Desire for U2 CD hits dizzy heights
Early sales figures since the album went on release at midnight yesterday indicate the album is a cast-iron guarantee for securing No 1 spot in next week’s Irish album charts.
A crowd of more than 300 people braved arctic conditions in Dublin overnight for a special opening of the HMV store on Grafton Street as the album was released to the group’s Irish fans 72 hours ahead of the rest of the world.
Among the first people to obtain a copy of U2’s eagerly-awaited 11th studio album was 42-year-old Corkman Martin Shanahan, who had queued outside the record store since 10am on Wednesday.
The self-employed gardener had travelled from London, where he has lived since 1983, especially for the occasion. Mr Shanahan also made it to the top of the queue outside the same Grafton Street outlet for the release of the group’s previous album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, in 2000.
HMV spokeswoman Mandy Wright said around 550 copies of the album were sold before the Grafton Street outlet closed at around 1am yesterday, following a midnight opening.
The store laid on breakfast and hot drinks for most of the early arrivals.
Around 20 people had also formed a queue for when it re-opened at 7am yesterday to further mark the launch of the new U2 album.
“Around one-in-three of all albums bought have been How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” said Ms Wright.
She predicted sales of the new U2 record were likely to beat the 5,000 copies which the store sold of U2’s Best of collection two years ago. By 4pm yesterday, the store had sold more than 1,400 copies of the CD and more than 1,100 U2 DVDs, as well as 550 copies of a special box set comprising the CD, DVD and a 48-page book containing exclusive photographs and illustrations of the band, which retails at €32.99.
“Westlife would be our other big sellers but a new Westlife album would usually sell around 1,000 copies compared to around 3,000 or 4,000 for U2,” said Ms Wright.
The band is already dizzy from seeing its new single, Vertigo, go straight to the No 1 position in both the Irish and British single charts this week.
The album is widely expected to top the album charts in Britain and across Europe when it goes on sale there on Monday.
The Virgin record store in Piccadilly, London, is having a special late opening tomorrow night at 11pm to cater for fans anxious to get a copy of the new record.
Even though Vertigo is unlikely to remain top of the charts for Christmas Day, Bono looks certain to also secure a claim to the Christmas No 1 as he features on the red-hot favourite for the top slot - the new version of the Band Aid hit, Do They Know It’s Christmas?
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