Why do best albums sell so much?

[raspberrygashes]

This has probably been posted before, but I just want to know why best albums sell so much. They're only songs you've heard before so why are they always the one's that get the higher sells, like with Ayu's A BEST 2?

Thanks in advance.

[AyuHamasaki01]

I SECOND THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe cause then you don't have to buy the previous album if your poor (no offense)?

[evolution7931]

I don't know but in Western countries they sell less than original albums

[namiie]

I guess because they appeal to people who aren't usually fans? Like, if I am trying to get into a new artist, I'll look for a best album first--because if people really don't know anything about the artist, they want to hear the best songs first right? And so they'll take the artist's word for it and go and buy the artist's "best album". If they like what the artist considers to be his/her best works, then they'll be more compelled to check out the artist's previous albums. In a lot of cases the "best" album is really just a single collection, so instead of spending $$ buying each individual single, people will want to just buy one CD with all of those singles already on it. Money is a factor too

[AyumiSEASONS]

I think it's because people tend to like the single tracks better than the album - so a best album has all the singles on it, thus for people buy it and get singles from multiple albums instead of buying all albums for the singles, and thus for saving money.

[slashess]

because usually only liek the artists commercial stuff, it's usually artist that have no-talent that sell more best albums because their other CDs didn't leave a big impression.

[Partino]

Originally Posted by evolution7931

I don't know but in Western countries they sell less than original albums

The Immaculate Collection [1990] sold 23 million times and GHV2 [2001] sold around 6 million times ...

Originally Posted by namiie

I guess because they appeal to people who aren't usually fans? Like, if I am trying to get into a new artist, I'll look for a best album first--because if people really don't know anything about the artist, they want to hear the best songs first right? And so they'll take the artist's word for it and go and buy the artist's "best album". If they like what the artist considers to be his/her best works, then they'll be more compelled to check out the artist's previous albums.

yuup ... that's the same way I got hooked up on Madonna with her Immaculate Collection well ... I was 6 ... so my mum had to buy the album for me but since than I'm a fan ... well that's almost 17 years ago .... .... I'm so old

[alt.total-loser]

Originally Posted by AyuHamasaki01

Maybe cause then you don't have to buy the previous album if your poor (no offense)?

I'm poor.

But yeah. namiie's post covers it.

[criminal]

Originally Posted by Partino

The Immaculate Collection [1990] sold 23 million times and GHV2 [2001] sold around 6 million times ...

It's true that The Immaculate Collection has sold more than the studio albums that preceded it, but Music, from 2000, sold 13 million worldwide, Ray of Light, from 1998 sold 15 million worldwide.
Another example is Mary J. Blige's Reflections - A Retrospective which has sold 2 million worldwide, while the studio album preceding it, The Breakthrough has sold 6 million worldwide.

[SKYia]

If you like the artist and buy regular albums you may not want to buy sth you actually already have with just new cover but still there are collectors who do that. However, if you're not a fan and don't have regular albums but still you like some songs of a particular artist that you've heard on tv before, then Best of it sth for you, as simple as that. First type of people + second type of people together make it selling better than regullar CDs, I also don't get why it usually doesn't work in the west.

[Partino]

Originally Posted by criminal

It's true that The Immaculate Collection has sold more than the studio albums that preceded it, but Music, from 2000, sold 13 million worldwide, Ray of Light, from 1998 sold 15 million worldwide.
Another example is Mary J. Blige's Reflections - A Retrospective which has sold 2 million worldwide, while the studio album preceding it, The Breakthrough has sold 6 million worldwide.

Ultimate Kylie [2004] sold 3 million times WW and Body Language [2003] only 1.8 million copies ... hmm .... I'm starting to having fun doin such things ... researching and comparing sales or discuss stuff around an album why it hasn't sold so much ...

[hamasaki_edwin]

i think because best album itself contains the best songs ever released...

[Impracticable]

Originally Posted by hamasaki_edwin

i think because best album itself contains the best songs ever released...

in Ayu's case that is 47 songs. XD

[fanmail]

Originally Posted by Impracticable

in Ayu's case that is 47 songs. XD

which is a big lie xDDD

[voltron]

Well I think it's in part that once upon a time people didn't have MP3 players. And not everybody burned their own CDs. So, you take all of people's favorite songs by an artist all on one CD so that people can take it in their car, walkman, stereo, etc. and only need 1 CD.

[extepan]

a collection is better value for money for an ordinary music buyer, because it has got more hits (hence more songs they know) than a regular album.

[Halla]

I think "best albums" are always sorta easy to find , the shops seem to stock up on them. and they keep selling for a long time & casual listeners who only like a few singles by some artist might opt for the best album rather than an all original album.