U2, Itunes, and Stryper

Saw a post by Michael explaining how what happened with U2 offering their new album on itunes for free, when Apple paid U2 100 million dollars for the rights, that it probably will have a negative effect on music and how smaller band will have a harder time existing because of it.

Some replied and said to Michael you cant say that if Stryper was offered 100 million dollars that he wouldnt have turned it down.
Michael said he does it for the love of music not the money. I also found out that NMHTP sold just 10,000 copies the first few weeks it was released. How is that possible when THWTD went plantinum or double plantinum. It can be because of file sharing. Stryper has a huge loyal fan base thats not just in the US. Up there I meant to type it cant be because of file share. Maybe just 10,000 physical copies not includding itunes and amazon or is that total sales?

Sales are down across the board. Not just Stryper but everything. I bought mine digitially and I am sure many more did too. Digital files do not account for sales.

I think Judas Priest sold around 38,000 copies the first week of release and it snagged a top 5 spot on the charts. That would be unheard of 20 years ago when 38,000 would probably not crack the top 40 sales. 

We’ve reached the halfway point of 2014, and right on cue, Soundscan has revealed its list of the best selling albums of the year so far (via Billboard).
Perhaps not surprising, the soundtrack for Disney movie Frozen — led by its chart-topping smash hit “Let It Go” — currently holds the top position. In fact, it’s not even close. The soundtrack has already sold 2.7 million copies, some two million more than the second best selling album, Beyoncé’s self-titled fifth album. Eric Church’s The Outsiders sits at No. 3 with 642,000 copies sold, with by Lorde’s Pure Heroine (641,000) and Coldplay’s Ghost Stories (589,000) rounding out the top five.
Now, for why this is all depressing: so far in 2014, just five albums have sold at least 500,000, compared to the 11 albums that achieved such a feat in 2013. Meanwhile, only 11 of the top 20 selling albums were released in 2014. Two albums — Bruno Mars’Unorthodox Jukebox and Florida Georgia Line’s Here’s to the Good Times – were actually released in 2012.
Also, there are no independent albums in the top 20. For perspective, Mumford and Sons’Babel, The Lumineers’ self-titled album, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ The Heist were indie albums that all cracked the top 10 in 2013.
Our friends across the pond, meanwhile, have several indie releases among their 10 top-selling albums of the year so far. According to NME, Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour, London Grammar’s If You Wait, and Arctic Monkeys’ AM all made the list. Coldplay’s Ghost Stories actually came in at No. 1.
As for America’s top-selling song, that accolade goes to Pharrell’s “Happy”, which has sold an astounding 5.6 million digital downloads so far. Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” is No. 2 with 4 million sold.
Top 20 Selling U.S. Albums of 2014 So Far:
01. Frozen soundtrack
02. Beyoncé – Beyoncé
03. Eric Church – The Outsiders
04. Lorde – Pure Heroine
05. Coldplay – Ghost Stories
06. Various Artists – Now 49
07. Luke Bryan – Crash My Party
08. Katy Perry – Prism
09. Various Artists – Now 50
10. Pharrell – G I R L
11. Imagine Dragons – Night Visions
12. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP 2
13. Brantley Gilbert – Just As I Am
14. Florida Georgia Line – Here’s to the Good Times
15. Bruno Mars – Unorthodox Jukebox
16. Rick Ross – MasterMind
17. Michael Jackson – Xscape
18. The Black Keys – Turn Blue
19. Various Artists – 2014 Grammy Nominees
20. Miranda Lambert – Plantinum

At this point in time for digital sales not to figure in any list of sales is just completely stupid.

You also have to take into account streaming services like Spotify and Pandora... that affects sales.