Don Quixote

All of this was happening in reality: the album had accumulated six thousand sales in two weeks, and more than two hundred fans had gathered at Village Vanguard. The heartfelt voice of "Don Quixote" had truly awakened resonance, just like the Don Quixote in Cervantes's pen, the windmills before their eyes had truly turned into giants, the lance in their hands had truly severed the giant's head, and the spirit of knighthood had truly rekindled with vitality.

For any album without promotion, for any independent newcomer artist's album, for any album without radio airplay, music videos, magazine interviews, or even official news, in the 2011 North American market, two thousand copies in the first week, four thousand in the second week, such sales performance was considered a miracle, a brilliant miracle that could not be replicated.

More importantly, "Don Quixote" was not just an ordinary album; it contained sixteen songs and was a double-disc album!

When Atlantic Records was considering signing Renly, Abraham Grey had emphasized that a double-disc album was absolutely impossible. Because aside from royalty and cost issues, a double-disc album also meant a higher price point, which in turn meant sales difficulties and a profit dilemma.

Even during Michael Jackson's peak period, after he was acquitted of the sexual abuse charges in 1993, he released the brand-new album "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I" in 1995. Sony Records was still unwilling to release a double-disc album that year. Although Sony Records eventually compromised under Michael's insistence, the album's sales still didn't reach new highs. There were many factors influencing this, but the double-disc album and the high pricing were clearly important factors that couldn't be ignored.

Moreover, Renly Hall was a completely unknown name. In the end, Atlantic Records didn't sign him, but "Don Quixote" was still released as a double-disc album.

Generally speaking, the official unified retail prices recommended by the Recording Industry Association of America are as follows: $9.99 for a digital audio album, $0.99 to $1.29 for a digital single track, and $18.99 for a physical album.

Of course, those major record companies with deep pockets could also choose to lower prices or offer discounts to attract a larger consumer base, thus achieving better chart performance for singles or albums on the Billboard charts. Alternatively, after the promotional period, record companies could adopt different strategies, including price reductions, inventory clearance, and cost-price sales. At that time, the prices might be half of the original price or even lower.

"Don Quixote" as a double-disc album containing sixteen songs, whether it was a physical CD, vinyl record, or digital audio album, had a naturally higher price. Otherwise, Studio Eleven would have incurred losses before they even began promoting it.

In the end, the market pricing for this album was set at $16.99 for the digital album, $0.99 for a digital single track, and $29.99 for a physical album. The price was approximately two-thirds higher than other single-disc albums on the market. In the overall depressed market, such pricing was undoubtedly a fatal blow to sales!

However, even under these circumstances, "Don Quixote" still sold six thousand copies in just two weeks. Compared to single-disc albums, this was equivalent to ten thousand copies, or even more. Such a performance was beyond description, other than calling it "incredulous".

With such a miraculous sales performance, in the second week of September 2011, "Don Quixote" smoothly entered the North American Billboard album chart, ranking at 148th place.

Unlike the Singles chart that featured one hundred songs, the Album chart had two hundred album slots. "Don Quixote" had rightfully secured its place on the chart. Although 148th place was considered to be in the lower half of the list, much like a long scroll where people only focused on the top portion and often ignored the latter part, for independent musicians and seasoned music enthusiasts, this was nothing short of a miracle.

If one were to trace everything back, the source could be found.

The most direct evidence was that both "Cleopatra" and "Ophelia", the two singles, were still on the Billboard charts. The latter had maintained its position without falling off the chart, displaying astonishing durability. It had already stayed on the chart for a full fifty-two weeks, marking its one-year anniversary, achieving a feat that countless pop singles couldn't.

As for the former, it had now been on the chart for sixty-four weeks, not only easily crossing the one-year mark but also maintaining its position at 17th place.

Since The Ellen DeGeneres Show effect had set off a chain reaction and pushed the single into the top twenty of the charts at the beginning of the year, almost two-thirds of the year had passed, and this single hadn't fallen out of the top twenty, especially benefiting from the summer blockbuster success of "Fast 5". The name "Renly Hall" had even prompted Universal Pictures to consider external endorsements, let alone digital sales. Now, "Cleopatra" was at a respectable 17th place on the chart, higher than before the release of "Fast 5".

Without a doubt, "Cleopatra" was on the verge of breaking the previous record of seventy-six weeks on the chart held by Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours". This was almost certain. However, the question was, where was the finish line? This single had remained in the top twenty so far, with its weekly points not declining but rather rising. It wouldn't drop out of the top fifty in the short term. So, how much longer would it stay?

Furthermore, Neil's YouTube account now had three hundred thousand subscribers. While this might not be a standout figure in a community where channels with millions of subscribers were common, it had a loyal and steadfast fan base. Professional music magazines, including The Fader, had paid attention to Renly. For those seasoned music enthusiasts, his name might not be familiar, but it was not entirely unknown.

It was within this grand, unyielding, and relentless momentum that "Don Quixote" achieved such results. Objectively speaking, compared to the single performance of  "Cleopatra", the album's sales seemed too low.

After all, the album hadn't received any promotion, and those professional fans hadn't received any news. How could it drive sales? After all, "Cleopatra" had been released for over a year and looked like a fixture on the chart. The release gap for "Don Quixote" had been too long, so even those who loved the single couldn't react in time, and an increase in sales naturally seemed even more impossible.

But, as George Slender had said, dreams don't die.

Even amidst the torrent of the fast-food era, those who dedicated themselves to their craft still radiated their unique brilliance. Amidst the desolation and shallowness of society, the inner perseverance and pursuit of art could still find like-minded companions. Those sincere, genuine, heartfelt, and true dreams, they would never die.

"People laugh at me for being insane, but I laugh at the world for not seeing through. Without the dedication and madness of Don Quixote, without the illusory and beautiful dreams, without the courage and perseverance to move forward steadfastly, society could never progress. Survival is not difficult; life requires more; life yearns to bloom."

So, Neil and Stanley hosted this grand gathering, inviting dreamers who walked alone to come together. In the flashy and restless New York, they set aside their steps and entered the world belonging to "Don Quixote". Music enthusiasts, movie buffs, dream supporters—all of them arrived at Village Vanguard, the last sanctuary in the depths of their hearts, declaring the existence of "Don Quixote".

At the entrance of Village Vanguard, there was a commotion at this moment. Excitement and passion almost set the air on fire. Watching Renly's figure disappear behind the gate, William and his friends were still stunned, unable to believe their eyes.

Because the event page had stated that Renly wouldn't be present today; it was meant to be a fan interaction event only. However, they had decided to travel from Los Angeles to New York before the start of the new semester, to enjoy their last trip thoroughly. But the surprise before their eyes had completely short-circuited their brains.

"Guys, that person just now... um..." A middle-aged man standing nearby furrowed his brow, tugging at his pale red beard, speaking somewhat incoherently, "Right? I mean, that person just now... I didn't see it wrong, right? Renly Hall? Or did I just imagine things?"

William and his buddies exchanged glances and their brains finally came back online, and they couldn't help but start screaming, "Ah, ah, ah!" The piercing screams made the red-haired man take a step back in shock. Then, Hope and Graham shouted at him, "Yes, yes, yes!"

The red-haired man's mood couldn't help but rise, a smile appearing on his face. He lightly raised his fist, but then he looked at Hope and asked, "But... can I ask why he came over? Everyone was supposed to queue up if they wanted to attend the event. Him just going in like this, doesn't it mean that someone at the back of the line won't get in? That's not fair..."

As he spoke, the red-haired man noticed that more and more eyes were gathering around him. He cleared his throat and continued, "I mean, is he some kind of VIP? Is there something I don't know? Or did I say something wrong?"

"You don't know who the singer of this album is?" Hope finally realized and asked.

The red-haired man shrugged, seemingly unconcerned but still focused, "Does it matter? I like the album itself, not the singer. It's an outstanding album."

Hope turned to look at his friends, and then they all said in unison, "Don Quixote".

This was the true Don Quixote, immersed in his own world, unable to extricate himself.