John Denver's Record Sales Updated
Pamela Beasley
RIAA discovers 19 million unrecognized units in first count since 1973.
A month ago, John Denver's Greatest Hits was a certified gold album.
Today it is nine times platinum, according to the Recording Industry
Association of America.
No, the country isn't Rocky Mountain high.
RCA Records, Denver's longtime label until his 1997 death, finally
requested that the RIAA audit the singer/songwriter's catalog.
Michael Omansky, the senior vice president of strategic marketing for
RCA and a former friend of Denver's, spearheaded the project. According
to Omansky, the label had gone through so many changes during the
past two decades that some artists' sales figures had gone unreported.
He spent a year gathering Denver's data and recently asked the RIAA to
approve it.
"It was really just about recognition," Omansky said. "I started working
on a reissue program shortly before his death. When he died, it suddenly
wasn't uncool to like John Denver anymore and he started selling a lot
more records. John was a great artist and a great songwriter."
The RIAA found 19 million unrecognized units after researching how many
Denver albums have been shipped since the prior audit of his catalog in
1973. So when certifications were announced for the month of May,
Denver's albums were showered in gold and platinum.?
Denver's Greatest Hits, Volume Two jumped from platinum status to double
platinum, Greatest Hits, Volume 3 went from uncertified to gold and The
Rocky Mountain Collection went from uncertified to platinum.
Five Denver titles went from gold to double platinum: An Evening With
John Denver, Back Home Again, Rocky Mountain Christmas, Rocky Mountain
High and Windsong.
Certifying is a different process than tracking album sales for royalty
purposes, Omansky said, noting that Denver's estate and his publishers
have been receiving royalty payments for the sold music. In fact, he
added, an artist usually has sold more copies than are certified.
"John Denver's catalog is huge. It's a beast to stay on top of," said
John
Henkle, director of the RIAA's gold and platinum program. "But RCA's
efforts will pay off in that John will get the official recognition he
earned."
Denver, who died in a plane crash on October 12, 1997, was a gentle
performer whose many hits included "Sunshine on My Shoulders," "Thank
God I'm a Country Boy" and "Rocky Mountain High." His album sales in the
United States have reached 32.5 million, Henkle said.
Sundreme
other newsgroups I read is alt.true-crime and I had thought I'd clicked on it,
but I kept seeing all these strangely unrelated topics. When I first saw the
subject header of this thread, I thought...Well, what the HELL does this have
to do with true crime?<g>
Erica
Erica
Jeff Troutman
Well, if you're not a John Denver fan.....
Jeff Troutman
Sandy
>
>
>Jeff Troutman
>
>
Which you *are*...right Jeff?????
Sandy
2-60
Class of 78
Tiny Dancer
>John Denver Showered In Gold, Platinum Following Audit
>RIAA discovers 19 million unrecognized units in first count since 1973.
>
>A month ago, John Denver's Greatest Hits was a certified gold album.
>Today it is nine times platinum, according to the Recording Industry
>Association of America.
<snip>
Well, faaaaar out, man! :-) Thanks for the info, Pamela, does my heart
good to know he really was (and will probably continue to be) one of the
world's best selling artists. John was an original, good to know it's not
considered uncool to dig him, I always did.
Cheers,
TD
I'm sorry for the way things are in China
I'm sorry things ain't what they used to be
But more than anything else, I'm sorry for myself
'Cause you're not here with me
from John Denver's "I'm Sorry"
For a good time call
http://the70s.cjb.net
The Sesame Street Lyrics and Sounds Archive
http://i.am/tinyd
Jeff Troutman
>
>
Ummm....
Welll....
I liked him with the Muppets.
Jeff Troutman
Sandy
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>> Which you *are*...right Jeff?????
>>
>>
>
>Ummm....
>
>Welll....
>
>
>I liked him with the Muppets.
>
>
>Jeff Troutman
>
>
>
Pamela Beasley
You don't know how nice it is to read your words about "my man" John.
Indeed, John was one of the originals.
The fourth annual John Denver Week in Aspen, Colorado is being planned
for the second week in October. The number of people gathering in Aspen
for all the events honoring John has been growing each year.
Pam
Pamela Beasley
Jeff,
John was great with the Muppets......He was ahead of his time again
with these shows. He was berated by critics for doing these shows, but
now the list of popular artists who have worked with the Muppets is a
vitual whos-who of the music industry.
Pam