NIZLOPI IS U.S. BOUND
Hi Keith,
You’ve answered many questions I have been interested in, but here’s one I really need to know.
My family and I have fallen in love with the song and video for Nizlopi’s “JCB.”
Some time ago I read that the act will come to the United States in 2006. Do you know if and when? Also, do you know whether their single and album will be released here?
Many thanks,
Christopher Crossley
Hello Christopher,
Nizlopi — a duo made up of Luke Concannon and John Parker — recently hit No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart with “JCB.” The song title refers to the manufacturer of construction machinery. The tune is a reflective, poppy, folk number about Concannon’s childhood.
While the pair’s album “Half These Songs Are About You” has not been released in the United States yet on CD, it can be purchased digitally via Apple’s iTunes Music Store. Nizlopi is aiming to tour America in 2006 and in March will play the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas.
You can view the must-see music video for “JCB” at jcbsong.co.uk and can learn more information about the duo at its official Web site nizlopi.com. ACCOUNTING ALANIS
Hello Keith,
I’ve been reading your answers for a long time and am really curious about Alanis Morissette’s album sales. I’m surprised by how they have decreased when she is still making such amazing music. Can you tell me the number of copies all of her albums have sold?
I would really really appreciate it. Thank you.
Jim
Washington, D.C.
Hi Jim,
It’s not often that an artist makes a splash as large as that of Alanis Morissette’s 1995 breakthrough, “Jagged Little Pill” (Maverick). People will always say things like, “Oh, she isn’t selling as much with her new album as ‘Jagged’ did.” But really, that was an extraordinary circumstance — an album that connected with so many different people, it became the must-buy CD of the year.
Now that we’ve put things in perspective, here is a recap of the U.S. sales of Morissette’s American albums according to Nielsen SoundScan:
“Jagged Little Pill” (1995; 14.5 million)
“Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie” (1998; 2.6 million)
“MTV Unplugged” (1999; 630,000)
“Under Rug Swept” (2002; 1.0 million)
“Feast on Scraps” (DVD/CD release) (2002; 73,000)
“So-Called Chaos” (2004; 456,000)
“Jagged Little Pill: Acoustic” (2005; 308,000)
“The Collection” (2005; 103,000)
“Jagged Little Pill” spent 12 weeks at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and earned Morissette four Grammy Awards, including one for album of the year. She has since won three more trophies. Additionally, both “Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie” and “Under Rug Swept” debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200. TIFFANY’S ‘SILENCE’
Keith,
Can you tell me what Tiffany has been up to lately? [The last I heard from her was] her appearance on the 2005 summer TV show “Hit Me Baby One More Time.” I even purchased her last release, “The Color of Silence.” It received great reviews, but I think I was the only person who bought it. What happened?
Thanks,
Sunny
Phoenix
Hi Sunny,
You weren’t the only person that bought “The Color of Silence.” But only about 15,000 others picked up the CD in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set was released in 2000 but went unnoticed by most music consumers.
Why did it not sell well? “The Color of Silence” was an independently-released album that really flew under the radar. Without a major label’s support at the time, it was clearly an uphill battle.
Also, Tiffany has a 1980s one-hit-wonder stigma attached to her, which she has been unable to shake off. Most only remember her for her No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit “I Think We’re Alone Now.” That’s despite the fact that her debut album “Tiffany” spent two weeks at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and sold more than 4 million copies in the United States.
But back to the present: Tiffany released a new album in 2005 titled “Dust Off and Dance,” which can be purchased via her official Web site, tiffanymusicsite.com.
