Commercial Reception
Simon promoted the album extensively, making television appearances, signing copies of the album and later launching a transatlantic tour in support of Surprise.
On May 7, he appeared on Sunday Morning where he was interviewed by Harry Smith. On May 12, three days after the release of the album, he appeared on Good Morning America. On May 13 Simon performed "How Can You Live in the Northeast?" and "Outrageous" at Saturday Night Live. Promotion in the UK was next, with Simon performing "Outrageous", "Father and Daughter" and "Graceland" on Later... with Jools Holland. That show also featured performances by David Gilmour with David Crosby and Graham Nash, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, The Streets and Nação Zumbi.
The hype surrounding the release of the album was followed by a positive commercial reception. With Surprise, Paul Simon achieved his greatest week of sales during the Soundscan era, when the album debuted at #14 on the Billboard 200 with sales of over 61,000 copies sold, which slightly surpassed the 60,000 units sold by You're the One back in 2000. Surprise was also Simon's highest chart position in his homeland since The Rhythm of the Saints landed at #4 in 1990. Surprise has sold 296,000 copies in the US.
In the UK, reaction was even stronger, with the album debuting at #4, and then becoming his best chart position also since The Rhythm of the Saints was #1 in 1990. During its second week, Surprise notably stayed at #4, and then slipped down to #20 during its third week, disappearing quickly from the charts.
Read more about this topic: Surprise (Paul Simon Album)
Famous quotes containing the words commercial and/or reception:
“It is only by not paying one’s bills that one can hope to live in the memory of the commercial classes.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“He’s leaving Germany by special request of the Nazi government. First he sends a dispatch about Danzig and how 10,000 German tourists are pouring into the city every day with butterfly nets in their hands and submachine guns in their knapsacks. They warn him right then. What does he do next? Goes to a reception at von Ribbentropf’s and keeps yelling for gefilte fish!”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)