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How 2021 is Turning Out to Be a Great Year for Rock and Metal

How Rock and Metal made it to the top of the Billboard's Top Album Sales Chart

By Rui AlvesPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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How 2021 is Turning Out to Be a Great Year for Rock and Metal
Photo by Hector Bermudez on Unsplash

Pop music usualy rules the Billboard's Top Album Sales Chart, but in May 2021 'Fortitude' by French Metal band Gojira's became the highest-selling album in the United States. Thus, 2021 is turning out to be an excellent year for rock and heavy music, with several albums scoring high on the official sales charts worldwide.

In February, the tenth studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, Medicine at Midnight, debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Landing 70,000 equivalent album units, 64,000 of which were album sales, making it the week's top-selling album.

Afterward, in March, the fifth studio album by gothic rock band Evanescence, The Bitter Truth, made it to the eleventh position. The album rejoined Amy Lee with her band after the singer went solo for the last three years.

On April 16, we got the long-awaited tenth studio album by American rock band the Offspring, Let the Bad Times Roll. This was their first studio album in almost a decade since Days Go By (2012).

On the same day in April, American rock band Greta Van Fleet released The Battle at Garden's Gate. The band had already topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart in January 2021 with the album's first single, "My Way, Soon," previously released on October 9, 2020.

Recently, Typhoons by English hard rockers, Royal Blood, peaked at the eleventh position in the US chart. After claiming #1 in the UK with 32,000 chart sales, including 24,000 on physical formats and the most digital downloads of the week, wrapping up the biggest opening week for a British act in 2021 so far.

Gojira's 'Fortitude' debuts at #1 in the US

The critics and the general audience praised Fortitude. The album ranked #1 in Billboard's US Top Hard Rock Albums and the Top Rock Albums. Additionally, it peaked at the seventh position on the US Billboard 200.

New York-based, French metal band Gojira scored the best-selling album in the United States for the past week with the acclaimed Fortitude. Both critics and the general audience praised Fortitude. The album ranked #1 in Billboard's US Top Hard Rock Albums and the Top Rock Albums. Additionally, it peaked at the seventh position on the US Billboard 200.

It's outstanding how a metal band has scored more pure album sales (24,000) than DJ Khaled, who "only" sold 15,000. However, the iconic rapper made it to 94,000 units (streaming equivalents included: 1,500 song streams equal one album sale). When we add up streaming, Gojira loses by a landslide with 27,000 units overall. That's why DJ Khaled holds the #1 spot on the global sales Billboard 200.

About 'Fortitude' by Gojira

Fortitude is the uplifting and inspirational seventh album by French eco-metal band Gojira who focuses on humanitarian and environmental causes.

The new album was recorded and produced by Gojira’s frontman, Joe Duplantier, at his Silver Cord Studio, New York, and later, mixed by Andy Wallace, renowned for his work with iconic bands like Nirvana, Slayer, or Rage Against the Machine.

The conceptual inspiration for Fortitude is directly linked to Tibetan and Thai philosophers Joe Duplantier read during his youth, namely “The Tibetan book of life and death” by Sogyal Rinpoche. Musically, the frontman dug further beyond his Metal influences. Thus we find references to Prog and Rock from bands like the Dire Straits.

Joe Duplantier also explained the profoundly humanitarian background for their new opus that is depicted, namely in the official video for the new single “The Chant:”

“This work is inspired by the reading of Tenzin Tsundue’s poetry. A righteous Tibetan activist, that describes the cultural genocide perpetrated on its people. We’ve always been sensitive to the Tibetan struggle. One of the wisest and most compassionate traditions, victim of the worst human rights violations imaginable since its invasion in 1949. Tibetan culture inspired many of our lyrics and had a deep impact on our approach of philosophy and art in general. Our thoughts go out to all Tibetans. We’re hoping that we’ll see their land free from oppression in our lifetime.”

The video for this song was shot in the West Bengal region of India in 2019. It focuses on the plight of refugee children from Tibet who fled their homeland to preserve their culture after the Chinese invasion of the country in 1949.

Final Thoughts

I've listened to all the albums mentioned above and reviewed most of them. There's a notable common denominator that explains why they have performed so well in terms of sales.

Alternative music bands seem focused on expanding their musical scope by building bridges towards the mainstream universe while trying not to lose their iconic rock and heavy identity.

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Thanks for reading this article. Please consider supporting our community of creators by becoming a Vocal+ Member. Feel free to come back at any time and pick up another thread from my Vocal book of content by clicking here. Small tips and big hearts are highly appreciated. Till next time, cheers. - Rui

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About the Creator

Rui Alves

Hi, I'm Rui Alves, a teacher, army veteran & digital pathfinder. Author, alchemist of sound & Gen-AI artist.

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