Splinter's sales (moved posts from New Album thread)

[Superdope]

Anyway, the thing with Splinter is that Dexter feels it didn't do very well commercially.

What? what makes you say that? How would you know? Too many questions for you? how about if I gave you some more? would you like that?

no, seriously, why?

[DefaultNinja]

What? what makes you say that? How would you know? Too many questions for you? how about if I gave you some more? would you like that?

no, seriously, why?

I would like that indeed, sir.

And you're right, I thought I read that somewhere. Thinking about it, I'm wrong. I have no idea how Dexter feels about it, please disregard my previous post. :p

[Superdope]

I would like that indeed, sir.

And you're right, I thought I read that somewhere. Thinking about it, I'm wrong. I have no idea how Dexter feels about it, please disregard my previous post. :p

Disregarded ;)

[TheOldMark]

What? what makes you say that? How would you know? Too many questions for you? how about if I gave you some more? would you like that?

no, seriously, why?


Hi would you mind checking out the record sales numbers before questioning people statements several times? Because I think Splinter did the worst in record sales post-Smash. Dont have the numbers here in front of me but please check them out first.

[Little_Miss_1565]

Hi would you mind checking out the record sales numbers before questioning people statements several times? Because I think Splinter did the worst in record sales post-Smash. Dont have the numbers here in front of me but please check them out first.

That Splinter was not as much of a commercial success is fact. However, I think what he was taking issue with was the fact that he said that it's the reason *Dexter* was or was not particularly fond of it, without offering anything to establish that Dexter doesn't like it.

[Superdope]

That Splinter was not as much of a commercial success is fact. However, I think what he was taking issue with was the fact that he said that it's the reason *Dexter* was or was not particularly fond of it, without offering anything to establish that Dexter doesn't like it.

Exactly. Although I admit I was being quite rude. Sorry if anyone took it seriously. :o

That being said, even though Splinter sold badly does not mean Dexter hates it.

[ixnay04]

splinter went gold....over 500,000 copies sold

HOWEVER

...in terms of their other albums, splinter is one of the weaker albums in sales

[Little_Miss_1565]

Exactly. Although I admit I was being quite rude. Sorry if anyone took it seriously. :o

That being said, even though Splinter sold badly does not mean Dexter hates it.

A gold record should not EVER, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, be called "selling badly."

[jacknife737]

A gold record should not EVER, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, be called "selling badly."

Quoted for truth, I can't help but roll my eyes every time I read a comment here that says either CO1 or Splinter were commercial 'failures'.

[TheOldMark]

A gold record should not EVER, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, be called "selling badly."

Ignition went Gold too, according to wikipedia it sold 1.5 million copies world wide. I dont believe that figure is accurate but it did do very well considering it wasnt commercialized. By contrast, Splinter probably did about the same, and was heavily commercialized. So draw your own conclusion here. A Gold record is pretty good, no matter who puts it out. But for the Offspring, it is one of their worst selling records, and at that point of their careers, being an established band, having sold over 50 million units world wide, your seventh album should probably account for more than 2% of it to be considered successful.

[Little_Miss_1565]

Ignition went Gold too, according to wikipedia it sold 1.5 million copies world wide. I dont believe that figure is accurate but it did do very well considering it wasnt commercialized. By contrast, Splinter probably did about the same, and was heavily commercialized. So draw your own conclusion here. A Gold record is pretty good, no matter who puts it out. But for the Offspring, it is one of their worst selling records, and at that point of their careers, being an established band, having sold over 50 million units world wide, your seventh album should probably account for more than 2% of it to be considered successful.

Considering the erosion of the album marketplace by the time Splinter came out, compared to the boom times of the mid to late 90's for the recorded music business, having a gold record is still pretty effing amazing. Is the album at fault, is the marketing around it at fault, or is it the fault of all the music pirates out there that make it incredibly difficult to sell records in any serious numbers anymore?

You can't compare data in a vacuum. Compared to their total sales history perhaps Splinter's sales aren't up to that standard. But how is it fair to hold it up to rules that no longer apply in the new industry?

Regardless, Splinters sales numbers have nothing to do with the new album's recording. If anyone wants to continue this conversation, it'd be rad to do it in a new topic.

[jacknife737]

Ignition went Gold too, according to wikipedia it sold 1.5 million copies world wide. I dont believe that figure is accurate but it did do very well considering it wasnt commercialized.

Aside from what Little_Miss mentioned.... it also didn't go gold until after the release of Smash, where the band had a lot more publicity then they did when Splinter was released.

[misfit]

splinter went gold....over 500,000 copies sold



You mean only in USA,or worldwide?

I heard they sold over 500000 copies in japan...

[HeadAroundU]

Ignition went Gold too, according to wikipedia it sold 1.5 million copies world wide. I dont believe that figure is accurate but it did do very well considering it wasnt commercialized. By contrast, Splinter probably did about the same, and was heavily commercialized. So draw your own conclusion here. A Gold record is pretty good, no matter who puts it out. But for the Offspring, it is one of their worst selling records, and at that point of their careers, being an established band, having sold over 50 million units world wide, your seventh album should probably account for more than 2% of it to be considered successful.
50 million records? Last time I remember them saying more than 32 million. Well, American Idiot wasn't The Offspring's album.
Considering the erosion of the album marketplace by the time Splinter came out, compared to the boom times of the mid to late 90's for the recorded music business, having a gold record is still pretty effing amazing. Is the album at fault, is the marketing around it at fault, or is it the fault of all the music pirates out there that make it incredibly difficult to sell records in any serious numbers anymore?
American Idiot - 2004 - 15 million worldwide, maybe more. If it's big, it's big. It will sell no matter what.

[Blackball_]

Considering the erosion of the album marketplace by the time Splinter came out, compared to the boom times of the mid to late 90's for the recorded music business, having a gold record is still pretty effing amazing. Is the album at fault, is the marketing around it at fault, or is it the fault of all the music pirates out there that make it incredibly difficult to sell records in any serious numbers anymore?Maybe they hit a wall? Theyve sold an absolute shit load of albums. I cant think there will be too many people left in the record buying public that HASNT heard them? Maybe they already have pre-formed opinions on them. "They had that annoying song a decade ago, and that other weird song 15 years ago. Their new stuff will be annoying too! i dont think ill listen to them." Definantly not a reason to go from 10,000,000 to 4,000,000 to 500,000 record sales, but it does say something.

As for pirates and music downloading.. pretty fly was the most downloaded song ever (at the time.. 25million downloads) on mp3.com (which was a big thing back in the day) before americana came out. That obviously sold a lot. I dont buy the pirates ruining the record sales industry bit.

I think the fact it was a pretty crap album contributed to its poor sales. I dont think they would have made as many new fans with splinter than any other album. Wonder how many of the 500,000 had already bought one of their other albums? (most of them, i would guess) Might even have a solid case that ignition (sold before smash something like 250k?) made them more fans than splinter..

[Ninty Man]

Maybe they hit a wall? Theyve sold an absolute shit load of albums. I cant think there will be too many people left in the record buying public that HASNT heard them? Maybe they already have pre-formed opinions on them. "They had that annoying song a decade ago, and that other weird song 15 years ago. Their new stuff will be annoying too! i dont think ill listen to them." Definantly not a reason to go from 10,000,000 to 4,000,000 to 500,000 record sales, but it does say something.

As for pirates and music downloading.. pretty fly was the most downloaded song ever (at the time.. 25million downloads) on mp3.com (which was a big thing back in the day) before americana came out. That obviously sold a lot. I dont buy the pirates ruining the record sales industry bit.

I think the fact it was a pretty crap album contributed to its poor sales. I dont think they would have made as many new fans with splinter than any other album. Wonder how many of the 500,000 had already bought one of their other albums? (most of them, i would guess) Might even have a solid case that ignition (sold before smash something like 250k?) made them more fans than splinter..


I have a friend who has a little orgasm with Splinter... and I really think that is crappy.

I guess we can just buy the album, and get our best wishes to the guys. If they give us and to them a killer album, they will deserve success

[Little_Miss_1565]

Aside from what Little_Miss mentioned.... it also didn't go gold until after the release of Smash, where the band had a lot more publicity then they did when Splinter was released.

^ Exactly.

There was a lot more going on marketing wise for the other albums. Americana had that huge contest on TRL. The videos from Smash were all up in MTV's grill. The videos from Splinter didn't get much attention comparatively (there are also increasingly fewer videos shown now compared to then). Records no longer sell huge numbers in a vacuum. Green Day's videos got spun really heavily on all the video networks, they were all over all the radio stations, all over the press. Offspring didn't get nearly that attention during Splinter. But the record still went gold--and that's sales in the US only.

You cannot compare Splinter to American Idiot. They were in two entirely different situations.

[findout5]

They didn't really put out a first video that was an MTV type of video. Also, there wasn't that much promotion on the record...sooooooo it flopped. Duh

If they had made an Prety Fly / Original Prankster type of video, I'm sure it wouln'd be as big as those records, but It would have sold much more.

And if a band has 3 multi-plantinum albums and then gets a gold record, it's never a good thing!

Fuck it! They rule anyway! :P

[drex878]

Splinter also lacked a third U.S. single.

[cool 2 hate 681]

i think it would have sold a little bit better if it had no parental advisory sticker or edited version

[jacknife737]

i think it would have sold a little bit better if it had no parental advisory sticker or edited version

Mine doesn't have a PA warning on it... strange.

[Little_Miss_1565]

i think it would have sold a little bit better if it had no parental advisory sticker or edited version

There are certain record retailers that refuse to carry an album if it doesn't have an edited version or PA sticker, so having those versions actually helped sales I bet.

[TheOldMark]

^ Exactly.

There was a lot more going on marketing wise for the other albums. Americana had that huge contest on TRL.


Wasn't that Conspiracy of One? Roped in with the download the single deal..? November 2001 I believe. When Carson was still on TRL.

[TheOldMark]

Splinter also lacked a third U.S. single.

yeah exactly, all their other records except smash had 4. Da Hui doesn't count as a single - no commercial broadcast.