"Grease" sales

[dawhite76]

I was hoping someone could provide the Soundscan sales information for the "Grease" soundtrack. The album has not been certified since 1984 (at 8 million). Yet, it spent 244 weeks on the Pop Catalog chart in the latter half of the 1990's including 52 weeks at # 1. It even sold so well around the film's 1998 re-release that it would have ranked in the Top 20 on the Hot 200 if it was eligible! It still periodically shows up on Billboard's 25 position Soundtracks chart.

Thanks for reading and for any information you may have!

[jenglisbe]

What label is the soundtrack on? I bet that album is at at least 15 million shipped, and it could be more like 20 million.

[stevie nice]

Yeah that's interesting since a quick google search lists a top 100 from Amazon.com which puts it at 8 million. At first glance, I would think that was 8 million 2 piece units, but I could not imagine "Physical Graffiti" at 15 million, being 15 million 2 piece units.

It was, for months in the late 90s, selling 20k + a week, and I would just make a guess and say this is at 17X platinum by now. I wonder why Polygram hasn't sent it out for certs. It was originally on RSO records, and I don't remember off the top of my head what was that labels downfall, but I don't think it was pretty, and that may be a partial explanantion.

[dawhite76]

The soundtrack is now on the Polydor label. (No idea what happened to RSO!) It's stunning that no one has paid to get this recertified. Doesn't Polydor want to boast that it may possibly have the best selling soundtrack of all time? I'm also surprised that neither Travolta or especially Newton-John has pushed for an updated certification.

[mst3k]

stevienice said:

It was originally on RSO records, and I don't remember off the top of my head what was that labels downfall, but I don't think it was pretty, and that may be a partial explanation.

Wouldn't be surprised if the whole Sgt. Pepper movie fiasco had something to do with RSO's collapse, although I'm sure there's more to it than that.

As far as Grease, major mystery as to why it's never been recertified. Even Saturday Night Fever (also originally on RSO) had its certs updated in 1999 by Polydor. Maybe we'll see something happen for the 30th anniversary in 2008 (I hear that's when Paramount will finally release a Special Edition DVD of the movie, to replace the crappy version they put out a couple years ago).