Book sales: Musicians and their memoirs

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member
I was doing some research earlier today and thought some of you might be interested in these book sales numbers. These are lifetime unit sales since Jan 2010, print sales only, in the UK. I've excluded books that were published before 2010.

1. Life - Keith Richards (301,000 sales)
2. Rod: The Autobiography - Rod Stewart (271,000 sales)
3. Me - Elton John (264,000 sales)
4. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen (236,000 sales)
5. Autobiography - Morrissey (203,000 sales)
6. Wham! George and Me - Andrew Ridgeley (139,000 sales)
7. Dannii: My Story - Dannii Minogue (128,000 sales)
8. First Step 2 Forever - Justin Bieber (117,000 sales)
9. Tina Turner: My Love Story - Tina Turner (110,000 sales)
10. A Better Me - Gary Barlow (98,000 sales)
11. Just Kids - Patti Smith (93,000 sales)
12. Not Dead Yet - Phil Collins (93,000 sales)
13. Over the Top and Back - Tom Jones (88,000 sales)
14. What Does This Button Do? - Bruce Dickinson (73,000 sales)
15. Face It - Debbie Harry (69,000 sales)
16. I Am Ozzy - Ozzy Osbourne (65,000 sales)
17. My Thoughts Exactly - Lily Allen (65,000 sales)
18. The Dreamer - Cliff Richard (57,000 sales)
19. Who I Am - Pete Townshend (52,000 sales)
20. Twisting My Melon - Shaun Ryder (45,000 sales)
21. Set the Boy Free - Johnny Marr (45,000 sales)
22. Anger is an Energy - John Lydon (45,000 sales)
23. That Close - Suggs (44,000 sales)
24. My Story So Far - Tinie Tempah (20,000 sales)
25. I Talk Too Much - Francis Rossi (20,000 sales)
26. Bedsit Disco Queen - Tracey Thorn (18,000 sales)
27. Le Freak - Nile Rodgers (17,000 sales)
28. Clothes, Music, Boys - Viv Albertine (17,000 sales)
29. In the Pleasure Groove - John Taylor (17,000 sales)
30. The Meaning of Mariah Carey - Mariah Carey (16,000 sales)
 
I was doing some research earlier today and thought some of you might be interested in these book sales numbers. These are lifetime unit sales since Jan 2010, print sales only, in the UK. I've excluded books that were published before 2010.

1. Life - Keith Richards (301,000 sales)
2. Rod: The Autobiography - Rod Stewart (271,000 sales)
3. Me - Elton John (264,000 sales)
4. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen (236,000 sales)
5. Autobiography - Morrissey (203,000 sales)
6. Wham! George and Me - Andrew Ridgeley (139,000 sales)
7. Dannii: My Story - Dannii Minogue (128,000 sales)
8. First Step 2 Forever - Justin Bieber (117,000 sales)
9. Tina Turner: My Love Story - Tina Turner (110,000 sales)
10. A Better Me - Gary Barlow (98,000 sales)
11. Just Kids - Patti Smith (93,000 sales)
12. Not Dead Yet - Phil Collins (93,000 sales)
13. Over the Top and Back - Tom Jones (88,000 sales)
14. What Does This Button Do? - Bruce Dickinson (73,000 sales)
15. Face It - Debbie Harry (69,000 sales)
16. I Am Ozzy - Ozzy Osbourne (65,000 sales)
17. My Thoughts Exactly - Lily Allen (65,000 sales)
18. The Dreamer - Cliff Richard (57,000 sales)
19. Who I Am - Pete Townshend (52,000 sales)
20. Twisting My Melon - Shaun Ryder (45,000 sales)
21. Set the Boy Free - Johnny Marr (45,000 sales)
22. Anger is an Energy - John Lydon (45,000 sales)
23. That Close - Suggs (44,000 sales)
24. My Story So Far - Tinie Tempah (20,000 sales)
25. I Talk Too Much - Francis Rossi (20,000 sales)
26. Bedsit Disco Queen - Tracey Thorn (18,000 sales)
27. Le Freak - Nile Rodgers (17,000 sales)
28. Clothes, Music, Boys - Viv Albertine (17,000 sales)
29. In the Pleasure Groove - John Taylor (17,000 sales)
30. The Meaning of Mariah Carey - Mariah Carey (16,000 sales)

That's impressive.
 
I'm surprised that Morrissey is so far up the list in a way but I do think that he's often more interested in being known as a public figure than as a singer. A lot of the things he's said that are most well known had nothing to do with promoting his music but did create an image in the minds of people who barely know his music if at all.
It probably also helps that he has the sorts of fans that will buy different editions.
Keith's book is pretty good and I don't think you'd really have to be a Rolling Stones fan to enjoy it. Again, I think image is a lot of it because you expect to get some dirt.
Anyone interested in the development of pop music in the 20th century should read "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?" about the Carter Family but also about how recording, the recording industry, and how radio allowed some of the most influential musicians to be heard and to hear all sorts of other kinds of music. The ability to hear folk, blues, and gospel music on the radio led to the development of country music and rock and roll. The story of Sara Carter is a very interesting part of the book. Her husband was distracted with wandering through the hills collecting old folk songs which he would claim authorship of and which the Carter Family would record. He asked another man to look over the household while he was away and Sara fell in love with this other man. They were forced apart but he would hear her singing on the radio and the lyrics of some of the songs she was singing were messages to him, although she was unaware he heard them.
 
I do wish he would write more, in addition to recording.
 
The autobiography is the best thing he's done in decades. I thought it was brilliant from start to finish, which is not something I can say about any of his records post-Quarry.
 
I reckon the dude in Encino who wrote "autobiography" should of asked for more than 20% fark arse packey he doesn't live in LA fek'll beach mouth airbnb fake flower house inn nnn nn nn nnn nnn it.
 
What were the sales figure for Miles Davis' Autobiography?
 
Yep, he’s high up on that list, not surprising.


:cool:
 
If anyone can explain to me why/how Dannii Minogue's book is so high up on that list, I'd be grateful. Honestly have no clue.
 
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