Billboard's Fred Bronson Discusses 'Gold'

[amit1234]

GOLDEN YEARS: Last week, it was Diana Ross & the Supremes' turn to return to The Billboard 200. This week, the Carpenters come back in a similar manner, as the 35th anniversary edition of "Gold" (A&M/UTV) debuts at No. 119. It's the first Carpenters title to appear on this tally since "Love Songs" went to No. 106 in May 1998.

"Carpenters Gold: 35th Anniversary Edition" is the 17th album by the brother-and-sister duo to chart. Their run began with "Close to You," which debuted the week of Sept. 19, 1970, ultimately peaking at No. 2. That gives Richard Carpenter and his late sister Karen an album chart span of 33 years, five months and one week.

The Carpenters only had one No. 1 album: "The Singles 1969-1973" spent one week on top in 1974.

 

[JAZZ4JEFF]

Isn't it hard to believe that with all the hit singles they produced, they only had one Number 1 LP? And a greatest hits LP at that!

 

[song4u]

Isn't it hard to believe that with all the hit singles they produced, they only had one Number 1 LP? And a greatest hits LP at that!

I remember in the 70's they called that that "Carpenter Curse". So many times they would inch up the top ten only to stop at #2.

 

[Harry]

CLOSE TO YOU went to #2, CARPENTERS went to #2, A SONG FOR YOU only got to #4, and NOW AND THEN hit #2. SINGLES got to #1. HORIZON and HUSH got to #13 and #33, respectively. After that there were no more placements in the album Top 40.

Harry
...looking it up, online...

 

[mr J.]

What's the difference whether an album was #1 30 years ago.An album doesn't have to chart at all,in order to be a bestseller."Christmas Portrait" has been a perennial bestseller for 25 years,and it never charted in the top 40(or even the top 100!).Whatever chart status an album had 30 years ago is absolutely meaningless.The only thing that matters is whether that album is still selling today.Most of the top 10 albums from 30 years ago are out-of-print today!I would also say that critical acclaim is far more important that chart status,when measuring an album's success.

 

[Harry]

No-one is suggesting that chart positions from 30 years ago have any significance to the world in general - other than a historical look at how the duo fared against the competition at the time. Those figures do have meaning here - at a fan site where such information is dissected, absorbed, and appreciated by most.

Harry
...hoping he's speaking for the majority, online...

 

[Jeff]

I would hazard to guess that you are speaking for the majority Harry. This isn't the first time you've put Mr. Man in his place.

Grateful,

jeff

 

[Mark-T]

I know the "#2" curse applied to the singles as well.
I just cant remember how many singles stopped at #2. Anyone remember?

Mark

 

[Harry]

Here's their singles chart history in ascending order:

Chart       
Pos   Wks   Title 
74   04   Beechwood 4-5789 
72   08   (Want You) Back In My Life Again 
68   05   I Believe You 
67   10   Bless The Beasts & Children 
63   06   Those Good Old Dreams 
56   05   Goofus 
54   12   Ticket To Ride 
44   13   Sweet, Sweet Smile 
35   10   All You Get From Love Is A Love Song 
32   14   Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft 
25   11   I Need To Be In Love 
17   10   Solitaire 
16   14   Touch Me When We're Dancing 
12   10   It's Going To Take Some Time 
12   13   There's A Kind Of Hush 
11   12   I Won't Last A Day Without You 
07   10   Goodbye To Love 
04   13   Only Yesterday 
03   13   For All We Know 
03   14   Sing 
02   12   Hurting Each Other 
02   12   Rainy Days And Mondays 
02   13   Superstar 
02   14   Yesterday Once More 
02   17   We've Only Just Begun 
01   17   Please Mr. Postman 
01   17   (They Long To Be) Close To You 
01   20   Top Of The World

So there were five #2's and 3 #1's.

Harry
...with the data, online...

 

[Rudy]

Are there enough "bubbling under" hits to make up a two-CD set?

 

[Harry]

The only "bubbling under" hit they had was "Make Believe It's Your First Time", coming in at #101 and spending 8 weeks on the charts.

Harry
...looking it up, online...

 

[Mike Blakesley]

It still amazes me that A SONG FOR YOU, which is by many accounts their finest LP, contains more hit singles than any other album, and came at their commercial peak, only hit #4! No justice at all. I think if the "Soundscan" era would have been in effect at the time, the results would have been different. "Carpenters backlash" was in full swing by the time ASFY came out.

 

[Murray]

It still amazes me that A SONG FOR YOU, which is by many accounts their finest LP, contains more hit singles than any other album, and came at their commercial peak, only hit #4!

Remember that the biggest hit single from the album, Top Of The World wasn't released as a single until late 1973, after their next album NOW & THEN had already run it's course. I Won't Last A Day Without You didn't see single release until 1974, after yet another album, THE SINGLES 1969-1973 had been released. Had these singles been released when ASFY was still the Carpenters current album, it may very well have charted higher than it did.

Murray

 

[Geographer]

Great list, Harry! Thanks. I've been looking for a concise, orderd singles chart list for a long time. Nice and definitive.

 

[Harry]

We aim to please.

Harry
...noting that this list had been posted in an earlier thread, online...

 

[PJ]

Gold #119 is a good start for a double CD set -always more difficult to promote against single disc collections / new albums

Importance of sales / chart entries is both for Artist(s) and Record Company -both are reassured by consumer sales -even classic acts need to recharge their fan base and companies with recent chart success look more favourably on future projects and in Carpenters case future rare / unissued material being supported

Critical acclaim is fine ....but most music makers want some sales to support their music and earn some financial rewards....

One hopes that Universal have noted that with good campaigns and promotion ....releases can be successful and impact on catalog etc ....after ignoring Singles 1969-1981 and not really promoting Essential Collection or Carpenters Perform Carpenter ....dare one hope for more support behind upcoming USA As Time Goes By .....

Peter

 

[Rockduo]

One hopes that Universal have noted that with good campaigns and promotion ....releases can be successful and impact on catalog etc

Peter

I agree. I even tried to do my bit by composing a Gold-ad graphic/link on my site's main page. (Anyone can copy it for theirs, too, if they want.)

Perhaps Universal should have a "add a link for this album to your site" section on its web site so anyone who has one can help spread the word, too. Plus it wouldn't cost them anything to do that.

,