Why Do I Find It A Little Surprising That Jagged Little Pill Was The Best-Selling Album Of The 90's?

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I read that today in the new york times. maybe i'm just a little surprised. i mean, i knew it was BIG, you know? it just doesn't feel Thriller big or anything. they say 13.5 million were sold in the u.s. in the 90's. if you had asked me yesterday what i thought the biggest album of the 90's was i don't know what i would have said.(maybe nirvana or something) she's putting out an all acoustic version of the album this year too. i didn't know that either.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

It's the biggest album of the 90's because people are stupid sheep with low standards.

she's putting out an all acoustic version of the album this year too

Yeah, `cos lord knows the world needs that.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

well it's still not thriller big

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

have you noticed how every commercial featuring a female singer doing an original jingle has the singer doing that affected-canadian-folkie alanis/ani voice? this is a phenomenon of the past, oh, five years.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

she's 14th on this riaa list. ac/dc are still ahead of her, alex, if that makes you feel any better:

http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topalbums.asp

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Best Selling Albums of the 90s in the UK

1. "(What's The Story) Morning Glory" - Oasis (1995) (4.2 million)
2. "The Immaculate Collection" - Madonna (1990) (3.6 million)
3. "Abba Gold Greatest Hits" - Abba (1992) (3.6 million)
4. "Stars" - Simply Red (1991) (3.6 million)
5. "Jagged Little Pill" - Alanis Morissette (2002) (3.0 million)
6. "Spice" - The Spice Girls (1996) (3.0 million)
7. "Talk On Corners" - The Corrs (1999) (2.7 million)
8. "The Very Best Of Elton John" - Elton John (1995) (2.7 million)
9. "Urban Hymns" - Verve (2.4m)
10. "Robson And Jerome" - Robson & Jerome (2.4m)

― Sven Bastard (blueski), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

who are robson and jerome?

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

and thriller still isn't eagles big!!! at least in the u.s.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

jody if you don't know about Robson & Jerome you are VERY LUCKY.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

i've never heard of them either.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
One of the stranger British pop phenomenons of the '90s, the duo of Robson Green and Jerome Flynn catapulted from television actors to music stars in 1995 with their slick covers of "Unchained Melody"/"White Cliffs of Dover," a double A-sided single that became the biggest-selling British single of the '90s. Of course, Robson & Jerome were essentially one-hit wonders, but they were of an enormous magnitude, out-selling artists like Pulp, Oasis, and Blur during the height of Brit-pop. Such grand success made them the target of derision for much of the music press, who criticized the duo's manufactured, polished covers of pop and rock classics as nostalgia mongering. And, to a certain extent, they were right, since Robson & Jerome not only offered nothing new musically, the two actors, who portrayed soldiers on the drama Soldier, Soldier, were designed to appeal to a nation that was enveloped by a swell of nostalgia surrounding the 50th anniversary of VE Day. Robson & Jerome offered just enough flair and charisma to make their pleasant, undistinguished records palatable and, for many, charming. Like most one-hit wonders, the duo's second album was a sales disappointment, although it sold respectably and spent a number of weeks in the British Top Ten. Nevertheless, they will always be remembered for the months that they ruled the charts in 1995 with their smooth crooning and unrepentant nostalgia.

Robson & Jerome would never have made the transition from television to music if it wasn't for Simon Cowell, an A&R executive for RCA Records. Cowell, who had previously been responsible for hit records by such novelties as Zig and Zag, Power Rangers, and World Wrestling Foundation, became convinced that Robson & Jerome were capable of becoming pop stars, simply by watching Soldier, Soldier. Previously, he had rejected the duo's fellow cast member, Denise Welch, as being unsuitable for a musical career, but he grew aware of the growing cult around Soldier, Soldier and once he heard of the positive response to Robson & Jerome's version of "Unchained Melody" on the show, he was certain they had star — and chart — potential. Cowell approached the actors, who were initially not interested in making a record, afraid that such a move would ruin their reputation as serious actors. After three months of persuading, the duo agreed to make a record, partially because of the enormous sales potential of the endeavor and partially because the career of Jimmy Nail proved inspirational in how he managed to act and sing simultaneously, without losing credibility.

"Unchained Melody"/"White Cliffs of Dover" was released early in the summer of 1995, and immediately shot to the top of the charts, where it stayed for weeks on end, fending off challenges from Pulp and Michael Jackson, among several others. By the end of the year, it had sold nearly two million copies, becoming the biggest-selling British single of the '90s. It was followed in the fall by "I Believe"/"Up on the Roof," which was nearly as successful, spending several weeks at number one. Toward the end of the year, the duo's eponymous debut appeared and it too went to number one. Produced by Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Nigel Wright, the record was a slick, commercial effort comprised entirely of covers, including versions of "Danny Boy," "Daydream Believer," "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore," and "Amazing Grace." As the choice of material indicates, the album primarily appealed to baby boomers, leaving the younger generation cold. Consequently, Robson & Jerome became the target of a number of attacks in the British music press, which had little effect on the group's sales.

Robson & Jerome delivered a second album, Take Two, in the fall of 1996. Like its predecessor, it entered the charts at number one, but it didn't stay there for long, as they were usurped by the U.K. pop phenomenon of 1996, the Spice Girls. Nevertheless, Take Two sold well enough to guarantee the duo a longer pop career than anyone would have initially expected, yet it did nothing to erase the impression that they were essentially one-hit wonders.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

no fences had sold 16 million as of 7/9/98, come on over was certified 20 times platinum as of last november but a good chunk of that would've come during this decade obv, last platinum certification for jagged little pill i'm seeing is from july 98 also and that's at 16 million too. so who knows between her and garth for biggest selling during the decade, come on over would seem to be the biggest selling from that decade though.

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

10. "Robson And Jerome" - Robson & Jerome (2.4million people's mums)

― coco, Monday, 7 March 2005 15:58 (twenty-one years ago)

ac/dc are still ahead of her, alex, if that makes you feel any better:

It does, yes, Scott, thanks.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Big sales rarely equals big quality.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:58 (twenty-one years ago)

For some reason, when I was reading Alex's posts to this thread, this image popped into my head:

http://www.clarion-call.org/yeshua/pudding/eeyore.jpg

I don't think I'm going to be recovering anytime soon.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

ok looking at the big list i'd bet almost definitely the bodyguard ost is the biggest selling during the nineties. i remember reading somewhere how nick lowe had made more off of a daft cover of 'what's so funny bout peace, love, and understanding?' being on that album than anything else in his career.

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Bodyguard OST is about 13th in the UK list

― Sven Bastard (blueski), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Jagged Little Pill gets unfairly slated a lot, it's not that bad an album. Certainly one of the better ones on the UK list (Oasis aaargh).

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

10. "Robson And Jerome" - Robson & Jerome (2.4million people's mums)
-- coco (coli...) (webmail), March 7th, 2005 3:58 PM. (link)

yr assuming that one person = one mum. Maybe that's 1.6 mil sales, taking the national average of 2.4 kids per mother.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:02 (twenty-one years ago)

and partially because the career of Jimmy Nail proved inspirational in how he managed to act and sing simultaneously, without losing credibility.

This is not actually true.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:03 (twenty-one years ago)

yr assuming that one person = one mum. Maybe that's 1.6 mil sales, taking the national average of 2.4 kids per mother.

-- mark grout (mark.grou...), March 7th, 2005.

or maybe 2.4 million people bought it for their mum, and some lucky ladies got two or three ...

― coco, Monday, 7 March 2005 16:04 (twenty-one years ago)

If memory serves me correctly, Robson & Jerome kept Common People from number 1

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

It's the biggest album of the 90's because people are stupid sheep with low standards.

Actually, I think I'm going to side with Alex on this one.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

where is that UK list from, Sven?

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

jody if you don't know about Robson & Jerome you are VERY LUCKY.

not that lucky -- the u.s. charts STILL got "candle in the wind '97."

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:20 (twenty-one years ago)

If memory serves me correctly, Robson & Jerome kept Common People from number 1

Yeah, just about every article / piece I've ever read on britpop goes to great lengths to point that out.

Alanis did totally own the mid-90s, it's most likely only because she fell off so quickly afterwards that we don't think of JLP as a Thriller-like phenom. See also: Hootie & the Blowfish

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:20 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah robson and jerome kept 'common people' out of the number one spot, i remember very specifically seeing the uk charts at the time (i was in iceland) and thinking 'who the fuck are robson and jerome???'; i still don't know really - have yet to hear a note: is 'the british michael bolton' too far off the mark?

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Heck, it's a good album. You Ourta no is great. It's the drop off that makes you laff about it.

xpost it is way off the mark, but its still in a green belt of no.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:23 (twenty-one years ago)

It's the biggest album of the 90's because people are stupid sheep with low standards.

Meh, I'm one of those stupid low standard sheep. Quality does not equal quantity but it doesn't exclude it neither. (Or either? I really do need to learn English one day.) Although I don't listen to it anymore, I quite liked it at the time. A decent pop album. *shrug* Whatever.

― nathalie barefoot in the head (stevie nixed), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:28 (twenty-one years ago)

JLP really isn't that good. "You Oughta Know" and "All I Really Want" are OK, I suppose, and the rest might bring up some nostalgic memories, but it's pretty annoying and way too precious. Not fun music.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

i like the singles off Supposed Former Infatuation Doowacky a lot more than the ones on the first album. am i alone?

― Sven Bastard (blueski), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I think "Uninvited" (off the City of Angels soundtrack) was her best, actually.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:33 (twenty-one years ago)

i actually like "thank you" a lot (not the video though).

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

and didn't trife post something a while back about liking "hands clean"?

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Most of her singles are really, really great.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

which was the video where she was ballroom dancing? that song was good too.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

"uninvited" was like the best unledded page/plant tune ever, i like the supertramp part of "thank you" but not so much the rest, i still use the phrase "head over feet" due to 'your face will stick that way' karma. "hand in my pocket" sounded as great the last two times i heard it as it did the first two times i heard it.

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Most of her singles are really, really great.

Oh Dan, do please try to get ahold yourself.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

which was the video where she was ballroom dancing? that song was good too.

"So Pure".

Not such a good song. Come to think of it, I really quite dislike Alanis Morissette.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:52 (twenty-one years ago)

But Mr. Blount you've only heard it one time.

Best Alanis moment ever even if it wasn't really her -- South Park, "Stinky Britches" video.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Wait, what about that Shania album? That's the best-selling album released in the 90s (it came out in 1997). And probably most of its 19 million came within the first three years of its release, right?

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)

certified 16 million december 99.

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Best Alanis moment ever even if it wasn't really her -- South Park, "Stinky Britches" video.

Why did I always think that was "Stinky Bridges"? Was I just too young?

And yeah, the video for that was great too.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I'd say that "You're Still the One" >> anything on JLP

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:57 (twenty-one years ago)

and it's not even the best hit off of come on over!

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Why did I always think that was "Stinky Bridges"? Was I just too young?

INFANT. Oh wait. (I'd think it was hard to miss the fact that Chef was singing "Stinky Britches" in the 'original' version!)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

certified 16 million december 99.

OK, then, JBR's right: Bodyguard was certified 17 million in November 1999, which makes it tops.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

shania's power ballads are so perfect.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Blount, would that "best hit" be, "Man! I Feel Like A Tendercrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch"?

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

let's go girls

― Sven Bastard (blueski), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

SO YOU'RE BRAD PITT

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Mutt Lange producing Alanis, woah

― Sven Bastard (blueski), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

haha if i ever meet ed norton i'm gonna sing 'that don't impressuh me much' to him

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

to Paris Hilton, "that don't ingest meat much"

oh wait...

― Sven Bastard (blueski), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

art carney?? (xpost)

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

What happened to Shania? Is she still around and as popular as ever, just not in any circles I'd notice?

I'd take her crossover stuff over Big and Rich or Gretchen Wilson anyday.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:05 (twenty-one years ago)

sor-ry! - edward norton

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

if i ever meet art carney i'll sing 'you're still the one' to him

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

hell yeah shania's still around!

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Whitney, Shania and Alanis make a pretty interesting 1-2-3. Was the '90s the first decade where the top 3 sellers were all women?

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Shania's new single is a new entry at No 30 ion the UK charts this week! I have not heard it.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

What happened to Shania? Is she still around and as popular as ever, just not in any circles I'd notice?

Didn't Up! sell up!wards of 20+ million (10+ million if you account for its 2-CD nature) (and perhaps s'more adjustment given she released a 2nd one-disc version of the album) (and didn't she release all 3 versions as separate discs, too)?

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Whitney, Shania and Alanis

a drug addict, a country-crossover diva sequestered away in the swiss alps, and a new-age psycho with a teenybopper past!

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I did love "Uninvited" when I heard it. I like the live version on some VH1 concert they used to show all the time even more.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Whitney, Shania and Alanis make a pretty interesting 1-2-3. Was the '90s the first decade where the top 3 sellers were all women?

i'm amazed they all beat Mariah

― Sven Bastard (blueski), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Mariah was a vote-splitter.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Best Selling Albums of the 90s in the UK

do the years in parentheses stand for the last time a copy of each album was sold?

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Monday, 7 March 2005 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

"So Pure".

Not such a good song.

listening again, and yeah you're right. i'll keep the chorus though.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

wtf? it's a great track

― Sven Bastard (blueski), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

not!

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)

"you from new york... you are so relevant."

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:27 (twenty-one years ago)

what's the one where she lists all her ex-boyfriends? it's was the followup to "thank you" i'm pretty sure

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Best as I can tell, top 5 sellers this decade:

Shania Twain, Up! (11 million)
'N Sync, No Strings Attached (11 million)
Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP (9 million)
OutKast, Speakerboxx/The Love Below (9 million)
Britney Spears, Oops ... I Did It Again (9 million)

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Jewel has sold 11 million records?

― latebloomer: my cats are wobderful (latebloomer), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:34 (twenty-one years ago)

The mid-nineties were a strange time.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Alanis outsold Matchbox 20, Santana and Hootie? Good for her, I guess.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

The antipathy towards Alanis kind of typifies ILM's paradoxial stance of all-embracing exclusionism; Britney gets a free pass because she's a robot created in a studio but Alanis must be burned at the stake because she doesn't know the meaning of irony, never mind that the only songs Britney's been associated with that even approachs the level of one of Alanis's singles are "I'm A Slave 4 U" and "Oops I Did It Again".

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm guessing the antipathy towards alanis from ilm is due to the 'typical ilxor' liking teenpop more than alt-rock!

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Best as I can tell, top 5 sellers this decade

You left out Norah Jones's Come Away With Me and Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory which have both sold at least 10 million. Also the Outkast gets double-counted: so it really only sold 4.5 million.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

i mean it's not like ilx rallies round the other glen ballard productions! they're hardly being aesthetically inconsistent there!

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Perhaps it is not a paradox at all, and you have just misunderstood why people like Britney Spears and don't like Alanis Morissette, Dan. Is that possible?

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

It's possible but you forget that I'm omniscent and always right.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, you're right, O. Nate, I was going by the Top 100 list on the RIAA site, which hasn't been updated in over a year.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

i mean is ilm liking "milkshake" and "show me love" but not freaking for "falling in love is so hard on the knees" typical of it's all-embracing exclusionism?

― j blount (papa la bas), Monday, 7 March 2005 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Blount OTM - I don't mind Alanis per se, but her singing's way too in-my-face & twerky for my tastes (at least on the first album), & her lyrics err on the wrong side of "meaningful falafel", so between that & Britney's precisely calibrated inoffensive robo-coo, I'll take the latter.

& this is the part of the thread where we all post about our specific preference for one or the other and totally send this shit into the gulch.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 7 March 2005 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

this is the part of the thread where we all post about our specific preference for one or the other and totally send this shit into the gulch.

Do that here instead.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 March 2005 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I'd say that "You're Still the One" >> anything on JLP

Easily.

Alanis may still be ahead of Shania in worldwide sales ... IIRC, Guinness credits JLP with ~ 32 Million sales.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Monday, 7 March 2005 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)