Tool Hit #1 on Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Albums, #5 on Album Sales Chart With Their Expensive-Ass Vinyl Box Set of Fear Inoculum
In mid-February, it was revealed that progressive metallers Tool were selling a tour-edition vinyl box set of their 2019 album Fear Inoculum for over $800. Later, due to public outcry, the band lowered the price to a scant $750. But now, it looks like Tool’s hard work and price-gouging have paid off, as the band have landed back on Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Albums and Top Album Sales charts with the vinyl box set.
According to Billboard, the Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales — meaning no streaming, no downloads. Which explains why Tool not only landed back on it, but landed in the Top 10, alongside Jack White, Wet Leg, Father John Misty, and of course, the Encanto soundtrack.
Apparently, Tool re-enter Top Album Sales with nearly 18,500 sold thanks to the album’s release via the limited edition deluxe five-LP boxed set. It should also be noted that 98% of those sales — approximately 18,000 copies — were via the vinyl, which now goes for a peasant-ish $180. So yeah, Tool fans love records over CDs — who knew?
Meanwhile, this also lands Tool back at #1 on the Top Hard Rock charts, which ranks the most popular hard rock albums of the week based on equivalent album units earned. Overall, Fear Inoculum‘s total CD, vinyl, and download sales come in at about 496,000..
Anyway, congrats to Tool on their continued success. The band recently finished a US tour and hit the road again in Europe later in April with Brass Against. You can check the dates below.
4/23 Copenhagen, DK Royal Arena
4/25 Oslo, NO Spektrum
4/26 Stockholm, SE Avicii Arena
4/28 Hamburg, DE Barclaycard Arena
4/29 Frankfurt, DE Festhalle
5/2 Manchester, UK AO Arena Manchester
5/4 Birmingham, UK Resorts World Arena
5/6 Dublin, IE 3Arena
5/9 London, UK The O2 Arena
5/12 Paris, FR AccorHotels Arena
5/13 Antwerp, BE Sportpaleis
5/15 Berlin, DE Mercedes-Benz Arena
5/17 Cologne, DE Lanxess Arena
5/19 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome
5/21 Krakow, PL Tauron Arena
5/23 Prague, CZ O2 Arena
5/24 Budapest, HU SportAréna
