But the US charts aren't based purely on sales. It is more a popularity chart with youtube views counting etc. So I guess Bon Jovi selling obviously a huge amount of tour tickets shows they are popular.

You are completely correct. This is why I said in a perfect world I wouldn't count them. But how is streaming songs through menus/playlists and not accessing them through the album at all showing an *album* is popular?

I guess the distinction is that streaming equivalent sales (and track equivalent sales in the USA) are still a reflection of the popularity of that specific album era even if it's just a couple of songs from it, whereas concert ticket sales are just a reflection of the popularity of the artist in general - I'm sure a very substantial number of people going to see Bon Jovi live aren't going mainly for their new stuff for example. I agree it makes sense to count ticket bundle sales if it still includes the price of the album anyway but I don't think this is the case in the US?

These are the US rules:

 

https://a2im.org/news/ticket-bundle-soundsc...ing-guidelines/

 

Two key points

 

1. There must be an option to unbundle at a lower price for ticket only.

 

2. Digital sales don’t count unless and until the consumer actually downloads the album.

Fair enough then. I wonder why it doesn't have the same effect in the UK if it is also a thing here.