Simon Rushworth
It’s with a self-satisfying smile that we can bring you the news that two of 2008’s most hotly anticipated rock releases were ranked in the top FIVE sellers worldwide last year.
AC/DC’s Black Ice – not available via any download store by the way – was only beaten to the top spot by Coldplay’s latest and that, allegedly, features a riff very familiar to fans of a certain guitarist par excellence.
And Metallica’s Death Magnetic roared into contention at number five to stick two fingers up at all those who continue to turn their noses up at the greatest music this planet delivers.
But what of Guns N Roses I hear you say?
Well according to French agency AFP, Axl and the boys (and there are a few of them these days) could only limp in at number 14 after failing to shift the millions of copies of Chinese Democracy they had hoped for. Now Self Made Man, for one, will not be surprised that GNR’s return to the rock fray hardly troubled the scorers but don’t be surprised to see one of the best albums of 2008 pick up significant sales in the long haul.
In any event it’s unlikely any of this year’s rock and metal releases will match the performance of AC/DC and Metallica. Two of our favourite bands have never lacked quality and last year just happened to coincide with both experiencing a white hot return to form. Are we excited about seeing both bands live in 2009? Just a bit.
Anyway here’s the top 15 sellers of 2009 and can you believe there’s no Leppard or Whitesnake in there? Maybe you can if you’re under the age of 25.
Top 20 best-selling albums of 2008 globally, according to IFPI:
01. COLDPLAY – “Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends”
02. AC/DC – “Black Ice”
03. Various Artists – “Mamma Mia! The Movie Soundtrack Featuring The Songs Of ABBA”
04. DUFFY – “Rockferry”
05. METALLICA – “Death Magnetic”
06. LEONA LEWIS – “Spirit ”
07. AMY WINEHOUSE – “Back To Black”
08. Various Artists – “High School Musical 3: Senior Year”
09. LIL WAYNE – “Tha Carter III”
10. RIHANNA – “Good Girl Gone Bad”
11. MADONNA – “Hard Candy”
12. BEYONCE – “I Am… Sasha Fierce”
13. PINK – “Funhouse”
14. GUNS N’ ROSES – “Chinese Democracy”
15. BRITNEY SPEARS – “Circus”