Yesterday, we learned that the tidal wave of publicity Trapt got in recent months led to the band's lowest sales figures ever for their new album. The album, Shadow Work, sold only 600 copies according to Billboard data reported in the Stream N’ Destroy newsletter. But if you ask frontman Chris Taylor Brown, that's fake news.
For posterity, we reported the band's 2016 release, DNA, which sold 4,500 copies first week, so that's an 87% drop. Brown calls fake news in a new tweet.
He writes "Just to make it clear. “Shadow Work” is around 4k albums sold/ over a million streams. We’re doing great after less than 2 weeks of album being out and with ZERO music industry help. In fact quite the opposite. No iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, etc even showing the album was out."
Just to make it clear. “Shadow Work” is around 4k albums sold/ over a million streams. We’re doing great after less than 2 weeks of album being out and with ZERO music industry help. In fact quite the opposite. No iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, etc even showing the album was out
— TRAPT (@TRAPTOFFICIAL) July 16, 2020
Of course, Brown offered no proof of his claims. Billboard is the standard metric by which these sales are determined.
When a fan pointed out Dance Gavin Dance outsold them and debuted in the top 20 (a band Trapt previously slammed and said could not outsell them), Brown started making excuses saying "They also pay half of everything they do to their label. Touring and merch as well. I run the label and manage the band. We have no industry support and still make profitable albums. Very happy with how the album is doing… 4k albums sold and over a million streams in < 2 weeks."
Are we shocked? No. Is it funny? Still, yes, a little bit.
They also pay half of everything they do to their label. Touring and merch as well. I run the label and manage the band. We have no industry support and still make profitable albums. Very happy with how the album is doing… 4k albums sold and over a million streams in < 2 weeks
— TRAPT (@TRAPTOFFICIAL) July 16, 2020
