-Populating Music Charts — But Can It Beat Billboard?

Marsha Silva

July 3, 2019

Rolling Stone is finally set to debut its homegrown music charts — with designs to unseat Billboard. Billboard's charts and album/song rankings are — and have long been — used by the majority of music profes... Read More...

Why a DJ Khaled ‘Monster Lawsuit’ Is the Best Thing That Could Happen to Billboard — And the Music Industry at Large

Paul Resnikoff

June 11, 2019

photo: Willi Heidelbach Billboard's chart rankings are a beautiful mess. But what's the solution? There's something oddly satisfying about witnessing Tyler, the Creator topping DJ Khaled for the number one ... Read More...

Here Are Some of the Latest — and Most Significant — Sync Music Deals

“My Whole Source of Income Just Disappeared” — How Two Musicians Are Dealing With Cancelled Concerts

What Does It Take to Succeed In Songwriting? Surprising Lessons from Two Successful Sync Writers

How a Movie Score Is Really Made — According to a Top Hollywood Director

Want to Get Your Music Heard? It Starts With the Winning Pitch

Want Your Music In a Major Gaming Series? Meet the Guys Who Create Their Soundtracks

Artist Branding Isn’t Selling Out Anymore — But What’s the New Balance?

Meet the Artist Who Is Literally Saving His Fans' Lives — Our Latest Podcast

Meet Lady A, the Black Blues Singer Whose Name Got Taken by Lady Antebellum — Our Latest Podcast

Spotify Probably Owes You More Money — Here’s How to Get It (Our Latest Podcast)

How to Game the Billboard Charts (And Why You Shouldn’t) — Our Latest Podcast

Meet the Single Mom Cellist Who Makes a Living Off Her Music — Our Podcast Interview

How to Protect Yourself From the Copyright Trolls — Our Latest Podcast

Stop Chasing Playlists and Start Building a Music Career — Our Latest Podcast

BTS’s “Dynamite” Outsells the Top 50 Bestselling Songs in the US Combined

Taylor Swift’s Surprise Album Tops 1.3 Million Sales In 24 Hours

Taylor Swift Declared Best-Selling Global Artist of 2019

2019’s US-Based Streaming Music Market Was Larger Than the Entire Recorded Music Market in 2017

VR Headset Sales Drop Over 40% Compared to Last Year — Why?

Is the Music Industry ‘Comeback’ Overrated? A Hard Look at the Latest Stats

The Black Keys Explain How to Game the Billboard Charts and Get a #1 Album

Tool’s ‘Fear Inoculum’ Becomes the #1 Album In the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and Belgium

Billboard Parent Valence Acquires Soundscan from Nielsen

U.S. Recording Industry Booms 18% to $5.4 Billion In the First Half of 2019 — Here’s the Complete Data

Taylor Swift’s ‘Lover’ Sells 1 Million Copies In China — Beating the U.S. (Updated)

Taylor Swift’s Lover Becomes the Fast-Selling Album of 2019 — After Just 48 Hours

Apple Music Launches a Dedicated Shazam Discovery Chart

UK-Based Music Streaming Expanded 25.8% During the First Half of 2019

63% of France’s Recorded Music Revenues Come from Streaming

Rolling Stone Launches Its Auto-Populating Music Charts — But Can It Beat Billboard?

Why a DJ Khaled ‘Monster Lawsuit’ Is the Best Thing That Could Happen to Billboard — And the Music Industry at Large