USA TODAY: ‘TWILIGHT’ SERIES ECLIPSES POTTER RECORDS
USA Today has a very cool new article highlighting the sales of the Twilight series, the records the series has managed to hold onto, and how the books don’t look like they’re willing to let go of the best seller’s list anytime soon.
Stephenie Meyer’s four-book Twilight series has sunk its fangs into USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list — with no signs of letting go. Meyer’s domination of the list for the past 12 months has smashed records that until now had belonged to J.K. Rowling.
Breaking Dawn, the fourth book in the teen-vampire romance series, entered the list at No. 1 on Aug. 2, 2008. Its sales and those of Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse, the first three books, have remained staggering.This week, Meyer’s novels are Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7 on USA TODAY’s list.
Rowling, overall, has sold more books than Meyer — her seven-book series about boy wizard Harry Potter has 143 million copies in print in the USA, while Meyer has sold 40 million copies of her four books. But Rowling can’t match Meyer’s control of the list.
Breaking Dawn and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the two authors’ fourth installments, entered the list at No. 1, but Meyer’s series has had more staying power.
The Twilight books have stayed in the list’s top 10 for 52 consecutive weeks. They held the first four spots a total of 13 weeks in the past year.
Rowling’s first four Potter books were top 10 for 13 consecutive weeks, 24 weeks total, for the first year after Goblet’s publication and held the first four spots for two weeks.
Breaking Dawn broke the first-day sales record for publisher Hachette at 1.3 million copies.
Based on aggressive marketing of Meyer’s series, this November’s release of the film version of New Moon and the upcoming holiday gift-buying season, Twilight books could dominate the list well into 2010.
(Thanks Hugz)
Are you surprised at these statistics? How long do you think the series will continue to dominate the book charts?
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Not really surprised at the saga’s continuing success. But may I say, to all those haters/doubters out there… well well… hate and criticize all you want, but these books are staying around.
No surprise at all. Certainly not to take anything away from Stephenie, but I would imagine it has helped sales of the collective series that she was able to produce them so close together. JKR took several more years to write her books.
That said, I hope Stephenie sells books for many years to come. She is deserving.
And, a tweak to USA Today, don’t you know Stephenie’s vampires don’t have fangs!
Good for Stepahnie. I hope this encourages her to finish Midnight Sun. After all this success I can only imagine how much money and success she will get if she finishes Midnight Sun. I agree with Chelle. Stephanie’s book are here to stay. Does anyone know or here any news about Midnight Sun??? I want SM to finish so bad!