Merchandise sales don't show the popularity of an artist like their actual music sales do though. It's important to make money, it's not in any way to be used as a gauge of their popularity IMO.

1991-1996:
Single: 3,600,000
Albums: 3,460,376
Total: 7,060,376

2005-Present:
Singles: 2,400,000
Albums: 10,628,552
Total: 13,028,552

That is their certified UK sales. Having a hit single means very little. Crazy Frog, Bob The Builder, The Power Rangers and Nizlopi all had hit singles, were never going to sell albums or sell out a tour which is IMO the way to judge an artists popularity.

Having 4 out of 5 albums since their return selling over 2 million copies shows their popularity. Their last tour being the fastest-selling tour in UK music history shows their popularity. Their most recent album breaking Amazon's pre-order record shows their popularity too.

Singles wise in the UK the Official chart company said they have sold 9.3 million in the UK and albums are over 14 million minimum in the UK.

Which is 23.3 million album/single UK Take That.

Westlife 6.8 mill singles + 11.1 mill albums = 17.9 mill in the UK.

Boyzone 7.1 mill singles + 5.9 mill albums = 13 mill in the UK.

Those are the top three in the UK.

One Direction 4 mill singles + 2.7 mill albums = 6.7 mill in the UK (currently)

It's hardly a landmark anniversary that will ensure the other two members come back though is it?

in what way don't they? can you elaborate on this in a factual manner?


in your opinion as opposed to fact?


so comparing a 5 year period to a 10 year period, 3.6 million singles compared to 2.4 million singles

what about sales for the missing years? and why compare a 5 year period to a 10 year period? comparatively, they sold more on a year by year basis on average in the initial 5 year period than the later 10 year period. so the figures on that basis suggest that contrary to the OP, they were more successful previously


so again, that's your opinion as opposed to fact? those acts you mentioned were very popular for a while, in particular the first 3


no-one is saying they aren't or weren't popular at any point in time. the OP was trying to suggest that they are more popular now than before, however if the facts you post are correct, then that doesn't appear to be the case after all, with approximately 1.4 million records sold per year on average in the initial phase and 1.3 million records sold per year on average in the later phase. so if "in your opinion" popularity should be measured on record sales, they were more popular before. once you factor in everything else, including merchandise i would imagine the figures would again point to them being more successful in the initial period than the more recent one

OP clearly delusional

I agree with the OP. As much as I dislike Barlow and Williams these days, Take That's continued success is remarkable. We've seen other such bands try and make comebacks, and they usually fizzle out after one nostalgia-driven tour, the The Thats have managed to comeback and attract people with new material..

And, and I've always said this about them, when they tour, they put on one hell of a show.

I think the original poster meant also the length they've been around and having success as a 5, 4 and 3.

Speaking of album sales in Europe minimum certified by the IFPI they sold:

1991 - 1996: 8 million albums (less UK and evenly Europe)

2005 - present: 9 million albums (huge UK and less Europe)

So again it's hard to tell which era is the most popular though Take That have sold the more albums in Europe than any other boyband.

These are top with non Brit/Ire in brackets.

Take That: 17 mill minimum Europe
(Backstreet Boys 12 mill)
Westlife: 12 mill minimum Europe
Boyzone: 7 mill minimum Europe

One Direction: 3 million minimum Europe currently.

it's far from hard to tell which era was most popular based on record sales if you are comparing 8 million albums in the first 5 years, compared with 9 million albums in the last 10 years. it's pretty obvious from those stats that the initial period was the most popular by far with almost twice as many records sold in the initial popular period than the comeback. especially if you take into consideration that the first album came out in august 92 and the last proper studio album came out in may 95. it was only from around june 92 when they started having any real commercial success and they broke up less than 4 years later in feb 96. obviously with the comeback period they were already a well known act with established fanbase, so the majority of sales in the initial period were in a 4 year period

I have to say that they are far more popular with the under 30's at work than those of us who remember them first time around. A whole group of girls I know went to see them and the gig was full of people their age.

I'm the age group who *should* be their target audience but I find them dull as ditchwater and always have. They have released a couple of decent songs but I can count on one hand the ones I actually like

It's clear that Worldwide the albums that feature Robbie pre solo stardom (TT 90's output) and obviously after (Progress) have been the biggest Worldwide.

Though Beautiful World still did well in places across Europe which is a credit to the 4 members.
Take That have done well in the UK as they were accepted as a 4 as nostalgia was at it's biggest here for them. Patience also helped them have a #1 smash across Europe also which proves it was about the music. However they are clearly viewed outside the UK as a 5 and 'Robbie's old band' so overall the first period was universally the biggest.

However...if you judge from their comeback and that of others after 10 years absence and new material then they have achieved something most haven't commercially even if only mainly in their home nation.

Boyzone last album struggled even in Ireland their home nation last time they went platinum there was 2010 which was good however they are now struggling. No certs in Europe though (excluding UK) since 1999.

Backstreet Boys when down to a 4 had a massive drop in sales also. They haven't had a hit either Worldwide or in America since 2005 and though their subsequent albums chart high in America first week they have all fallen down sharp and none since 2005 have reached minimum certification (Gold: 500,000). The 4 man version plus recent all 5 record in 2013 have sold between 100 - 200,000 in the States and had no certifications in Europe since 2005 also unlike what the 4 man TT have done.

Westlife last certified album outside UK/Ireland was in 2007 which meant two studio albums and the greatest hits weren't certified anywhere other than Ire/UK and probably a factor in why they split in 2011. So compared to their 90's peers second time around they have achieved something.

Yes spot on that is what I meant.
Other bands in the past might have lost members and carried on but nothing like this.

And as stated other bands from the 90's try to launch a comeback and just fizzle out in the end. I never liked TT first time round but I have all 4 albums since returning. The music they make is to a very wide market and not just teenage girls.

They will never top the heights of Progress and TT will know this . I agree they should of quite after the Progress tour which was amazing with a amazing album. I still think it doesn't look right with only 3 of them and need at least Jason to return not for the vocals but just for the line up to look right.

As for the 2017 thing

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/r...rejoin-4725145

This is just one of many articles saying this . I do think that Robbie's return will be well planned and already in the making.

I know Gary has mentioned a Best Of Greatest Hits mixing both periods but I think that can come later on.

It would be nice to have a greatest hits vol 2 2005 - present to separate the two periods. Get Robbie and Jason on the single from the Greatest Hits (ie the How Deep Is Your Love promo track for it) as ultimately a mix best of will come by the record label later in time like 'The Essential' series.

I think the album III is a very different album but I think that was the plan. The boys know this is a different Take That and needed a different Take That Sound. In many ways it is better then Progress as its more a Take That album rather then Robbie featuring Take That which Progress very much was.

Gary is a very clever man and knows what he is doing. If Take That returned with a progress sounding album then it could of flopped but he saw the chance to change again and refresh the band's sound and it has worked.

I do not work for Take That but I think the management and promotion team behind them also need to take a bow as they let the whole Tax issue blow over and didn't let the band become wrapped up in it and just focused on the music and let the legal team to deal with the tax problem.


Did Jason leaving have something to do with the Tax issues yes it did in part although we will never know that for sure.

Gary has also said that he wants one big Greatest album as well. Can you imagine who brilliant that will be and will be a huge seller . However for any album to happen with tour then it will need all 5 to return for one last time.

I think the reason they did well in both stages 90's and present is because they were the only boyband who changed styles/sounds album to album all the others stuck to one sound and style that worked, a winning formula.

Take That have covered most genres on their album/singles even back in the 90's stage apart from the obvious extreme genres! Pop, Rock, Disco, R'n'B, Soul, Acoustic, Dance, Electro, adult contemporary, Folk etc.

The change in sound is something they have always done album to album since the start and it's again working for them.

I know Gary wants a huge album with both 90's and 00's singles on but I just think a greatest hits purely since 2005 should come first to show the two stages of the group. The big mix of both can always come in the future but just my opinion.

Yes it will be good as long they are released well apart from each other. Either wayat least Jason will need to return for such a album and tour. It also depends how long Gary wants to carry on TT. The way he talks about TT I don't think they will really ever split up again just maybe take a break then come back.

There will come a time when the albums sales will dry up but will be always able to tour due to the huge selection of songs to sing and the fan base is massive for big tours all the time.

I love Take That - I can't wait to see them later this year

'These days' is quite a nice poppy song, but not like hardcore stuff like most of what I'm into.

Take That - These Days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I43R3jIFE74

when westlife reunite anytime soon, hopefully on 2018, WE WOULD KNOW.

I agree with the OP's comments but would really love to know why they only recorded one new single after Robbie left and then called it a day, their comeback is astounding, but deserved, IMO

They wanted to leave on a high and at the top so when Robbie left it wasn't Take That anymore and as previous history had shown once a member leaves popularity slowly or quickly goes down usually. It also got Gary and Mark themselves thinking about solo careers too.

They definitely went out on top hence the global hysteria and shock of their split and they were still in the US top 20 after peaking top 10 a few months earlier at the time. The American promo was just the four of them after Robbie as we know left/pushed in summer 95 and they went top ten in late autumn 95 there and #1 in Canada.

re: III. I wish there were more songs with shared vocals (instead of a Mark-only, Gary-only vocal songs).

I think it's a shame Robbie wasn't around for this album because I think he writes good lyrics (although admittedly he's had some misses over the years too ). There's some cracking songs on their new album III, melody-wise it's perhaps stronger than Progress, but I do miss Robbie's lyrics... I think they made Progress interesting

Completely agree with this. Gary and Mark are very good with melodies but Robbie's lyrics are more interesting in general. That's why Progress works so well for me.

One key ingredient to their comeback success is they do create their own music and have a control over the sound and concept. You don't see many boybands/girlbands or pop artists do that often. Their marketing team also know about this and use it to fuel positive public view of the band. Definitely works wonder.

We could talk about sales etc etc until we are blue in the face but the fact remains that what TT have done is well and truly remarkable. Forget the sales for a minute just the very nature of the split and comeback then reuniting as 5 members [which was the right thing to do] then to go away for 4 years and come back again with only 3 and still be massive is outstanding.

This has happened to no other band and wont ever again. The guys are well in to there 40's as well don't forget and could of be tossed by the road side many times but they have take the fans with them and grew up with them which I think is the key thing here. Not only did they keep the old fan base they have added a whole new fan base as well along the way. Whilst I wasn't a fan of TT in the 90's I didn't dislike them just wouldn't buy anything by them but now I am a fan and I wonder how many more like me are in the same boat.