The numbers have not been kind to the music industry for years now. Since the dawning of the digital age, a hush has been decending on music stores. But lately, I'm hearing some serious ringing at the cash registers, and the numbers tell a very different story when it comes to sales of a select group. Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montanna) bucks the trend. The High School Musical soundtrack has been a huge success. Chris Daughtry's debut soared. And now, Josh Groban is set to top them all with his new Christmas album, Noel.
On the front page of the Life section in today's USA Today, and online at USAToday.com, Edna Gundersen (Groban's first-place 'Noel' on record pace) writes that Groban is "shaping up as 2007's biggest gift to the music industry." Indeed. His Noel, out since October 9th, has topped the charts for three weeks straight, tying a record for holiday albums set 50 years ago by none other than the King himself, Elvis (Elvis' Christmas Album, 1957).
When Soundscan data is released Wednesday, Gundersen says indicators point to a fourth chart-topping week, and a fourth consecutive week of increasing sales - 581,000 copies last week, 539,000 the week before. It's an upward curve no doubt helped by the approach of Christmas. The article mentions TV appearances giving Groban a boost. But enough cannot be said about the deep, wide and fanatical fan demographic that the 26 year old baritone commands. When Groban begins to sing, like the old E.F. Hutton commercials, everyone stops and listens. And when word starts to get out that he has a new ablum coming out, you can bet your last dollar that millions of people will be happy to spend their hard earned dollars to buy his CD. Great content sells, and Groban is at the top of the content mountain. His rendition of 'O Holy Night', which unfortunately is not included on the new album, is in my opinion the greatest Christmas recording in existence. The reaction from so many I've seen over the years, when first hearing Groban sing, is one of astonishment, whether an 18 year old or 80 year old.
Is a majority of Groban's appeal in the 'older' demographic? Absolutely. If by older you mean 30s, 40s, and 50s. And 60s. And what's wrong with playing to a more mature crowd, or a crowd interested in high quality, G-rated fare? Or a group that has the most money, and is more than willing to spend it on the right things. Amid all the fighting and handwringing and doomsday talk about CD sales and illegal file sharing, I'm amazed to see the same archaic demo targeting gameplan in place, the one aiming for the young and hip (18-34) while ignoring practically everyone else. That worked fairly well in decades past, thinking that if you appealed to people when they were young, then you could get your branding hooks in them for life. The difference now is that the young and hip, the 'Net Generation', are a fast moving and fickle target who's tastes change and evolve nearly as fast as the technology they're so comfortable being immersed in.
A word to the music industry, and just about every other industry out there who's desperately trying to recapture the glory days of old, by capturing the hearts of the young (newspapers, radio, etc): there are millions and millions of consumers (Generation Jones/Baby Boomers anyone?) that are rarely being served. And when something, or someone, comes along and tickles their fancy ... do you hear what I hear? The sound of an amazing baritone singing ... and cash registers ringing.
In Rainbows sold 122,000 units for a number 1 ranking, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures released Wednesday. Last week's top album, Mary J. Blige's Growing Pains, slipped to number 3 with 89,000. Alicia Keys As I Am remains in the second slot with 112,000. The Now 26 collection stays at number 4 with 54,000, and Taylor Swift's jumps to the 5 spot with 47,000 units sold. 
