I'm by no means an expert in such matters, but U.S. sources are reporting that sales drops, while a bit steep, are within industry norms. (of course, that only applies to U.S. charts.)

It is fairly steep though....MX is number 3 on iTunes UK this week whilst Florence is still number 1.

^ Well yeah, but rankings like that are deceptive. If you look at the numbers, Coldplay sold a TON more than Florence the first week.

Of course, I know it did. But it seemingly doesn't have any staying power. VLV sold 100,000 more than MX did and in only three days (I know album sales have gone down) but it stuck at number one for a good 7 weeks.

It just lacks a headline single. Violet Hill and Viva La Vida singles did wonders for the album (I think it spent something like a total of about 7 weeks at number 1 here in the UK back in the summer of 08) but Every Teardrop and Paradise are very pale in comparison. I actually love Paradise now, but there's no denying that those two singles just sound as generic as anything in the charts today. Violet Hill and Viva La Vida were different in that they stood out in the charts as big headline songs.

Well, VLV was a better album (subjective, I know). Plus, its single was better and the sales reflected that.

 

EDIT: What the guy above me said.

Well, VLV was a better album (subjective, I know). Plus, its single was better and the sales reflected that.

 

 

Well I won't argue with that :)

To be honest, I think sales would be a lot better if Charlie Brown was the single. Paradise was a bad choice. I don't think they would have been as good as VLV, but they would have been better. :nod:

I agree completely! Paradise was an extremely poor choice of single (coughaswellasanextremelypoorsongfullstopimocough)

Charlie Brown Should've been the first single, Hurts Like Heaven the second single. That Said, I totally understand why the chose ETDIAWF before the summer festivals as it totally fit the tone of that type of tour.

Of course, I know it did. But it seemingly doesn't have any staying power. VLV sold 100,000 more than MX did and in only three days (I know album sales have gone down) but it stuck at number one for a good 7 weeks.

 

 

Fair enough, though I think you can't understate the huge extent to which album sales have gone down. MX is still on track to be the highest selling rock album since No Line on the Horizon (which was itself regarded as something of a commercial disappointment despite actually selling fairly well.)

Sorry for the triple post, but I was searching to try to get cumulative worldwide numbers for MX, and found this article instead. It's fairly interesting:

 

http://www.huliq.com/12092/coldplays-mylo-xyloto-debuts-no-1-pulls-all-bands-albums-charts

 

I guess that's at least 1 bright spot. :happy:

 

EDIT: All 5 are also on the UK top 100.

UK midweek album chart. Number 5 :confused:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/update/albums

 

It does make me feel better that Florence is being knocked off by Susan Boyle though :P

UK midweek album chart. Number 5 :confused:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/update/albums

 

It does make me feel better that Florence is being knocked off by Susan Boyle though :P

 

 

IDK, it's not as bad as it could be considering that some reports pegged them as likely to drop down way more than that.

 

And I quite like Florence and the Machine actually. ;)

Me too! :D I didn't mean that in a negative way against them. More Susan Boyle, was just a joke :P

Charlie Brown Should've been the first single, Hurts Like Heaven the second single. That Said, I totally understand why the chose ETDIAWF before the summer festivals as it totally fit the tone of that type of tour.

 

DLIBYH should've been the first single.

DLIBYH should've been the first single.

 

 

It's a great song, but I don't know if it's "single" material.

DLIBYH is defo not single material. charlie brown shouldve been the first single. Paradise and ETIAW just dont cut it for me

I think Paradise made a good single, just not following ETIAW - they seem too similar to me. That's why I'm praying that PoC is not next. I feel those three songs totally misrepresent the album as a whole - they are just the most commercial songs. Plus I still feel ETIAW didn't need to be a single. It's an ok song, but Paradise is better overall and really grows on you. Charlie Brown should have been the first single, then Paradise...

I think Paradise made a good single, just not following ETIAW - they seem too similar to me. That's why I'm praying that PoC is not next. I feel those three songs totally misrepresent the album as a whole - they are just the most commercial songs. Plus I still feel ETIAW didn't need to be a single. It's an ok song, but Paradise is better overall and really grows on you. Charlie Brown should have been the first single, then Paradise...

 

I think ETIAW is fine but i do think this should be the single relases:

In order

 

1. HLH ( its really single worthy!!!)

2. CB

3. POC

4. UIF/DLIBYH ( its single worthy its in the league of GPASUYF)

Coldplays album has taken a bit of a tumble down the UK charts to number 6. my prediction is that this is the last week it will be in the top 10

If it falls at it's current rate, it should be 9 or 10 next week, so it likely has at least 1 more week in the top 10 (unless it goes up, which is always possible.)

 

To put things in perspective though, MX is already at Platinum levels in several counties, and gold in several more, so it's not exactly doing poorly, just maybe not as well as people would have hoped. It kind of reminds me of Oasis, whose albums always sold well, just not at the phenomenal levels of their first 3, and thus were often perceived as doing poorly.

Ah but that's mostly because the quality had dipped (which to be fair could be the problem here)

 

It would be useful if they'd do some more promotion here (ala Chris' extremely well received stints on Howard Stern, SNL and Jimmy Fallon in the US, where I wouldn't be surprised if MX went up a place or two) and perhaps released Charlie Brown to radio.

 

All we've had here is Jonathan Ross with no interview, Jools Holland which has quite a niche viewing and few radio interviews, mostly on digital radio stations.

Ah but that's mostly because the quality had dipped (which to be fair could be the problem here)

 

It would be useful if they'd do some more promotion here (ala Chris' extremely well received stints on Howard Stern, SNL and Jimmy Fallon in the US, where I wouldn't be surprised if MX went up a place or two) and perhaps released Charlie Brown to radio.

 

All we've had here is Jonathan Ross with no interview, Jools Holland which has quite a niche viewing and few radio interviews, mostly on digital radio stations.

 

 

Quality dipping is often more a case of the newness of a band wearing off, as opposed to anything to do with the music itself (although it could certainly mean the quality has dipped too.) At the age and stage of their career Coldplay are at now, their never going to be the "hot new band of the moment" again, but that's a normal progression.

I guess the promo is paying off here in the States, as MX is now #1 on iTunes again.