YES and Time and a Word Sales figures?

[soundchaser09]

I know that these records did not do well at launch in 1969 and 1970, but given how successful Yes became after that point, and the amount of time that has passed, is it surprising that neither of these records have any certifications for sales thresholds yet?

[Ash Armstrong]

I don't think it's something I've given any thought to at all in the last half-century since I discovered their music. Nor with relation to any other artist or band.

[JMKUSA]

The remasters might have sold ok when they were released, but if I had to guess the Yesterdays compilation that came out in 1975 did better since the band was selling a lot more records at that time.

[Gilly Goodness]

The remasters might have sold ok when they were released, but if I had to guess the Yesterdays compilation that came out in 1975 did better since the band was selling a lot more records at that time.

And had a great Roger Dean cover (just sayin') and a ballsy cover of America. 😘 And a clever title.


NB: As per the new cover Roger is doin' or has already done, he started with figures on organic structures with a background with heavenly bodies. And he is still doin' them.

[josuev80]

And had a great Roger Dean cover (just sayin') and a ballsy cover of America. 😘 And a clever title.


NB: As per the new cover Roger is doin' or has already done, he started with figures on organic structures with a background with heavenly bodies. And he is still doin' them.

I posted that album cover on the old Yesfans.com in some comment and some prude accused me of posting child pornography.

[Davy]

It is tacky. What the heck was Roger (and the band) thinking?

[josuev80]

It is tacky. What the heck was Roger (and the band) thinking?

Is it any worse than Houses of the Holy?

[patrickq]

It is tacky. What the heck was Roger (and the band) thinking?

Even by 1975 standards. Better than the first two Flash albums though.

[Ash Armstrong]

I used to have a poster on my bedroom wall of the Yesterday's cover back in the 70s.

[gbh90125]

I just love those twofers albums so much. they are so bright and full of invention. Ive said this before on here somewhere but YES is a brilliant summers day driving album. I'm surprised that these two haven't got higher sales figures on the back their more celebrated and bigger selling brothers and sisters.

[Khatrooper]

It is tacky. What the heck was Roger (and the band) thinking?

Yes pisses on their roots.

[yamishogun]

I didn't play either album all the way through until 10 years ago, and I've been a fan since 1982. For me, everything from when Howe joined through Talk was more interesting, Maybe not Tormato...

My guess is that those who got on board with 90125 and wanted the first two albums, bought used copies. It's probably the same with Rush and their first album - the only one I've never owned, while getting the rest of theirr albums new.

[Soundchaser413]

Neither of the first two albums went gold (and neither did Yesterdays). I would say they both, individually, sold about maybe 300,000 copies (in the US).

Yes, it is surprising that neither have gone at least gold by now. Same thing with Drama. Most of the later albums (post BG especially) did not sell very well at all. Apparently Talk never sold more than 150,000 (US) and none of the ones after it did any better. Yes never became like Rush in that they weren't able to sustain their popularity very well (in the 90s and beyond I mean) and they didn't attract many new (and younger) fans after a certain point.

[Soundchaser413]

I didn't play either album all the way through until 10 years ago, and I've been a fan since 1982. For me, everything from when Howe joined through Talk was more interesting, Maybe not Tormato...

My guess is that those who got on board with 90125 and wanted the first two albums, bought used copies. It's probably the same with Rush and their first album - the only one I've never owned, while getting the rest of theirr albums new.

They bought used copies or they bought Yesterdays instead. Count me in as one of those weirdos who got into Yes in the 80s (although I had heard of them a little bit before 90125 due to my dad having TYA). I'm not sure if buying used cassette tapes or cds was a thing back then though or at least not as much as it is today. I bought the first two on cassette (initially). Interestingly, my one cousin who is 4 years older than me and one reason (but not the only one) why I got into prog rock only ever had Yesterdays. I remember seeing him lying on his bed listening to it (on vinyl). Do people still just sit in a chair or on a couch or bed and do nothing but listen to music? That seems like a thing of the past (for the most part). Lol.

I can tell you that the first Rush album still went gold (CoS went gold too eventually and FBN went platinum).

[Susanne]

Do people still just sit in a chair or on a couch or bed and do nothing but listen to music? That seems like a thing of the past (for the most part). Lol.

Yes, they do!!! (Though, admittedly, more often I'll also be doing something else, as well.)

I originally bought the first two albums, and also Yesterdays. When I replaced my vinyl with CDs, I initially only bought Yesterdays, because it included my favourite songs from the first two albums. Eventually I bought digital copies of the songs I was missing from the first two. I found that I liked those songs much more than I had remembered! I still really enjoy them now, when they come up on shuffle, though I don't tend to listen to those albums all the way through.

It does surprise me a bit that those forst two albums didn't sell more later, as people got to know the subsequent albums.