Linkin Park Sells 536,000 More Albums Than Wilco; Civilization On The Brink
I am a complete dolt for taking chart performance personally, but I am play-in-traffic depressed that Linkin Park had the best first-week sales of any record this year with sales topping 623,000. Meanwhile, Wilco scored their second Top 10 debut as Sky Blue Sky debuted at #4, selling 87,000 copies.
I wouldn’t like Wilco any more or anyless if these numbers were reversed, but I would like all of you more if they were. I’d respect the opinion of the masses a whole lot more if there weren’t constant reminders that our collective taste sucks. Totalitarianism isn’t nice, but there are days I have second thoughts about its usefulness.
Peer pressure and best friends are supposed to prevent shit like this from happening. This is one of the most important duties a best friend has. I am not a very good person, but I am a valuable friend as I have saved many a person from making foolish music purchases. Conversely, my sage advice has helped many a friend and band. This would be the “carrot†approach in the whole carrot-stick scenario.
When the carrot fails, the fear of widespread disapproval, social death, banishment, deportation, scorn, mockery, and perpetual virginity ought to be potent enough forces to prevent the likes of Linkin Park from ever selling a record. No one wants to be all alone, agonizing as their naughty bits shrivel up.
There are some music fans who take great offense when one of their bands is discovered by more than 12 people. They consider it a badge of honor to be the only cool kid on the planet who knows about Band So-And-So. We call these people Pitchfork. *cough* Right, then, as I was saying… there is no virtue in hoarding great music to yourself. Great music is meant to be shared and great music isn’t determined by the sales figures.
Linkin Park is still shit, even if it did sell 623,000 copies. Wilco’s new record is fabulous even if did only sell a fraction of what LP sold. Unfortunately, sometimes the bad guys win in the real world. Linkin Park is living proof.
Filed under: Like I Need A Hole in My Head, Wilco
Linkin Park - Wilco
apples - oranges
totally not worth getting upset about.
Of course you’re right, Mark, and my anger is about as deep as ::wait for it:: a Linkin Park record. Like I said, it has no bearing on how I feel about either band. This was written mostly to amuse myself. Linkin Park is a roller coaster.
What, exactly, is the problem with Linkin Park?
Gray, we’re not likely to agree on this point if you’re having to ask that question.
i’ll play….here’s the problem, using my Linkin Park song simulator:
…the quiet part….the loud part….the quiet part…the loud part…the quiet part…the loud part…the quiet part….end.
that about sums it up.
you havn’t really put forth any solid evidence for this entry sadly. Wilco and LP are different bands entirely, and just because one is more popular does not make our collective taste, suck. Enlighten me however, so that maybe I would agree - because otherwise you seem to be ranting and raving with little purpose other then amusement.
Rama, I suppose I could try to write some software built with algorithms that would provide the hard evidence you seek but I’m not going to. That which is understood need not be explained. Linkin Park is prima facie suckass. What is it about Linkin Park that sucks ass? Their music is derivative and monotonous and their lyrics are vapid.
Linkin Park is an example of 623,000 counts of bad taste in music. Can I think of any others? Easily. In fact, there are almost too many to list. Bring me the Billboard Singles chart, for starters. Very little of what is popular is very good. That may be a coincidence, but I’m not going to take the opinion of the masses very seriously when I make my musical choices.
Wilco sucks just as much as Linkin Park.
Oh, good, an “I know you are but what am I?” response.
what you said in your response was perfect. that was all i was looking for: a reason. If you hate their lyrics and think its monotone, great. Thats reason enough to hate the band and the amount of records sold.
I don’t hate them because they are a refreshing addition to Nu-metal and replaced what was actually wrong in music at the time, ala Limp Bizkit, but to each his own.
i’d like to know, perhaps not necessarily with a comparison to Limpt Bizkit, what it is people see in the music.
i mean, i received the new cd and made it through about 5 songs, all of which sounds very much like the ’simulator’ i discussed above.
I think that the person who wrote this article has no idea what they are talking about. To compare two bands together one i have never even heard of(wilco) which is dumb. Secondly what the hell do you expect LP owns everything else, period. So all you LP haters can go suck eggs.
You’ve never heard of one of the bands and I’m the one that doesn’t know what I’m talking about? That logic doesn’t really follow for me Chris.
As for them owning everything else and eggs to be sucked… I guess that’s pleasant enough.
Rama, I guess if we were to compare between LP and LB I am going to side with you and take LP. LB was an awful band. For me, nu-metal was largely what was wrong with music at that time and LP is still in that vein.
Josh,
True enough, we won’t agree. I was just curious, as Rama was. I’ve heard many other detractors of LP and just wanted to know why you felt they were no good. And so, thank you, sort of. You mentioned a few things about them.
I dont’ know anything about Wilco. They aren’t, like, a country band or anything right? Cuz that name sounds country. And if you like that kinda music better than LP well, then, yeah, this would get bloody and all.
Gray, they’re not a country band. In their early days they were considered “alt-country” which means they did weave in some country influences but were far from an authentic country band. I live in Alabama. I loathe country music. Trust me… I wouldn’t touch them if that’s what they were.
They are, if I had to come up with some sort of label, an alternative Americana sort of band. They’re not easy to describe, but they are really good and this record is fabulous.
Josh,
As much as I love Wilco I would not suggest the current album (Sky Blue Sky) as an introduction to them. Someone who would listens LB would most likely be more receptive to YHF, Summerteeth or A Ghost Is Born. Don’t you think?
I meant Linkin Park.
that’s an interesting question s.rod. i mean, i suppose it depends on whether fans of a particular band stay close to the stereotype. i like listening to stuff like Neurosis and Dinosaur Jr….but can then switch to Edgar Meyer’s Bach cello suites. does that make me weird or somethin’?
wait, don’t answer that.
I’m not trying to introduce the LP-heads to Wilco, S.Rod. I’m not that brave or bored. I don’t care if Wilco sells 623k records, I just wish LP didn’t.
I think Sky Blue Sky is actually a very good introduction to the band because it has elements of their earlier and later work (you read my review. You know this! ;-))
Great article. I’ll be sending this link to most of my friends. Its good to see that someone else sees the sad state of music and public opinion in general. And really I was very happy that Wilco debuted at #4. Its a step in the right direction. Especially flying in the face of the record execs blaming bad music sales on music piracy, rather than horrible music being at the forefront of major label catalogs (Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne, Timberlake, Rap-flavor-of-the-month, etc.). This album leaked three months before release and was streamed in its entirety from their website. #4 actually gives me a little faith in America’s music taste in general. Better than the last few years. But it wasn’t always that way. The early 90’s was a great time for music. And the average music fan was given a lot more credit. You’d always hear music execs giving American kids so much credit. “They can smell a fake… Don’t want to be force fed music… Prefer innovation and integrity, etc.” There were so many bands to choose from. Then came the era where it seemed like the majors were just trying to see what they could get away with by force feeding the average listener (ICP, Eminem, Spice Girls, Marilyn Manson, Britney Spears, Hanson, etc). Hopefully that era is coming to an end. Underground music is experiencing a huge surge. There really is so much great music out there to enjoy. You just have to turn off MTV, and your Radio.
“Peer pressure and best friends are supposed to prevent shit like this from happening.” The best line in the whole article… Its imperative that friends dont let friends listen to Linkin Park or Justin Timberlake. And the funny thing about using those two bands as a prime example is that alot of Linkin Park fans hate Justin Timberlake, but I bet you anything given enough money, they would do a duet at the Grammys, or have at least thought about it. Another funny thing is the opinions of some of these LP fans, is that you cannot have a serious stance or opinion on another band if you havent actually heard of them. I believe the proof of this is in the quote ” I dont’ know anything about Wilco. They aren’t, like, a country band or anything right? Cuz that name sounds country. And if you like that kinda music better than LP well, then, yeah, this would get bloody and all”. People should expect more out of their music… Pop music has been following a snowball effect with a somewhat new sound coming out, and record companies signing as many bands that mimic that popular sound. But then again, maybe simplicity is what sells to the masses, with an exception here and there, such as Wilco. Good article.
Thank you, Eric and Brian, for reading and leaving the great comments.
There is great music being made today. It’s a shame so much of it goes unheard. Hell, I wonder how much of it I never hear about and I actively seek it out.
What the Fuck? You know what pisses me off about this whole thing? Everybody feeling there need to take everybody elses taste in music, and wipe there ass with it. There’s a reason music is so diverse. so people can listen too who they want…just because u like wilco better than LP doesn’t mean all 600,000plus who bought the album have bad taste…and calling LP Nu-metal is like calling elvis nu-music originally created by black people. They didn’t copy other artists they created there own genre a revolutionized rock music. The hybrid-theory may just be one of the best albums ever…and there new album isn’t far behind.The only thing that brings the album down is they changed there sound and Mike sucks at raping…if ur going to trash a band trash Fort Minor…because honestly it’s Crap!
David, you might have had a fair point about diversity and taste until you threw a band of your own choosing under the bus.
As to LP having revolutionized rock music, that’s just not correct. It’s wrong. Like them if you want — I think they’re crap, but I don’t have to listen to it so it’s cool — but they revolutionized nothing. They play with the same soft-loud dynamic so many others have used and they combine hard rock/metal with hip hop. That, too, has been done before. They’re not doing anything new. You can argue they do these things better, but they didn’t event them. They just didn’t. They’ve invented nothing.