Legendary Canadian rock group The Tragically Hip made its Billboard chart debut in March 1990, when its single "New Orleans Is Sinking" opened at No. 42 on the Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart. The song, which would appear two months later on the band's first full-length album, Up to Here, launched a career that would earn The Hip the nickname "Canada's band," along with numerous Billboard chart achievements.
Fronted by Gord Downie, who died Oct. 17 at age 53 following a battle with brain cancer, the band has notched eight entries on the Billboard 200, four on Mainstream Rock Songs and several more on Billboard's Canadian song and album charts.
In honor of Downie, let's take a look at The Tragically Hip, by the numbers:
7: The Hip has scored seven No. 1s on Billboard's Canadian Albums chart, the third-most among all acts and a record among groups in the chart's 21-year history. In total, the band sports 17 entries, the most by a group.
8: The band has earned eight entries on the (U.S.-based) Billboard 200 albums chart. Its highest-charting set, 2012's Now For Plan A, reached No. 129, followed by Trouble at the Henhouse (No. 134,1996), Music @ Work (No. 139, 2000), Phantom Power (No. 143, 1998), We Are the Same (No. 148, 2009), In Violet Light (No. 169, 2002), Up to Here (No. 170, 1990) and Man Machine Poem (No. 179, 2016).
3.7 million: In Canada, The Hip's albums have sold 3.7 million copies through Oct. 12, according to Nielsen Music (since Nielsen began tracking Canadian sales in 1996). The group's best-selling album of the Nielsen era in Canada, Up to Here, has sold 505,000 copies to date.
871,000: In the U.S., The Hip's albums have sold 871,000 copies through Oct. 12 (since Nielsen began tracking sales in 1991). The group's best-selling studio album of the Nielsen era in the U.S., Yer Favorites, has sold 45,000 copies.
5.4 million: Certified album units for the band's albums by Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association). Seventeen of The Tragically Hip's albums have been certified Gold. Of those, 15 reached Platinum status and three -- Up to Here, Fully Completed and Road Apples -- have reached Diamond status. Only four other acts have three or more certified Diamond albums.
108,000: Gord Downie's solo albums have sold 108,000 copies in Canada, according to Nielsen Music. That includes his five solo albums -- Coke Machine Glow, Battle of the Nudes, The Grand Bounce, And the Conquering Sun and Secret Path.
4: The Hip has scored four entries on the Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart. Its 1993 hit "Courage" peaked the highest, at No. 16, followed by "New Orleans Is Sinking" (No. 20, 1990), "Poets" (No. 39, 1998) and "Three Pistols" (No. 43, 1991).
9: The group has earned nine hits on the Canadian Radio Audience chart, three of which hit No. 1. "Love Is a First" spent seven weeks atop the ranking in 2009, while "In View" and "At Transformation" each logged three weeks at No. 1, in 2006 and 2012, respectively.
22: The peak position of The Hip's highest-charting song on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 (which began in 2007), "Love Is a First," in 2009. The group has earned three other entries on the chart: "Bobcaygeon" (No. 27, 2016), "Ahead By a Century" (No. 32, 2016) and "At Transformation" (No. 63, 2012).
1.3 million: The Hip's songs have sold 1.3 million digital tracks in Canada through Oct. 12.
332,000: The Hip's songs have sold 332,000 digital downloads in the U.S. through Oct. 12.
128 million: Total on-demand streams for The Hip's catalog to date in Canada.
