exactly. The only way this could work, is if we could compare Manafon to either Nine Horses or Blemish, and get sales ratings for those albums two months after release and compare them to Manafon.
Don't forget that David Sylvian might have been mainstream sales wise, but he hasn't been for nearly two decades now. Also, of the music people that I follow, David (along with Porcupine Tree and Marillion) are the most mainstream I listen to.
Doesn't matter if an artist doesn't sell many copies (and what is many anyway? Manafon has 2.000 Lim.Ed + the repress, plus the normal edition - most of SS releases come nowhere near I'm sure), but that I like the music.
I try to support the artists and/or their labels as directly as possible, to try and help make sure that they can continue to release their amazing stuff. Samadhi haven't released a dud yet tot these ears, so I buy all their discs blind. Anyway, two cents and imho of course.