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A question to early fans about album sales.


FemmeFataleBrit

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This is a great question.  I have been a fan for a long time and I remember when Oops came out, I knew that I was interested in the first week sales, and I bought Ooops the night it came out.  I went to a record store that was opening at midnight.  I remember knowing that NSYNC no strings was a huge first week hit and the anticipation was to see what Britney's first week sales would be.  I have a podcast, and have been researching the physical magazines, etc leading up to the release seeing what people thought of Britney's follow up.  JIVE knew Baby would be big, but I don't know anyone knew it would be as big as it was.  At the time the labels were promoting their sales and using that to entice new artists.  I mean, if you wanted to be a popstar would you go with the place that has a recently proven record...or one that hasn't figured out the "formula" yet.  The truth of the matter is, it's hardwork, talent and luck. But knowing that Britney was a popstar that looked like she could break records, more eyes would be on her and see how it impacts the recording industry.   I have an episode coming up talking about record release anticipation and how we went from Janet Jackson releasing 7 songs in 3 years from one album, to some artist album cycles with barely two singles now, because the industry has changed.  The other thing to think about, is when an artists breaks these records, if they only do 75% on their next album, people will consider it a failure even if that 75% is still higher than 90% of the artists out there.  Britney was breaking records, so all business eyes were on it in addition to the fans.

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1 hour ago, JamesRodriguez said:

This is a great question.  I have been a fan for a long time and I remember when Oops came out, I knew that I was interested in the first week sales, and I bought Ooops the night it came out.  I went to a record store that was opening at midnight.  I remember knowing that NSYNC no strings was a huge first week hit and the anticipation was to see what Britney's first week sales would be.  I have a podcast, and have been researching the physical magazines, etc leading up to the release seeing what people thought of Britney's follow up.  JIVE knew Baby would be big, but I don't know anyone knew it would be as big as it was.  At the time the labels were promoting their sales and using that to entice new artists.  I mean, if you wanted to be a popstar would you go with the place that has a recently proven record...or one that hasn't figured out the "formula" yet.  The truth of the matter is, it's hardwork, talent and luck. But knowing that Britney was a popstar that looked like she could break records, more eyes would be on her and see how it impacts the recording industry.   I have an episode coming up talking about record release anticipation and how we went from Janet Jackson releasing 7 songs in 3 years from one album, to some artist album cycles with barely two singles now, because the industry has changed.  The other thing to think about, is when an artists breaks these records, if they only do 75% on their next album, people will consider it a failure even if that 75% is still higher than 90% of the artists out there.  Britney was breaking records, so all business eyes were on it in addition to the fans.

Share the episode with us as soon as you release.

btw what’s your podcast ?

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People didn’t think she could do it, they kept calling her a flash in the pan. Fans were not united back then, only through fan clubs. So her success was just genuine pure demand of her album. Everything with her name sold out.There was hardly Britney albums on the shelf. Same with Nsync and BSB. People waited overnight in lines for oops. My family would go on shopping trips to boston two states over once a year and I remember spending $50 for a two disc stronger edition in a cool music store lol

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I was too young to really understand or care. I do remember too that Britney was considered the failure because it only went 5x platinum here in the US. The singles didn't perform well either but I know radio refused to play her because she was feuding with Clear Cast Radio over a touring deal and I'm not sure the were physically released but despite that they made huge impacts culturally through video. The songs performed well internationally though. Also she had become the huge touring act and it proved that even with "lagging" sales she could still launch a huge tour successfully. People want to see her. I remember I bought like a $20 version that had I Run Away and When I found You and almost died, companion DVD and the Vegas DVD.

In The Zone was considered a success because the albums singles charted really well. I even bought the DUALDISC and In The Zone DVD especially for the bonus cd. 

With Oops! I didn't comprehend how huge it was but I bought the McDonalds Cd with Heart and Girl In The Mirror and the Valentines Day Cd lol Anything I could find with Britney I had my little 12 year dollars out for and still do!!!

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I don’t remember sales being a big deal until Blackout was coming out and everyone wondered if she couldn’t continue her #1 debut streak. Fans were pissed about the last minute rule change that blocked her from breaking a record- tbh that was a bull**** call just to make her look like a flop and I’ll never forgive billboard.

After that is when the culture of caring about sales and positions really started. No one but record companies cared much unless their fav was #1

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1 hour ago, Bo Johnson said:

I don’t remember sales being a big deal until Blackout was coming out and everyone wondered if she couldn’t continue her #1 debut streak. Fans were pissed about the last minute rule change that blocked her from breaking a record- tbh that was a bull**** call just to make her look like a flop and I’ll never forgive billboard.

After that is when the culture of caring about sales and positions really started. No one but record companies cared much unless their fav was #1

I’m still salty about that too lol

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1 hour ago, Bo Johnson said:

I don’t remember sales being a big deal until Blackout was coming out and everyone wondered if she couldn’t continue her #1 debut streak. Fans were pissed about the last minute rule change that blocked her from breaking a record- tbh that was a bull**** call just to make her look like a flop and I’ll never forgive billboard.

 

 

9 minutes ago, Goten21 said:

I’m still salty about that too lol

The Eagles' album ( which was a compilation :jl_jamie_lynn_awkward_cringe_eek:) sold more, it was only fair. :shameless_blush_blonde_hair_stroke_proud:

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Like everyone said, I was too young to understand sales but I always knew everything Britney related was a big deal. Despite what media portrays her, she’s always been a big deal and everything she does gets attention. Oops album was a big release, I remember in school it was the must have album so I had to get it the week it’s released. 

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I wasn't worried about BOMT album's first week because I was young and not really paying attention to charts.  For Oops! I hoped she would debut big only because the expectations were there, but beyond that I wasn't concerned with album sales, nor did I follow up on how it continued to sell.  Also, to my understanding there wasn't as much buzz about high numbers pre-NSYNC, Brit, and BSB who took album sales to a whole new level.  Some artists who were big before the late 90's early 2000s era sold way less, but still were seen as successful and popular.  I think it was ITZ when I was concerned if it would debut number 1.  Before that she was the IT girl and anything she touched turned to gold, and even though she had so much buzz at the beginning of that era with MATM and the VMA's, there was that question of will she debut at 1 with big numbers again.  Obviously she did have big numbers, even though not as high as before, but it still proved she was the IT girl who wasn't going away.

So in summary, I knew the albums would be successful and most likely debut at number 1, because she was so popular that it seemed as if it was the only outcome that would happen.  Never occurred to me that she would flop with anything.

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So...I can’t speak for BOMT but when OIDIA came out we (11 year olds) understood it’s massive debut. I remember some friends not being able to get a copy for a while because stores couldn’t keep it on the shelves in the first few days of its release. She had made headlines for selling 1.3 million in her first week. 

That’s when I started paying attention to sales and my mom would buy me Rolling Stone because they always printed the album charts in the back of the issue. 

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The fact that The Third album Britney sold as much as it did the first week with a radio ban is Iconic in itself. 
 

also if Jive would have released physical singles to stores she would have a way bigger hot 100 record early in her career. And if Toxic digital sales counted it would have went straight to number 1 😭😭 so many salty things happened being a Britney fan lol 

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