Elvis X-mas music should be a Diamond record award

[KPM]

I just took a look at Soundscan sales for the US this last week and Elvis sold around 65,000 albums which at an average of $10 a pop-gives Sony-$650,000 in sales-with little or no artists royalties going to Elvis. Look at the total sales for these Christmas compilations.
US (Soundscan) sales, as of this week:
• Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits - 4,564,178 (sold 3,643 copies this week)
• It’s Christmas Time (re-issue) - 1,193,842 (sold 14,245 copies this week)
• Elvis’ Christmas - 397,935 (sold 13,108 copies this week)
• Christmas Duets - 377,544 (sold 10,773 copies this week)
• Essential Elvis - 288,226 (sold 2,058 copies this week)
• Blue Christmas (re-issue) - 180,422 (sold 3,250 copies this week)
• Blue Christmas (digital track) - 291,913 (sold 10,367 copies this week)
1,193,842
397,935
377,544
180,422
291,913
2,441,656

Nearly 2.5 million in the last few years of new sales of the same Christmas music just repackaged and with different track listings from the 2 original Christmas releases. His original Christmas album is at 9 million-yet none of these sales count toward it-nor the 1970 Christmas release.
It only takes 10 million to reach Diamond status-this is a crime IMO

[Jungleroom76]

I just took a look at Soundscan sales for the US this last week and Elvis sold around 65,000 albums which at an average of $10 a pop-gives Sony-$650,000 in sales-with little or no artists royalties going to Elvis. Look at the total sales for these Christmas compilations.
US (Soundscan) sales, as of this week:
• Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits - 4,564,178 (sold 3,643 copies this week)
• It’s Christmas Time (re-issue) - 1,193,842 (sold 14,245 copies this week)
• Elvis’ Christmas - 397,935 (sold 13,108 copies this week)
• Christmas Duets - 377,544 (sold 10,773 copies this week)
• Essential Elvis - 288,226 (sold 2,058 copies this week)
• Blue Christmas (re-issue) - 180,422 (sold 3,250 copies this week)
• Blue Christmas (digital track) - 291,913 (sold 10,367 copies this week)
1,193,842
397,935
377,544
180,422
291,913
2,441,656

Nearly 2.5 million in the last few years of new sales of the same Christmas music just repackaged and with different track listings from the 2 original Christmas releases. His original Christmas album is at 9 million-yet none of these sales count toward it-nor the 1970 Christmas release.
It only takes 10 million to reach Diamond status-this is a crime IMO

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT KEN!!!

I suspect Elvis' Christmas music isn't the only music that should be considered for Diamond Award status. What about some of the ELVIS GOLDEN' RECORDS series and it's various re-issues?? Or ELVIS 30 #1 HITS?? Or Elvis' various gospel collections?

The only thing with the Diamond Award is...isn't that award given for 10 million copies sold of ONE PARTICULAR TITLE, not a combination of albums in one genre of music? (For example, his original Christmas album is at 9 million so he wouldn't receive an award for that album until he sold 1 million more copies, which of course it won't unless that album is reissued?)

Not only is it a crime, it's confusing!!!

TCB!
Mike

[KPM]

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT KEN!!!

I suspect Elvis' Christmas music isn't the only music that should be considered for Diamond Award status. What about some of the ELVIS GOLDEN' RECORDS series and it's various re-issues?? Or ELVIS 30 #1 HITS?? Or Elvis' various gospel collections?

The only thing with the Diamond Award is...isn't that award given for 10 million copies sold of ONE PARTICULAR TITLE, not a combination of albums in one genre of music? (For example, his original Christmas album is at 9 million so he wouldn't receive an award for that album until he sold 1 million more copies, which of course it won't unless that album is reissued?)

Not only is it a crime, it's confusing!!!

TCB!
Mike

Yes you are correct-even though all the music is the same-all they have to do it reissue it with a different combination of songs-and create a new cover and it is "new"
Same with the gospel music-there are only so many gospel songs on his gospel albums-How Great Thou Art, He Touched Me, His Hand in Mine and You'll Never Walk Alone-but they mix and match the songs from all to make a new release and the sales do not count to the originals-same music.
It is one of those things which really bugs me!

[Jungleroom76]

Yes you are correct-even though all the music is the same-all they have to do it reissue it with a different combination of songs-and create a new cover and it is "new"
Same with the gospel music-there are only so many gospel songs on his gospel albums-How Great Thou Art, He Touched Me, His Hand in Mine and You'll Never Walk Alone-but they mix and match the songs from all to make a new release and the sales do not count to the originals-same music.
It is one of those things which really bugs me!

Thanks for the explanation & clarification my friend!!!

TCB!
Mike

[Brian]

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT KEN!!!

I suspect Elvis' Christmas music isn't the only music that should be considered for Diamond Award status. What about some of the ELVIS GOLDEN' RECORDS series and it's various re-issues?? Or ELVIS 30 #1 HITS?? Or Elvis' various gospel collections?


Mike

Elvis' label claims Aloha from Hawaii has sold 10 million but it isn't counted because it doesn't meet the criteria of the RIAA.

I would also imagine that Moody Blue sold a lot more than it's certification indicates but RCA didn't keep very good records of sales figures or those sales figures were lost.

[Genie]

I'm with you all.... nothing so beautiful than Christmas music by Elvis (and Gospel)

[debtdbruno]

Elvis' label claims Aloha from Hawaii has sold 10 million but it isn't counted because it doesn't meet the criteria of the RIAA.

I would also imagine that Moody Blue sold a lot more than it's certification indicates but RCA didn't keep very good records of sales figures or those sales figures were lost.

It's a b*oody traversty............

[Jungleroom76]

Elvis' label claims Aloha from Hawaii has sold 10 million but it isn't counted because it doesn't meet the criteria of the RIAA.

Is that because the RIAA changed the criteria in 1975? If I remember correctly, up until then it was 1,000,000 copies sold for a gold record and 2,000,000 for platinum, right? Then in 1975 (or around there) they changed it to 500,000 and 1,000,000 respectively.

In my opinion, that makes the gold and platinum records that Elvis earned during his lifetime even more of an achievement because you had to sell so many more copies back them to achieve gold/platinum status!

I would also imagine that Moody Blue sold a lot more than it's certification indicates but RCA didn't keep very good records of sales figures or those sales figures were lost.

Yes that has been the problem all this time is the poor sales record keeping on RCA's part! Just imagine how many more awards Elvis might have received during his lifetime and even posthumously if RCA had kept better records...

TCB!
Mike

[KPM]

Is that because the RIAA changed the criteria in 1975? If I remember correctly, up until then it was 1,000,000 copies sold for a gold record and 2,000,000 for platinum, right? Then in 1975 (or around there) they changed it to 500,000 and 1,000,000 respectively.

In my opinion, that makes the gold and platinum records that Elvis earned during his lifetime even more of an achievement because you had to sell so many more copies back them to achieve gold/platinum status!



Yes that has been the problem all this time is the poor sales record keeping on RCA's part! Just imagine how many more awards Elvis might have received during his lifetime and even posthumously if RCA had kept better records...



TCB!
Mike

Actually for the Aloha double album it has to do with the albums total time length-they say even though it sold for the premium double LP price at the time it was released, there is a time requirement for double LPs-so the double album Aloha only counts as a single album.
The budget Christmas release in 1970 of the original LP sold around 2 million in a couple years-but the RIAA thru out those sales because they say the pricing did not allow them to be counted. IMO its a lot of Micky Mouse points which keep a lot of sales from being in the totals.
There at one time was a Silver award-which helped bridge the gap for some albums and singles-so the total sales would be reflected for less than gold status-but I think it was discontinued long ago.

[debtdbruno]

It's all so complicated

Why can't they make it easier to understand?

[Jungleroom76]

Actually for the Aloha double album it has to do with the albums total time length-they say even though it sold for the premium double LP price at the time it was released, there is a time requirement for double LPs-so the double album Aloha only counts as a single album.
The budget Christmas release in 1970 of the original LP sold around 2 million in a couple years-but the RIAA thru out those sales because they say the pricing did not allow them to be counted. IMO its a lot of Micky Mouse points which keep a lot of sales from being in the totals.
There at one time was a Silver award-which helped bridge the gap for some albums and singles-so the total sales would be reflected for less than gold status-but I think it was discontinued long ago.

Thanks again for the clarification!!! I actually do remember that now that you mention it, that the budget LP's couldn't be counted because they were budget priced albums...

I don't even remember ever seeing the Silver award...

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

It's all so complicated

That's for sure Deb!!!

TCB!
Mike

[KPM]

Thanks again for the clarification!!! I actually do remember that now that you mention it, that the budget LP's couldn't be counted because they were budget priced albums...

I don't even remember ever seeing the Silver award...

TCB!
Mike

You know now that I have thought about that-I think it was an inhouse award-not from the RIAA or it was a proposed change to the RIAA to bridge the gap to gold....I was tired when I posted that-but now I just cannot remember where I read about this....brain freeze.....

[Jungleroom76]

You know now that I have thought about that-I think it was an inhouse award-not from the RIAA or it was a proposed change to the RIAA to bridge the gap to gold....I was tired when I posted that-but now I just cannot remember where I read about this....brain freeze.....

You're forgiven my friend...

TCB!
Mike

[waymore44]

It is obvious that the RIAA is corrupt and really is no more important than the CMA (my favorite organization). It's as though that they are just dead set on not giving The King his due. They are too busy giving awards for SHIPPED albums to artists like Taylor Swift instead of giving awards to a man that invented it all....and actually SOLD his albums to get an award.

[Jungleroom76]

It is obvious that the RIAA is corrupt and really is no more important than the CMA (my favorite organization). It's as though that they are just dead set on not giving The King his due. They are too busy giving awards for SHIPPED albums to artists like Taylor Swift instead of giving awards to a man that invented it all....and actually SOLD his albums to get an award.

AMEN WAYMORE!!!!

TCB!
Mike

[Albert]

Can someone explain this:

Elvis signed with only two record companies EVER. As performing artist he should get paid for every single record (45"/33"/CD) with his work on it. There are no deals where you (as artist) would get paid less when your song is on a budget album, or more when the album is fullprice. The deals are simple 'per song sold'.

We know that Elvis had different royalties: publishing rights and many times a certain percentage of the songwriting and composing royalties (thank Parker for that). But we leave that out of the above question, because these deals may vary from song to song, and these rights may also be sold (like the publishing rights of the Beatles songs).

So if RCA was forced (by legal agreement) to pay Elvis for every Blue Christmas, The First Noel or even every other song that he recorded, despite the (price of the) record it's on: how come they can get away with 'we lost track counting'?

I don't get it...

[KPM]

Can someone explain this:

Elvis signed with only two record companies EVER. As performing artist he should get paid for every single record (45"/33"/CD) with his work on it. There are no deals where you (as artist) would get paid less when your song is on a budget album, or more when the album is fullprice. The deals are simple 'per song sold'.

We know that Elvis had different royalties: publishing rights and many times a certain percentage of the songwriting and composing royalties (thank Parker for that). But we leave that out of the above question, because these deals may vary from song to song, and these rights may also be sold (like the publishing rights of the Beatles songs).

So if RCA was forced (by legal agreement) to pay Elvis for every Blue Christmas, The First Noel or even every other song that he recorded, despite the (price of the) record it's on: how come they can get away with 'we lost track counting'? I don't get it...

Well since RCA bought all rights to future artists royalties for all recorded songs before 1973-after 1973 they no longer had to worry about keeping an accurate count to Elvis or Parker-they owed them nothing.
But as you said the estate still gets his publishing rights on the songs he owned and his songwriting percentages-but the label owes him nothing for his singing on those songs pre 73.

[waymore44]

**** that Col Parker!! Elvis really got screwed on that deal.

[Jungleroom76]

**** that Col Parker!! Elvis really got screwed on that deal.

THAT is the understatement of the year!!!

TCB!
Mike