1. Creed has sold more records in the US than Jimi Hendrix
2. Led Zeppelin, REM, and Depeche Mode have never had a number one single, Rihanna has 10
3. Ke$ha’s “Tik-Tok” sold more copies than ANY Beatles single
4. Flo Rida’s “Low” has sold 8 million copies – the same as The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”
5. The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” is more popular than any Elvis or Simon & Garfunkel song
6. Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You” sold more copies than any Queen, Nirvana, or Bruce Springsteen record
7. Katy Perry holds the same record as Michael Jackson for most number one singles from an album
8. Barbra Streisand has sold more records (140 million) than Pearl Jam, Johnny Cash, and Tom Petty combined
9. People actually bought Billy Ray Cyrus’ album “Some Gave All” … 20 million people. More than any Bob Marley album
10. The cast of “Glee” has had more songs chart than the Beatles
via buzzfeed
13 Responses to 10 depressing facts about pop music
Paul June 20, 2012
Wow. 3 and 10 make me really unhappy.
N June 20, 2012
So? Thus is the nature of pop music and the audience that readily and rapidly consumes it. Also, comparing modern day sales numbers to historical acts from the 1960s and 1970s is a bit unfair. Just think about the way in which music is distributed now and also how much larger the market for pop music has grown in 40+ years.
music dude June 20, 2012
i guess this sucks, but does it really matter that much?
Chris June 20, 2012
It would be interesting to know what the population of the US market was during this time period. That might explain some of the trivial facts you present.
admin June 20, 2012
I agree, however all of the older classics are still just as available for sale as the newer stuff. You can buy the Beatles on itunes just as easily as you can buy any current pop music.
alan June 20, 2012
depressing yes but through the ages music has taken many different directions and marketing has expanded to other ways of getting music to the people (i.e. computers, television, internet, etc.) in the 60′s, 70′s even up to the early 90′s,you either had to have a huge record producer at one of your shows or send in a tape either way you had to hope that some one would pick you up. now we have American idol and America’s got talent and myspace and facebook, thousands and thousands of ways to throw out what people would consider a “pop” song. like i said depressing yes but its nothing to get into the up roar over its just a change in times and and with those changes in times comes changes in music tastes.
jeanette wagner June 20, 2012
Freddie Mercury has never won a Grammy…..
Jamison June 20, 2012
If you think about it, these facts make sense. As music has evolved, so have the methods for sharing it. The Beatles only had paper flyers, television, and word of mouth, no Internet, no Facebook, no texting. It just makes sense that songs are more widespread these days.
JohnnyOldschool June 20, 2012
Yeah, but here’s the thing: in 50 years, people will still be listening to The Beatles, Hendrix, and Queen. But if you mention the name Keisha, people will ask you who the fuck you’re talking about.
Michel LeGrisbi June 20, 2012
Completely different eras in music and how we regard our pop stars. Maybe the new stuff has sold more but it turns up in the pawn shop more. Perhaps the newer music has been downloaded more, it has also been deleted more.
Alex June 21, 2012
And yet, most if not all of these Pop successes will fade into irrelevance with time, while the Led Zepplin’s, Beatle’s and Bob Marley’s of the world will live as legends for centuries.
I think in the long run, we are doing it right.
kayla June 21, 2012
Music nowadays absolutely blows. Artists are attractive, not talented. If these “artists” tried to make music back in the 60s and 70s, they would be thrown to the curb and laughed at. Music requires no talent and the lyrics are absolutely outrageous. What happened to meaningful messages about peace, love, and doing what’s right? Now everything is about sex, drugs, and drinking. This is why 12 year olds are coming home pregnant and 15 year olds think that having sex all the time is okay. Music has ruined our world.
ttrr June 25, 2012
Please all,
don’t tell me you still believed sales numbers had any purposeful meaning.
I am not a bit affected.