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zengac

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Just in case I need some ammo to support my claim that this is the greatest band ever, what are some of the things they are credited for as far as album sales, concert attendances? Like for example, I read that when the Presence album was coming out, it went platinum in presale orders, making it the first time that that had ever happened. I know there is the concert record attendance and the fact that at one time, they were the only band to have 6 albums in the top 200 or something like that...

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First band to be able to physicaly beat the crap out of anyone who gets in their way, and be able to get away with it. (Bonham, Oakland 77 anyone?)

:-)

But seriously, it's true that Presence went platinum in pre-sale, but the business has since changed considerably. Not long after this, Kiss also released their four solo albums, which also went platinum on release. Trouble is, they stayed on store shelves and most copies were returned as unsold. But the hype continued to say "it was a hit, look, it shipped platinum." In fact, Presence didn't escape this phenomenon, because while the album did ship platinum and hit the top of the charts, it also quickly fell off the radar screen compared to their previous albums, because it didn't have "hits" on them. Fans bought it en masse when it came out, but that was it. In fact, in Hammer of the Gods, I think Stephen Davis wrote that Presence enventualy ended-up in record store bargain bins.

Following other similar flops, the RIAA, which certifies album sales, started compiling actual sales figures in stores, and NOT in pre-orders.

That system was of course flawed, because the actual tracking of sales was unreliable, and you couldn't trust the record company's numbers since they'd be known to inflate sales figures.

Tracking became more accurate with the advent of the soundscan system in the 1990s.

Edited by grandmeaulne
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First band to be able to physicaly beat the crap out of anyone who gets in their way, and be able to get away with it. (Bonham, Oakland 77 anyone?)

:-)

But seriously, it's true that Presence went platinum in pre-sale, but the business has since changed considerably. Not long after this, Kiss also released their four solo albums, which also went platinum on release. Trouble is, they stayed on store shelves and most copies were returned as unsold. But the hype continued to say "it was a hit, look, it shipped platinum." In fact, Presence didn't escape this phenomenon, because while the album did ship platinum and hit the top of the charts, it also quickly fell off the radar screen compared to their previous albums, because it didn't have "hits" on them. Fans bought it en masse when it came out, but that was it. In fact, in Hammer of the Gods, I think Stephen Davis wrote that Presence enventualy ended-up in record store bargain bins.

Following other similar flops, the RIAA, which certifies album sales, started compiling actual sales figures in stores, and NOT in pre-orders.

That system was of course flawed, because the actual tracking of sales was unreliable, and you couldn't trust the record company's numbers since they'd be known to inflate sales figures.

Tracking became more accurate with the advent of the soundscan system in the 1990s.

Shame. I love Presence and still think it's a good album.

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HHmmm...Let's see..even though Zeppelin did evolve from album to album..They never did "sell out" and each album contained very various songs...from country to rock to blues to everything else. They were Zeppelin until the very end, even their "less successful" attempts.

Ok here's one...They had the guts to make unplugged before MTV unplugged happened in the '90s with Zeppelin III. Very different and at the time very not welcome, now it shows a mature and very satisfying, fun record. Who would have known..

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I'll answer your question with a question-because I do not know if I am correct.

Weren't they the first band to have their own airplane with their name on it to cart them all over the world??

Maybe, but I don't think so.

Elvis had his own jet and named it after his daughter, Lisa Marie.

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First rock band to have all six studio albums (up to that point) in the top 200 US album chart after Physical Graffitti was released !!

They bested that feet after release of In through the out door,they had nine albums on Billboard 200 at one point

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Presence did NOT find its way into bargain bins. That's just more Davis rubbish. :rolleyes:

Hmmm. I disagree. I did see it as a heavily discounted album in record stores around 78-79.

Anyone has actual, verifiable sales figures for each album? I'm told LZ3 sold the least in their catalogue though.

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Hmmm. I disagree. I did see it as a heavily discounted album in record stores around 78-79. Anyone has actual, verifiable sales figures for each album? I'm told LZ3 sold the least in their catalogue though.

Interesting. I never saw it as a discounted album where I lived at the time. In fact it sold rather well over the years.

I guess geographics play a part as well.

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Presence did NOT find its way into bargain bins. That's just more Davis rubbish. :rolleyes:

My first two copies of Presence (1st LP, and then cassette) came from bargain bins. There was even a sticker on the LP shrink wrap that said 'Super Saver' or some such.

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Hmmm. I disagree. I did see it as a heavily discounted album in record stores around 78-79.

Anyone has actual, verifiable sales figures for each album? I'm told LZ3 sold the least in their catalogue though.

i NEVER saw this album in a bargain bin..i'd have bought a few backups if i had.

...i did pick up frank marino and mahogany rush live in a $3.98 bin once....

-The RIAA have certified Led Zeppelin's albums at 109.5 times platinum, total U.S

sales stand at 98.5 million and they are the only band to have had all their albums

reach the U.S. Billboard Top 10.

-The album Led Zeppelin IV is notable in that it sold 23 million copies in the U.S

alone (23x Platinum) which makes it the best-selling U.K studio album in the U.S,

and the second best-selling studio album of all-time in the U.S.

nothing on LZ3 though....

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Hmmm. I disagree. I did see it as a heavily discounted album in record stores around 78-79.

Anyone has actual, verifiable sales figures for each album? I'm told LZ3 sold the least in their catalogue though.

Of the first nine albums Presence sold the least but still around 5-6 million worldwide. Led Zeppelin III sold that amount and more just in the USA

Edited by euro
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