In this world of low-quality codecs and single song sales with a customer base that demands product instantly, I wish there was a place music fans still appreciated an album as a whole and understand the value of music. . .

Run by Nielsen, Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada.  They have been tracking sales since March of 1991. It is a common misconception that RIAA uses the Soundscan information to track sales and certify Gold and Platinum sales etc.  They do not.