UK Singles Sales Figures

Can everyone now please stop whinging about BMG and the lack of records available. No matter how many records BMG put on shop shelves they are not going to shift 40000-50000 a week, or 80000 a fortnight. Get real and stop complaining about lack of number 1's and associating this with BMG not putting disks out there. I love Elvis but these singles are simply not going to match releases of NEW songs by J-Lo, Nelly, Eminem, and this week Britney Spears. The best we can hope for is a break in the schedule of releases by current big name acts and get another number 1 on sales of 27000 approx. Call me negative, but I would describe It as being realistic. It must now have dawned on ALL that the number 1s we have achieved have been on relatively low sales. A remarkable achievement still considering how many different albums are already out there with these songs. Personally I hope the wonder of you gets there as that has become somewhat of a signature tune for Elvis, It also has a good but somewhat obscure B side in mama liked the roses which appeals to the general public as far as I know from non fans comments to me.

At last some sense. I totally agree with you, GeorgeM

Well said, GeorgeM. I couldn't agree more.Let's face, while it's a lot of fun to see the success of these singles, it is amazing that songs which are readily available in E1 and E2 can still sell so much as a single. I think Brit fans are having fun playing the numbers game with Elvis songs, and why not? Livens up the cold days of winter. Besides which, it's not about being number one: that's a silly American hang-up. A song is beautiful because of it's content, not because of a chart position. Get hung up on chart positions, and you lose sight of what matters about Elvis' music. Personally, I wuld rather have had the Label put out an intelligent compilation with a remix or two to bring on the new generation. I don't Elvis to become just a collectible (which is what these singles are about). I want him to continue to be a vibrant force in musical culture forever. That's not going to happen by re-releasing the same songs over and over again. There is SO MUCH Elvis material that the general public is not awarr of. Package it with intelligence, put it out there and promote for goodness sake! Unless of course, the game is still about the quick buck, RCA? Anyone recall that when Natalie COle wanted to do an album of her dad'd sonsg she was laughed at? Well she did and it was huge. "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" and other songs like it need to be marketed to showcase the genius that was Elvis. You can only sell Hound DOg so many times, people. GeorgeM is right. Let's use some good sense when it comes to Elvis and do right by the man's musical legacy. (:

Absolute rubbish. If you enter for a race you don't enter to come second third or anywhere else, you enter it to to win it. What was BMG's strategy do you think, to get Elvis in the top ten? I don't think so. They initially worked out how many singles it would take to sell to get Elvis to the top of the chart. They fell short of that with their production and they have admitted it, hence the increase in production. What has caught them out is the distribution side of the operation, namely, warehouses not shifting the product to the point of sale.Make no mistake, this effort has cost BMG alot of dollars and, like any business, they want a return. This opportunity to influnce the UK singles chart will never happen again save for a radical rethink and re-hash of Elvis's catologue. I hate it when people say well "he did well to get to no.3' or whatever. I know for instance that 'His Latest Flame'/'Little Sister' were two of his best releases to date and I find it very disappointing that the sales figures were low by comparison. Elvis is NOT should not be 'an also ran' in the charts.

Well, 3 out of 4 fans with brains ain't bad :-)

I've often wanted to post a message on here telling fans to stop complaining cos Elvis ain't #1 or whatever and that there's not enough records available, but thought I'd just get a bashing off everyone.

Unbelievable!! George M and the 3 out of 4, So your saying its ok that there is no stock of the current Elvis single to buy in the shops on the week of release and thats its quite ok that the following week they appear, get a grip on your senses people!!

Come on Lex and Lennon and George explain the point i made seeing as your all so understanding of this crazy way of releasing a single. Do you see this happening to anyone elses singles ever! Limited amount on the week of release, loads of them the second week, how on earth can you people agree with that!?!

His latest Flame did not stand a chance of getting to number one. As John said there was not enough singles available. I am surprised Elvis outsold Girls Aloud. Anyway I think we should all still be happy about the success Elvis has had in the charts this year. When the downloads from the internet sales come in which is the 10th April. I cant see Elvis getting very high in the charts with his last 3 releases

Pacer , still does not explain why the following week of release there are loads of the singles to buy but not on the week of release, as far as i can see no one has explained this !!

And one trying to compensate that high score...

The reason the shops have more copies in the second week than the first is that they are still playing safe and not ordering enough in the first week. This is to ensure that they are not left with unsold CD's which will have to be discounted in the coming months, losing them money. I would have thought that the demand for these singles over the past few weeks would have made them realise that they will sell a considerable amount in the first week, but they do not really care one way or another. The profit margin on singles is so small that it matters not if they sell a few hundred extra singles. The main items that these chains concentrate on selling are DVD's, computer games, and even mobile phones in some stores. The next time you visit one of these chains, look to see how much space is devoted to these items compared to the things that record shops used to specialize in, records! I'm afraid we have to accept the fact that they are in business to make money, not help us get Elvis good chart placings. Unless you live in a big city, on-line ordering is the only way to guarantee purchasing one in the first week and contributing to the race for the number one slot. With regard to shops being stuck with unsold copies, we all heard of the race to find the 10" vinyl copy of "That's All Right" which was a limited edition only sold through the HMV chain. What we did not hear was that they had vast stocks of the CD version left in stock, which have been in the bargain bins at all of the London stores for the past six months. Only the release of the new series of CD's has pushed the unsold copies of "That's All Right" back up to full price.

GeorgeM, Elvis got to number 2 with Are You Lonesome Tonight. Eminem appartently sold less than 1000 more singles that week to get to number one. This was the only week (so far) that I was not able to get my copies and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. If only more copies were available AYLT might have got to No. 1.

it is in a bad state that this great single one of elvis all time greats didnt get to number 1 . But lets be positive it got to number 3 and remember the time during the 60's and 70's didnt get anywhere .

eagle1, what are u talking about?

eagleone, your altitutde is still too high , come down for some oxygen mate. I do believe that His Latest Flame was a number one in the sixties, hence why it is included in the number one box set.. DOH!