Album sales reflect rock favored over teen pop

Linkin Park's "Hybrid Theory" sold 4.8 million copies last year, knocking teen pop off its perch. Associated Press library photo • September 2001

By Nekesa Mumbymoody
Associated Press

NEW YORK — Rock overtook teen pop on top of the album sales chart last year, as rockers Linkin Park had 2001's best-selling disc, "Hybrid Theory."

But the 4.8 million copies it sold fell way short of 2000's top-selling disc: 'N Sync's "No Strings Attached," which sold 7.9 million. It reflected an overall decline in music sales for 2001, which were down 5 percent, according to figures released by Soundscan, which tracks the industry's record sales.

It's the first time in 10 years that Soundscan began tracking music sales that there has been a decline, the company said Thursday.

Album sales were down 2.8 percent, from 785.1 million in 2000 to 762.8 million last year, partly because of the economy, said Alan Light, Spin magazine's editor in chief.

But other factors were at work, he said, among them the industry's failure to come up with a response to the free music available on the Internet.

In addition, the teen-pop craze has cooled off. The only teen pop act to have an album in the top 10 was 'N Sync, which sold 4.42 million copies of "Celebrity."

"The teen pop bubble-gum stuff has been the driving fad of the business," Light said. "Obviously that started to fall off this year as the kids got a little bit older."

Three rock acts made the top 10 list; besides Linkin Park, Staind came in fifth, with 4.2 million copies sold of "Break the Cycle"; and Creed's "Weathered," was eighth with 3.6 million copies sold.

Light said that many of the kids who started out with teen pop when they were preteens are turning to rock as teenagers.

Light also said it was significant how well compilation albums did. The "O Brother Where Art Thou?" soundtrack and the sixth volume of the "Now That's What I Call Music!" series were the ninth and 10th best-selling discs of the year.

Light said it's unclear whether the industry will rebound this year or continue its slide.

"It's going to be a period of contraction certainly for the next few months," he said. "Everybody's waiting for what's the big thing that's going to turn it around, but you usually can't predict those."

The 10 best-selling discs of 2001:

1. "Hybrid Theory," Linkin Park, 4.8 million
2. "Hotshot," Shaggy, 4.5 million
3. "Celebrity," 'N Sync, 4.42 million
4. "A Day Without Rain," Enya, 4.41 million
5. "Break the Cycle," Staind, 4.2 million
6. "Songs in A Minor," Alicia Keys, 4.1 million
7. "Survivor," Destiny's Child, 3.7 million
8. "Weathered," Creed, 3.6 million
9. "O Brother Where Art Thou?," 3.5 million, various artists
10. "Now That's What I Call Music!, Vol. 6," 3.1 million, various artists