Garbage (album) - Album Release and Promotion

Album Release and Promotion

In United States, the album was preceded at alternative radio by "Vow", which peaked at #26 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and at the end of July, spent two weeks at #97 on the Hot 100. Despite not being able to actively promote the single, Almo Sounds issued Garbage on August 15, on CD, cassette and double-vinyl. The album debuted at #29 on the developing artists Top Heatseekers album chart. Four weeks later, the album debuted at #193 on the Billboard 200, as "Queer" impacted at Modern Rock. In November, Garbage launched their first North American tour, which drove "Queer" to #12 on the Modern Rock chart and Garbage to climb to #127 on the album chart and spend four weeks at #5 on the Heatseekers chart. The album dropped off the Billboard 200 at the start of December. At the start of January 1996, "Only Happy When It Rains" was serviced to alternative radio; as Garbage re-charted on the Billboard 200 at #183. At the start of March, Garbage peaked at #2 on the Heatseeker chart. A week later, the album broke into the top half of Billboard 200 for the first time, as "Only Happy When It Rains" peaked at #16 at alternative radio. The album had sold 238,000 units by this point. "Only Happy..." peaked at #55 on the Hot 100 at the start of May as Garbage was certified Gold by the RIAA for shipping half a million units. A week later, the album reached #47 on the Billboard 200 before dropping to #73 in June as "Stupid Girl" impacted Modern Rock. At the end of the month "Stupid Girl" reached the top ten at Modern Rock while Garbage ascended into the top forty of the Billboard 200 for the first time. At the end of July, Garbage was certified platinum for shipping a million units, and a week later peaked at #20 on the album chart. "Stupid Girl" peaked at #24 on the Hot 100 in September; by which time Garbage had doubled its weekly sales to shifting around 40,000 units and remained in the top thirty of the Billboard 200 for two months. Almo serviced "Supervixen" to alternative before releasing "Milk" as the last single from the album; however alternative radio picked up on "#1 Crush", which was licensed to a movie soundtrack, and sent it to #1 at the end of the year. Garbage dropped to #78 in December, before rebounding to #47 at the start of February 1997 on the back of the success of "#1 Crush". Garbage clocked up its 81st and last week on the Billboard 200 at the start of May 1997 when it bowed out at #191.

In Australia, Garbage debuted at #5 on the ARIA album chart. In New Zealand, Garbage debuted at #11. On September 23 the band's record labels issued a 'Tour Edition' of the album containing a bonus disc of remixes and b-side "Alien Sex Fiend". Eleven months after release, Garbage topped the New Zealand albums chart and peaked at #4 in Australia.

In the United Kingdom, Garbage was preceded by the single "Only Happy When It Rains" which charted at #29. Mushroom Records issued the album on CD, cassette, double-vinyl and a limited edition 7" box set. Garbage debuted on the UK Album Chart at #12 with first week sales of 9,409 copies. A week later the album dropped to #26 before falling out of the Top 40. The album re-entered the album chart at the start of 1996 and climbed steadily as "Stupid Girl" hit #4 on the UK Singles Chart at the end of March. The album subsequently peaked at #6 and remained in the top ten until May. Garbage left the Top 40 in October, and recharted at #34 at the end of the year. Garbage was issued on the MiniDisc format on March 20, 2000 and re-charting in the UK for the final time in July of that year. As of May 2012, the album has sold over 700,000 copies in the United Kingdom.